You have
passed days of sorrow with me, and now it is only right that we should
enjoy days of happiness together." The maiden resisted for a time, but
at last she consented to accompany the youth.

They met with a woodcutter in the wood, who told them that there was
great trouble in the palace and throughout the whole country, because of
the unaccountable disappearance of the king's son, every trace of whom
had been lost for years.[116] The maiden made use of the magic reel to
provide the prince with suitable robes in which to present himself to
his father. Meanwhile she stayed behind in a peasant's cottage, till
the prince should have informed his father of his adventures.[117]

But the old king had died before the prince's arrival, for trouble at
the loss of his only son had shortened his life. On his death-bed he
repented bitterly of his thoughtless promise, and of his treachery in
delivering a poor innocent maiden to the old rascal, for which God had
punished him by the loss of his son. The prince mourned for the death of
his father, as befitted a good son, and buried him with great honours.
Then he mourned for three days, refusing all food and drink. On the
fourth morning he presented himself to the people as their new ruler,
assembled his councillors, and related to them the wonderful things that
he had seen and experienced in the Old Boy's dwelling, and did not
forget to say how the clever maiden had saved his life. Then the
councillors all exclaimed with one voice, "She must become your consort
and our queen."

When the young king set out to seek his bride, he was much surprised to
meet the maiden advancing in regal state. The magic reel had provided
her with everything that was necessary, and all the people supposed that
she must be the daughter of some very wealthy king, and came from a
distant country. Then the wedding festivities commenced, which lasted
four weeks, and they lived together in happiness and prosperity for many
a pleasant year.[118]

[Footnote 105: Loewe suggests that Kungla is meant, which appears not
improbable.]

[Footnote 106: This has been a common _motif_ in folk-tales from the
time of Jephthah downwards; but the manner in which the different
stories are worked out is very various.]

[Footnote 107: The usual Esthonian euphemism for the Devil.]

[Footnote 108: The moral tone of some of these Esthonian tales is much
higher than usual in folk-tales. In the story of the "Northern Frog