Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 26, 1915.djvu/405

Rh When they were as tall as a man, the Lad came to them and

A bud appeared at once upon a laurel, it grew, and slowly opened, till it became a beautiful and scented flower before his eyes, leaving him struck with wonder. The Lad then broke it from the branch, and taking it, placed it in his bosom; you see, the fairy had taught him to do so.

That night, the princesses entered their room as usual, whereupon nine heavy iron doors closed upon them, locked with nine heavy iron locks. But the Lad, unseen by any one, slipped into the room too. He saw all that they did whilst they couldn't see him at all. So the Lad saw, that instead of getting undressed and going to bed, they began to dress themselves most beautifully, to comb their dark hair, and to put on their jewels.

The Lad was amazed, and he decided to follow them, and see where they went to, and what they did ; when, suddenly, the Eldest princess said:

"Are you all ready?"

"We are ready," they answered.

So the eldest princess stamped her foot on the ground, and the floor opened. They went through that opening until they came to a garden, surrounded by a copper wall. The eldest of the princesses again stamped her foot, and the heavy copper gates opened to let them pass. In following them, the Lad stepped on the dress of the Youngest Princess. She turned quickly, but there was no one to be seen. Calling to her sisters, she said:

"Sisters, I fear that someone has followed us, for I felt someone tread upon my dress."

Her sisters looked round everywhere, and not finding anyone, they said:

"Don't be so suspicious, Sister, can anyone ever pass through here? Probably your dress caught on a thistle, and so you think that someone has followed us. Don't be so foolish, Sister."