e king replied, "I will accede to the wish
of my subjects, and will announce my choice this evening." Then, unknown
to the others, he sent a trustworthy messenger to bring the gardener's
daughter away secretly, and to keep her in concealment till evening. In
the evening the royal palace was ablaze with light, and all the great
ladies were robed in their most elegant attire, expecting the moment
which should bring them good fortune or the reverse. But the king
advanced to a young lady in the hall who was so muffled up that you
could hardly see the tip of her nose. All were struck with the simple
dress of the stranger. She was clothed in fine white linen, and wore
neither silk, satin, nor gold, while all the other ladies were robed
from head to foot in silks and satins. Some curled their lips, and
others turned up their noses, but the king took no notice, but loosed
the maiden's head-gear, and led her to the queen-dowager, saying, "Here
is my chosen bride, whom I will take as my consort, and I invite all who
are here assembled to my wedding." The queen-dowager cried out angrily,
"What better could be expected of a man who was reared as a herd-boy? If
you want to go back to your business, take the maid with you, who may
perhaps understand tending swine, but is quite unfit for a king's
consort. Such a peasant girl can only disgrace the throne of a king."
These words moved the king to anger, and he answered sternly, "I am
king, and can do what I will, but woe to you who have brought my former
condition to my remembrance; and you have also reminded me who reduced
me to this. However, as no sensible man buys a cat in a sack, I will
show you all before we separate that I could nowhere have found a more
suitable bride than this very maiden, who is as pure and good as an
angel from heaven." As he spoke, he left the room, but soon returned
with the old man whom he had known ever since he was a herd-boy, and who
had afterwards put the king on the track of his son. The old man was a
famous sorcerer from Finland, who knew many secret arts. The king said,
"Mighty sorcerer, show us by your art the inmost character of the
maidens here present, that we may know which of them is most worthy to
become my bride." The sorcerer took a bottle filled with a liquid that
looked like wine, muttered a spell over it, and directed the maidens to
gather in the midst of the hall. He then sprinkled a few drops on the
head of each, and they all fell asleep