"Oh, just take and sharpen a good bread-knife," said Dapplegrim, "and
do as if you were going to cut in two the third loaf on the left hand
of those four loaves which are lying on the dresser in the king's
kitchen, and you'll find her soon enough."
Yes, the lad was down in the kitchen in no time, and began to sharpen
the biggest bread-knife he could lay his hands on; then he caught
hold of the third loaf on the left hand, and put the knife to it, as
though he were going to cut it in two.
"I'll just have a slice off this loaf," he said.
"Nay, dear friend," said the Princess, "don't cut. It's I."
So he found her twice.
Then he was to go and hide but he and Dapplegrim had settled it so
well beforehand, it wasn't easy to find him. First he turned himself
into a fly, and hid himself in Dapplegrim's left nostril; and the
Princess went about hunting for him everywhere, high and low. At last
she wanted to go into Dapplegrim's stall, but he began to bite and
kick, so that she daren't go near him, and so she couldn't find the
lad.
"Well," she said, "since I cannot find you, you must show where you
are yourself;" and in a trice the lad stood there on the stable floor.
The second time Dapplegrim told him just what to do; and then he
turned into a clod of earth, and stuck himself between Dapple's hoof
and shoe on the near forefoot. So the Princess hunted up and down, out
and in, everywhere; at last she came into the stable, and wanted to go
into Dapplegrim's loose box. This time he let her come up to him, and
she pried high and low, but under his heels she couldn't come, for he
stood firm as a rock on his feet, and so she couldn't find the lad.
"Well, you must just show yourself, for I'm sure I can't find you,"
said the Princess, and as she spoke the lad stood by her side on the
stable floor.
"Now you are mine indeed," said the lad; "for now you can see I'm
fated to have you." This he said both to the father and daughter.
"Yes; it is so fated," said the king; "so it must be."
Then everything was made ready for the wedding with great splendour
and promptitude; and the lad got on Dapplegrim, and the Princess on
Dapplegrim's match, and then you may guess they were not long on their
way to church.
_The Hermit_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account