common sense could see what they really were, only broomsticks, with
cabbages for heads. The magician had given them life, and dressed them in
embroidered robes. It answered very well, as they were only wanted for
show. After there had been a little dancing, the princess told the magician
that she had a new suitor, and asked him what she could think of for the
suitor to guess when he came to the castle the next morning.
“Listen to what I say,” said the magician, “you must choose something
very easy, he is less likely to guess it then. Think of one of your shoes, he
will never imagine it is that. Then cut his head off; and mind you do not
forget to bring his eyes with you to-morrow night, that I may eat them.”
The princess curtsied low, and said she would not forget the eyes.
The magician then opened the mountain and she flew home again, but the
traveller followed and flogged her so much with the rod, that she sighed
quite deeply about the heavy hail-storm, and made as much haste as she
could to get back to her bedroom through the window. The traveller then
returned to the inn where Jean still slept, took off his wings and laid down
on the bed, for he was very tired. Early in the morning Jean awoke, and
when his fellow-traveller got up, he said that he had a very wonderful
dream about the princess and her shoe, he therefore advised Jean to ask her
if she had not thought of her shoe. Of course the traveller knew this from
what the magician in the mountain had said.
“I may as well say that as anything,” said Jean. “Perhaps your dream may
come true; still I will say farewell, for if I guess wrong I shall never see you
again.”
Then they embraced each other, and Jean went into the town and walked
to the palace. The great hall was full of people, and the judges sat in arm-
chairs, with eider-down cushions to rest their heads upon, because they had
so much to think of. The old king stood near, wiping his eyes with his white
pocket-handkerchief. When the princess entered, she looked even more
beautiful than she had appeared the day before, and greeted every one
