t review which
the king was to hold that day in honour of his son's marriage.

'I can't stay here all day,' said the princess, crossly, when Grethari
told her of the plight they were in. 'I am perfectly worn out as it
is, and you will have to find something to draw the carriage, if it is
only a donkey. If you don't, I will sail back straight to my father.'

Poor Grethari was much troubled by the words of the princess. Not that
he felt so very much in love with her, for during the voyage she had
shown him several times how vain and bad tempered she was; but as a
prince and a bridegroom, he could not, of course, bear to think that
any slight had been put upon her. So he hastily bade his attendants to
go in search of some animal, and bring it at once to the place at
which they were waiting.

[Illustration: 'WILL YOU LEND ME YOUR OX, FAIR MAIDEN?']

During the long pause the princess sat in the beautiful golden coach,
her blue velvet mantle powdered with silver bees drawn closely round
her, so that not even the tip of her nose could be seen. At length a
girl appeared driving a young ox in front of her, followed by one of
the prince's messengers, who was talking eagerly.

'Will you lend me your ox, fair maiden?' asked Grethari, jumping up
and going to meet them. 'You shall fix your own price, and it shall be
paid ungrudgingly, for never before was king's son in such a plight.'

'My price is seats for me and my two friends behind you and your bride
at the wedding feast,' answered she. And to this Grethari joyfully
consented.

Six horses would not have drawn the coach at the speed of this one ox.
Trees and fields flew by so fast that the bride became quite giddy,
and expected, besides, that they would be upset every moment. But, in
spite of her fears, nothing happened, and they drew up in safety at
the door of the palace, to the great surprise of the king and queen.
The marriage preparations were hurried on, and by the end of the week
everything was ready. It was, perhaps, fortunate that the princess was
too busy with her clothes and her jewels during this period to pay
much heed to Grethari, so that by the time the wedding day came round
he had almost forgotten how cross and rude she had been on the
journey.

The oldest men and women in the town agreed that nothing so splendid
had ever been seen as the bridal procession to the great hall, where
the banquet was to be held, before the ceremony was celebrated in the