so he drew the rusty key
out of his pocket and took a peep at her through the ring of it, to see
what manner of body she really was.

Then he saw that she was no longer black and ugly, but as beautiful as a
ripe apple; for her forehead was as white as milk, her cheeks were as
red as blood, her eyes were as blue as the skies, and her hair was like
spun gold. Moreover, any one could see with half an eye that she was a
real princess, for she wore a gold crown on her head, such as real
princesses are never without.

"You are the one whom I seek," said the Prince.

"Yes, I am the one you seek," said she.

"And how can I free you from your enchantment?" said he.

"If you will abide here three nights, and will bear all that shall
happen to you without a word, then I shall be free," said she.

"Oh yes, I will do that," said the Prince.

After that the black Princess set a good supper before him, and the
Prince ate like three men.

By-and-by there was a huge noise, and the door opened and in came an
ugly troll with a head as big as a bucket. He rolled his great saucer
eyes around till he saw the Prince where he sat beside the fire.

[Illustration: The Prince aids the Old Woman]

"Black cats and spotted toads!" bellowed he, "what are you doing here?"

But to this the Prince answered never a word.

"We shall see whether or no there is sound in you!" roared the troll.
Thereupon he caught the Prince by the hair and dragged him out into the
middle of the room. Then he snatched up a great cudgel and began beating
the Prince as though he were a sack of barley-flour; but the Prince said
never a word. At last the troll had to give over beating him, for the
morning had come and the troll was afraid the sun would catch him; and
if that were to happen, he would swell up and burst with a great noise.
"We shall see whether you will come again!" said he, and then he left
the Prince lying on the floor more dead than alive; and if anybody was
sore in all of the world, the Prince was that man.

After the troll had left the house, the black Princess came and wept
over the Prince; and when her tears fell on him, pain and bruise left
him, and he was as whole as ever. When he looked he saw that the black
Princess's feet were as white as silver.

The next night the troll came again, and with him two others. "Black
cats and spotted toads!" bellowed he, "are you here again?" Then he
caught the Prince by the hair and dragged him out into