Page:Fairy tales and stories (Andersen, Tegner).djvu/276

244. All the Turks were delighted and jumped so high that their slippers flew about their ears. Such a vision in the sky they had never seen before. Now they could understand that it was the god of the Turks himself who was going to marry the princess.

As soon as the merchant's son had descended into the wood with his trunk he thought to himself: "I will go into the town and hear what people think of it all!" And it was only natural he should like to know.

How the people were talking! Every one he inquired of had seen it in his own way, but all thought it was a splendid sight. "I saw the god of the Turks myself," said one; "his eyes were like glittering stars, and his beard like a falling waterfall."

"He flew away in a cloak of fire," said another; "the loveliest cherubs were peeping out from among its folds."

Yes, he heard the most wonderful things, and the following day he was to be married.

He then went back to the forest to sit in his trunk—but where was it? The trunk was burned. A spark from the fireworks had set fire to the trunk, which was burned to ashes. He could not fly any more and could not get to his bride any more.

She stood the whole day on the roof waiting for him. She is still waiting for him; but he goes about all over the world telling stories, though they are no longer as funny as that he told about the matches.