hear him," replied the girl, "Does it bring any news?"; "It is your eldest sister who is going to be married, would you like to be present?" asked the voice. The girl in great delight said, "Yes, I should like to go very much,—will you let me go?" "I will allow you," rejoined the voice, "but you will not return!" "Yes, I shall come back," said the girl. The voice gave her then a ring so that she should not forget her promise, saying, "Now mind that at the end of three days a white horse will go for you; it will give three knocks,—the first is for you to dress, and get ready,—the second for you to take leave of your family,—and the third for you to mount it. If at the third knock you are not on the horse, it will go away and leave you there." The girl wont home. A great feast had been prepared, and the sister was married. At the end of three days the white horse came to give the three knocks.
At the first the girl commenced to get ready, at the second knock she took leave of her family, and at the third she mounted on the horse. The voice had given the girl a box with money to take to her father and her sisters; on that account they did not wish her to return to the enchanted palace, because she was now very rich. But the girl remembered what she had promised, and the moment she found herself on the horse she darted off. After a certain time the bird returned and began to sing very contentedly in the garden. The voice said to her, "Do you hear the bird sing?" "Yes I hear it," replied the girl, "Does it bring any news?" "It is that another of your sisters is about to marry;[1] "and do you wish to go?" "Yes, I wish to go; and would you allow me to go?" "I will let you go," replied the voice; "but you will not return!" "Yes, I shall return," said the girl. The voice then said, "Remember that if at the end of
- ↑ There are different variations of this story, viz.: "It is that your sister has given birth to a girl; I would like you to be her godmother. And do yon wish to go?"
