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Verily,
that is the way of the world.



THE GOOSE-GIRL

The king of a great land died, and left his queen to take care of
their only child. This child was a daughter, who was very beautiful;
and her mother loved her dearly, and was very kind to her. And there
was a good fairy too, who was fond of the princess, and helped her
mother to watch over her. When she grew up, she was betrothed to a
prince who lived a great way off; and as the time drew near for her to
be married, she got ready to set off on her journey to his country.
Then the queen her mother, packed up a great many costly things;
jewels, and gold, and silver; trinkets, fine dresses, and in short
everything that became a royal bride. And she gave her a waiting-maid
to ride with her, and give her into the bridegroom's hands; and each
had a horse for the journey. Now the princess's horse was the fairy's
gift, and it was called Falada, and could speak.

When the time came for them to set out, the fairy went into her bed-
chamber, and took a little knife, and cut off a lock of her hair, and
gave it to the princess, and said, 'Take care of it, dear child; for
it is a charm that may be of use to you on the road.' Then they all
took a sorrowful leave of the princess; and she put the lock of hair
into her bosom, got upon her horse, and set off on her journey to her
bridegroom's kingdom.

One day, as they were riding along by a brook, the princess began to
feel very thirsty: and she said to her maid, 'Pray get down, and fetch
me some water in my golden cup out of yonder brook, for I want to
drink.' 'Nay,' said the maid, 'if you are thirsty, get off yourself,
and stoop down by the water and drink; I shall not be your waiting-
maid any longer.' Then she was so thirsty that she got down, and knelt
over the little brook, and drank; for she was frightened, and dared
not bring out her golden cup; and she wept and said, 'Alas! what will
become of me?' And the lock answered her, and said:

'Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it,
Sadly, sadly, would she rue it.'

But the princess was very gentle and meek, so she said nothing to her
maid's ill behaviour, but got upon her horse again.

Then all rode farther on their journey, till the day grew so warm, and
the sun so scorching, that the bride began to feel very thirsty again;
and at last, when they came to a river, she forgot her maid's rude
speech, and said, 'Pray get down, and fetch me some water to drink in
my golden cup.' But the maid answered her, and even spoke more
haughtily than before: 'Drink if you will, but I shall not be your
waiting-maid.' Then the princess was so thirsty that she got off her
horse, and lay down, and held her head over the running stream, and
cried and said, 'What will become of me?' And the lock of hair
answered her again:

'Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it,
Sadly, sadly, would she rue it.'

And as she leaned down to drink, the lock of hair fell from her bosom,
and floated away with the water.

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