[Illustration: THE PRINCE TOOK HER BY THE HAND AND LED HER TO CHURCH] It was in vain, too, that the Bride offered her gold. At last she said angrily, “If you do not obey me, it shall cost you your life. I have but to speak the word, and your head will lie at your feet.” Then she was forced to obey, and put on the Bride’s magnificent clothes and all her jewels. When she entered the royal hall, every one was amazed at her great beauty, and the King said to his son, “This is the Bride whom I have chosen for you, and whom you must lead to church.” The Bridegroom was astonished, and thought, “She is like my Maid Maleen, and I should believe that it was she herself, but she has long been shut up in the tower or dead.” He took her by the hand and led her to church. On the way was a nettle-plant, and she said: “_Nettle-plant, Nettle-plant, Nettle-plant so small! What are you doing here, Alone by the wall? I have the time known, When unroasted, unboiled, I ate thee alone!_” “What are you saying?” asked the King’s Son. “Nothing,” she replied, “I was only thinking of Maid Maleen.” He was surprised that she knew about her, but kept silence. When they came to the foot-plank into the churchyard, she said: “_Foot-bridge, break not, I am not the true Bride._” “What are you saying there?” asked the King’s Son. “Nothing,” she replied, “I was only thinking of Maid Maleen.” When they came to the church-door, she said once more: “_Church-door, break not, I am not the true Bride._” “What are you saying there?” asked he. “Ah,” she answered, “I was only thinking of Maid Maleen.” Then he took out a precious chain, put it round her neck, and fastened the clasp. Thereupon they entered the church, and the priest joined their hands together before the altar, and married them. He led her home but she did not speak a single word the whole way. When they got back to the royal palace, she hurried into the Bride’s chamber, put off the magnificent clothes and the jewels, dressed herself in her gray gown, and kept nothing but the jewel on her neck, which she had received from the Bridegroom. When the night came, and the Bride was to be led into the apartment of the King’s Son, she let her veil fall over her face, that he might not observe the deception. As soon as every one had gone away, he said to her, “What did you say to the nettle-plant which was growing by the wayside?” “To which nettle-plant?” asked she; “I don’t talk to nettle-plants.” “If you did not do it, then you are not the true Bride,” said he. So she bethought herself, and said: “_I must go my maid to see, Who keeps my secret thoughts for me._” She went out and sought Maid Maleen. “Girl, what have you been saying to the nettle?” “I said nothing but: