“How did you come here, my sweet child?” he asked. But Eliza shook
her head. She dared not speak, at the cost of her brothers’ lives. And she hid
her hands under her apron, so that the king might not see how she must be
suffering.
“Come with me,” he said; “here you cannot remain. If you are as good as
you are beautiful, I will dress you in silk and velvet, I will place a golden
crown upon your head, and you shall dwell, and rule, and make your home
in my richest castle.” And then he lifted her on his horse. She wept and
wrung her hands, but the king said, “I wish only for your happiness. A time
will come when you will thank me for this.” And then he galloped away
over the mountains, holding her before him on this horse, and the hunters
followed behind them. As the sun went down, they approached a fair royal
city, with churches, and cupolas. On arriving at the castle the king led her
into marble halls, where large fountains played, and where the walls and the
ceilings were covered with rich paintings. But she had no eyes for all these
glorious sights, she could only mourn and weep. Patiently she allowed the
women to array her in royal robes, to weave pearls in her hair, and draw soft
gloves over her blistered fingers. As she stood before them in all her rich
dress, she looked so dazzingly beautiful that the court bowed low in her
presence. Then the king declared his intention of making her his bride, but
the archbishop shook his head, and whispered that the fair young maiden
was only a witch who had blinded the king’s eyes and bewitched his heart.
But the king would not listen to this; he ordered the music to sound, the
daintiest dishes to be served, and the loveliest maidens to dance. After-
wards he led her through fragrant gardens and lofty halls, but not a smile
appeared on her lips or sparkled in her eyes. She looked the very picture of
grief. Then the king opened the door of a little chamber in which she. was
to sleep; it was adorned with rich green tapestry, and resembled the cave in
which he had found her. On the floor lay the bundle of flax which she had
spun from the nettles, and under the ceiling hung the coat she had made.
These things had been brought away from the cave as curiosities by one of
the huntsmen.
