oke his sister Lineik, and they agreed that their
father must be dead, and that they must lose no time in obeying his
orders and putting themselves in safety. So they collected their jewels
and a few clothes and left the house without being observed by anyone.

They hurried on till they arrived at the mountain without once looking
back. Then Sigurd glanced round and saw that their stepmother was
following them, with an expression on her face which made her uglier
than the ugliest old witch. Between her and them lay a thick wood, and
Sigurd stopped for a moment to set it on fire; then he and his sister
hastened on more swiftly than before, till they reached the grove with
the red and green trees, into which they jumped, and felt that at last
they were safe.

Now, at that time there reigned over Greece a king who was very rich
and powerful, although his name has somehow been forgotten. He had two
children, a son and a daughter, who were more beautiful and accomplished
than any Greeks had been before, and they were the pride of their
father's heart.

The prince had no sooner grown out of boyhood than he prevailed on his
father to make war during the summer months on a neighbouring nation,
so as to give him a chance of making himself famous. In winter, however,
when it was difficult to get food and horses in that wild country, the
army was dispersed, and the prince returned home.

During one of these wars he had heard reports of the Princess Lineik's
beauty, and he resolved to seek her out, and to ask for her hand in
marriage. All this Blauvor, the queen, found out by means of her black
arts, and when the prince drew near the capital she put a splendid dress
on her own daughter and then went to meet her guest.

She bade him welcome to her palace, and when they had finished supper
she told him of the loss of her husband, and how there was no one left
to govern the kingdom but herself.

'But where is the Princess Lineik?' asked the prince when she had ended
her tale.

'Here,' answered the queen, bringing forward the girl, whom she had
hitherto kept in the background.

The prince looked at her and was rather disappointed. The maiden was
pretty enough, but not much out of the common.

'Oh, you must not wonder at her pale face and heavy eyes,' said the
queen hastily, for she saw what was passing in his mind. 'She has never
got over the loss of both father and mother.'

'That shows a good heart,' thought the prince;