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268 they could see him, out came his eldest daughter at the head of all the court to meet the king, and to welcome him back safe and sound.

So when he saw that she was the first to meet him, he was so cut to the heart, he fell to the ground on the spot, and since that time had been almost half-witted.

One evening the Troll was to come and fetch the princess, and she was dressed out in her best, and sat in a field out by the tarn, and wept and bewailed. There was a man called Glibtongue, who was to go with her, but he was so afraid he clomb up into a tall spruce fir, and there he stuck. Just then up came Boots, and sat down on the ground by the side of the princess. And she was so glad, as you may fancy, when she saw there were still Christian folk who dared to stay by her after all.



"Lay your head on my lap," she said, "and I'll comb your hair;" so Osborn Boots did as she bade him; and while she combed his hair he fell asleep, and she took a gold ring off her finger and knitted it into