Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/331

 Rh body is coming." "Well," he said, "I can see two specks as if it was a long way off." "Very well then, throw a few drops out of this bottle." John did so, and a great sea was made behind them. When old Grey Norris came up to it he said to his wife, "Go and fetch the cup that is at home. Have you been?" "Yes, and come back again," she said, "here is the cup." He took the cup, and in a moment the sea was dry. The princess and John rode on together for some time, and then the princess asked if any one was coming; he said he saw two specks again coming along. "Then throw this needle over your shoulder," she said. Immediately a forest of iron sprung up behind them. When Grey Norris came up he said to his wife, "Go home and fetch the axe. Have you been?" "Yes," said she, and come back again." Grey Norris took the axe, and very soon the forest was cut down. The princess again told John to look behind, but he could not see anything: so very soon they reached John's father's house. "Now," said the princess at parting "don't let anybody kiss you, or you'll forget all about me." "All right," said he. So when they all wanted to kiss him he would not let them, but his favourite little lapdog jumped up and kissed him; so he forgot all about her. The poor princess stood outside waiting; and at last she said, "He must have let somebody kiss him," and then she climbed up a tree over a well. After a while out came a weaver's daughter with an earthern vessel in her hands to get water. When she looked down into the well she saw the face of the princess reflected. She said, "Well now, isn't it a great shame that I, such a beautiful girl, should be living with an old weaver!" and with that she dashed down the pitcher and walked away. By-and-by the weaver's wife wondered why the daughter did not come in; so she went out with another vessel. When she looked into the well she wondered how it could be that such a beautiful woman as her should be the wife of a weaver, and down she dashed her vessel and went off. The old weaver all this time was wondering why his wife and daughter did not return; and he took a tin can and went to the well. When he saw the face in the well he looked up in the tree, and—"Hullo! my lady, it's you is it, that made me lose my wife and daughter: will you housekeep for me instead?" "Yes," she said. So the beautiful princess