“You are a sharp one!” he exclaimed. “Why, I have a daughter clever enough to act any part in the world, and she shall do her best, you may be sure. Come, I will get ready a good dinner and take down the signboard, so that the place shall appear as a private house.” By the time he had done this and acquainted the girl with the plan, a loud thumping was heard at the door, and the third brother stood outside. Now, the landlord’s girl was goddaughter to a witch, and very beautiful; she had also learned some useful things from her godmother, who had brought her up till she was sixteen and obliged to return and help her father with his inn. So, when the plot was explained, she said: “I hope no harm will come of it,” and before getting ready to preside at the table, she took a good look at the two men. “They have rascals’ faces,” she said to herself. She then ran to a top window, and looked out to see what sort of a person the great lord who was coming to dinner might be. It chanced that, as she leaned out, the third brother glanced up. “If that is my brother’s wife,” said he, “she is indeed a beauty!” And he sighed, wishing that such luck had come his way. When the girl saw his face, she thought: “That is no great lord, but he is a handsome fellow, for all that. I will see, at least, that he gets the best of everything in the house.” So when the table was spread, and before the three brothers came into the dining-room, the girl said to the magpie that hung in a cage behind the window-curtain: “Take notice of every word that is said to-night, and repeat it to me, or I will wring your neck!” The magpie promised, and she went forward to receive the guest. “Here,” said the second brother, “is madam, my wife.” With that the youngest brother kissed his sister-in-law heartily. “I knew he was no fool,” said the girl to herself. As dinner progressed she made herself so pleasant that the room rang with joy and merriment, and she pressed all the most delicate dishes on the youngest brother; nor did she fail to notice that whenever he addressed either of his companions as ‘brother,’ which he did frequently, the two exchanged covert glances of annoyance. “All is not right here,” she exclaimed under her breath, “for, were he the great lord they say, there are no two men alive who would more willingly call him a relation!” And she smiled rather slyly. “Why do you smile, wife?” asked the second brother. “My love,” replied she, “at finding so great a personage a member of your family.” No one knew what to say, for the youngest brother feared she was laughing at them all, and the two elder were sure of it. However, time flew, the wine sparkled, the hot roast dishes smoked, and it was hard to say which of the four was in the best humour. When the feast was done the girl got up, and, taking a silver candlestick from the table, said: