Page:Fairy tales and stories (Andersen, Tegner).djvu/71

Rh the troll had given life, as well as their embroidered clothes. But this did not matter much after all, for they were only used for show. After there had been some dancing the princess told the troll that she had got a new suitor, and asked therefore what she should think of for the suitor to guess when he came to the palace next morning.

"Just listen," said the troll, "I'll tell you something. You must think of something very easy, for then he won't guess it at all! Think of one of your shoes. He won't guess that. Then have his head cut off, but don't forget when you come here tomorrow night to bring his eyes with you, for I want to eat them!" The princess courtesied quite low, and said she would not forget the eyes. The troll then opened the mountain for her and she flew home again, but the traveling companion followed behind and whipped her so hard with the rod that she groaned heavily at the severe hailstorm, as she thought, and made all the haste she could to get back to her bedchamber through the window, but the traveling companion flew back to the inn, where Johannes was still asleep, took off his wings and lay down on his bed, for he might well be tired.

It was quite early in the morning when Johannes awoke; his companion also got up and told him he had had a very wonderful dream in the night about the princess and one of her shoes, and he therefore begged Johannes to be sure to ask her if she might not have been thinking of one of her shoes. For that was what he had heard from the troll in the mountain, but he would not tell Johannes anything about that; he begged him only to ask if she had been thinking of one of her shoes.

"I may as well ask about one thing as another," said Johannes; "it may be quite true what you have dreamt, for I always believe that God will be sure to help me! But still I will say farewell to you, for if I guess wrong I shall never see you any more!"

They then kissed each other and Johannes went into the city and thence straight to the palace. The whole hall was filled with people; the judges sat in their easy chairs, with eider-down cushions at the back of their heads, for they had so much to think about. The old king stood up and dried his eyes with a white handkerchief. The princess now entered the hall; she was still more lovely than the day before and greeted everybody in the most friendly manner, but to Johannes she gave her hand and said: "Good morning to you!"

Johannes was now to guess what she had been thinking of. Goodness, what a kind look she gave him! But no sooner had she heard him say the one word "shoe," than she turned as pale as death and trembled all over; but that could not help her, for he had guessed right.

My gracious! How glad the old king was! He turned a somersault that made every one stare, and all the people clapped their hands at him and Johannes, who had now guessed right the first time.