Page:Tales from the Fjeld.djvu/270

248 She set out and walked a long way, through wood and waste, and at last she came to a big grand house, which stood in a green field in the midst of the wood; but her lover was not at home, nor was there a soul in the house either. First she went into the kitchen, and there she saw nothing but a strange bird, which hung in a cage from the roof. Next she went into the parlour, and there everything was so fine, it was beyond belief. But as she went into it, the bird called after her—

"Pretty maiden! be bold, but not too bold."

When she passed on into an inner room, the bird called out the same words. There she saw ever so many chests of drawers; and when she pulled open the drawers, they were filled with gold and silver, and everything that was rich and rare. When she went on into a second room, the bird called out again—

"Pretty maiden! be bold, but not too bold."

In that room the walls were all hung round with women's dresses, till the room was crammed full. She went on into a third room, and then the bird screamed out—

"Pretty maiden! pretty maiden! be bold, but not too bold."

And what do you think she saw there? Why, ever so many pails full of blood.

So she passed on to a fourth room, and then the bird screamed and screeched after her—

"Pretty maiden! pretty maiden! be bold, but not too bold."

That room was full of heaps of dead bodies and skeletons of slain women, and the girl got so afraid