Page:Popular tales from the Norse (1912).djvu/227

 Rh window, and began to file at it, for it was not quite fit for use. When she heard him filing, she threw up the window and began to talk to him, and to ask what he had there.

"Oh! only the stand to that spinning wheel which your royal highness bought; for I thought, as you had the wheel, you might like to have the stand too."

"What do you want for it?" asked the Princess; but it was not for sale any more than the wheel, but she might have them if she would give him leave to sleep on the floor of her bedroom next night.

Well! she gave him leave, only he was to be sure to lie still, and not to shiver and call out "hutetu," or any such stuff. Hacon Grizzlebeard promised fair enough, but as the night wore on he began to shiver and shake, and to ask whether he might not come nearer, and lie on the floor alongside the Princess' bed.

There was no help for it; she had to give him leave, lest the king should hear the noise he made. So Hacon Grizzlebeard lay alongside the Princess' bed, and slept like a top.

It was a long while before Hacon Grizzlebeard came again; but when he came he had with him a golden wool-winder, and he sat down and began to file away at it under the Princess' window. Then came the old story over again. When the Princess heard what was going on, she came to the window and asked him how he did, and whether he would sell the golden wool-winder?

"It is not to be had for money; but if you'll give me leave to sleep to-night in your bed-room, with my head on your bedstead, you shall have it for nothing," said Hacon Grizzlebeard.