Pagina 434 de 626

'Not for gold and silver.' said she, 'but for flesh and blood.'

The princess asked what she meant, and she said, 'Let me speak

with the bridegroom this night in his chamber, and I will give

thee the dress.' At last the princess agreed, but she told her

chamberlain to give the prince a sleeping draught, that he might

not hear or see her. When evening came, and the prince had fallen

asleep, she was led into his chamber, and she sat herself down at

his feet, and said: 'I have followed thee seven years. I have

been to the sun, the moon, and the night-wind, to seek thee, and

at last I have helped thee to overcome the dragon. Wilt thou then

forget me quite?' But the prince all the time slept so soundly,

that her voice only passed over him, and seemed like the

whistling of the wind among the fir-trees.