Page:Danske Folkeæventyr ved Svend Grundtvig.djvu/61

 its appearance.—"I believe you have all your wit in your pocket," said the Princess; "but we'll find a hook to hang you on yet!" "Did you say hook?" says Esben, "here's one; you can make a point of it," and fishes the first ram's horn up out of his pocket.—"Now I've never seen the like," says the Princess. "You won't have to wait for that," says Esben, and comes up with the other ram's horn and tries to hand it all to her. "Keep away from me with that filth!" says the Princess. "No, if you want filth," says Esben, "I've got it here;" and he pulls the road-apple up out of his pocket and flings it straight into the Princess's lap, plop in the middle of her lovely white silk robe.

The Princess was so cross that she couldn't find a word in response; but she sprang up and shook off her robe and burst into tears from sheer exasperation. She had never ever been treated this way.

"Well, now you've ground to a halt," says Esben, "so now you're mine." And the King immediately said Yes: now she had found her husband. And that was that. Esben was married to the Princess, and he immediately received half the Kingdom, and the whole of it after the King's death.

And if the one who told me this story wasn't lying, then it's true from start to finish.