Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 3 1885.djvu/306

298 chamber; and, to the end that they may not suspect thee, make it appear that thou art crazy."

So it came to pass that the damsel reached the palace, and heard that after four days the prince was to be wedded to the witch's daughter. She sat down outside near the gardens; and when by her crazy doings she had made the servants stare at her,—for she had her hair all about her eyes, and washed her face with mire, and did many other mad things,—she brought out her little golden hen and chickens, and began to feed them with golden grains. The servants, in great wonder at the sight of such a marvel, went running to tell their young mistress, who came to see it. Said she straightways: "Crazy woman, give me the little golden hen." "Nay," quoth she. "Sell it to me then: what dost thou want for it?" "If thou wilt give me leave to sleep in the prince's chamber I will give it thee." "Even so," quoth she, "thou shalt sleep there." So she went to the witch, and told her to let the crazy woman come in, that no harm could come of it. They unlocked the seven locks and let her go in; but, before that, they had given the prince a sleeping-draught in his wine at dinner, so that she found him very sound asleep. She went to the bed, and shook him and roused him, saying: "My prince, my husband, wake up! Thy wife am I, to whom thou saidst that iron shoes had I to wear out, in order, seeing, to see thee again. And now the shoes are worn out; and, if thou ownest me not, within a few days they will wed thee to another, and then—what will become of me? I must die of sorrow!" But he did not wake up altogether; only in his dreams it seemed to him that some one was with him, speaking to him.

The next morning they took her away, and she went again to the gardens and sat down in the sunshine, and took out her golden comb to comb her hair. The witch's daughter came forth, and bought the comb on the same terms, and the same thing happened with the prince [as on the night before]. The third day she brought out the golden distaff and began to spin thread, and the same things took place.

The fourth day she brought out the little golden tray, and began to