’Yes，’heanswered，’certainly。’
Andnowshedesiredhimtoguideherthitheratonce。Theoldmandidso，andwhentheycametothepalacehehidherbehindthegreatpictureandadvisedhertokeepquitestill，andheplacedhimselfbehindthepicturealso。Presentlytheeaglescameflyingin，andchangedthemselvesintoyoungmen，andinamomentthePrincessrecognisedherhusbandamongstthemall，andtriedtocomeoutofherhiding-place；buttheoldmanheldherback。Theyouthsseatedthemselvesatthetable；andnowthePrincesaidagain，whilehetookupthecupofwine:
’Ahealthtomydearestlady，Longmaysheliveandwell！
ButacurseonthecruelmotherThatburntmygoldenshell！’
ThenthePrincesscouldrestrainherselfnolonger，butranforwardandthrewherarmsroundherhusband。Andimmediatelyheknewheragain，andsaid:
’DoyourememberhowItoldyouthatdaythatyouwouldbetrayme？NowyouseethatIspokethetruth。Butallthatbadtimeispast。Nowlistentome:Imuststillremainenchantedforthreemonths。Willyoustayherewithmetillthattimeisover？’
SothePrincessstayedwithhim，andsaidtotheoldman，’GobacktothecastleandtellmyparentsthatIamstayinghere。’
Herparentswereverymuchvexedwhentheoldmancamebackandtoldthemthis，butassoonasthethreemonthsofthePrince’senchantmentwereover，heceasedtobeaneagleandbecameoncemoreaman，andtheyreturnedhometogether。Andthentheylivedhappily，andwewhohearthestoryarehappierstill。
Onceuponatimewhenwishescametruetherewasaking’ssonwhowasenchantedbyanoldwitch，sothathewasobligedtositinalargeironstoveinawood。Therehelivedformanyyears，andnoonecouldfreehim。Atlastaking’sdaughtercameintothewood；shehadlostherway，andcouldnotfindherfather’skingdomagain。Shehadbeenwanderingroundandroundforninedays，andshecameatlasttotheironcase。Avoicecamefromwithinandaskedher，’Wheredoyoucomefrom，andwheredoyouwanttogo？’Sheanswered，’Ihavelostmywaytomyfather’skingdom，andIshallnevergethomeagain。’Thenthevoicefromtheironstovesaid，’Iwillhelpyoutofindyourhomeagain，andthatinaveryshorttime，ifyouwillpromisetodowhatI
askyou。Iamagreaterprincethanyouareaprincess，andI
willmarryyou。’Thenshegrewfrightened，andthought，’Whatcanayounglassiedowithanironstove？’Butasshewantedverymuchtogohometoherfather，shepromisedtodowhathewished。
Hesaid，’Youmustcomeagain，andbringaknifewithyoutoscrapeaholeintheiron。’
Thenhegavehersomeoneforaguide，whowalkednearherandsaidnothing，buthebroughtherintwohourstoherhouse。
TherewasgreatjoyinthecastlewhenthePrincesscameback，andtheoldKingfellonherneckandkissedher。Butshewasverymuchtroubled，andsaid，’Dearfather，listentowhathasbefallenme！IshouldneverhavecomehomeagainoutofthegreatwildwoodifIhadnotcometoanironstove，towhomI
havehadtopromisethatIwillgobacktofreehimandmarryhim！’TheoldKingwassofrightenedthathenearlyfainted，forshewashisonlydaughter。Sotheyconsultedtogether，anddeterminedthatthemiller’sdaughter，whowasverybeautiful，shouldtakeherplace。Theytookherthere，gaveheraknife，andsaidshemustscrapeattheironstove。Shescrapedfortwenty-fourhours，butdidnotmaketheleastimpression。Whenthedaybroke，avoicecalledfromtheironstove，’Itseemstomethatitisdayoutside。’Thensheanswered，’Itseemssotome；IthinkIhearmyfather’smillrattling。’
’Soyouareamiller’sdaughter！Thengoawayatonce，andtelltheKing’sdaughtertocome。’
Thenshewentaway，andtoldtheoldKingthatthethinginsidetheironstovewouldnothaveher，butwantedthePrincess。TheoldKingwasfrightened，andhisdaughterwept。Buttheyhadaswineherd’sdaughterwhowasevenmorebeautifulthanthemiller’sdaughter，andtheygaveherapieceofgoldtogototheironstoveinsteadofthePrincess。Thenshewastakenout，andhadtoscrapeforfour-and-twentyhours，butshecouldmakenoimpression。Assoonasthedaybrokethevoicefromthestovecalledout，’Itseemstobedaylightoutside。’Thensheanswered，’Itseemssotometoo；IthinkIhearmyfatherblowinghishorn。’’Soyouareaswineherd’sdaughter！Goawayatonce，andlettheKing’sdaughtercome。AndsaytoherthatwhatIforetellshallcometopass，andifshedoesnotcomeeverythinginthekingdomshallfallintoruin，andnotonestoneshallbeleftuponanother。’WhenthePrincessheardthisshebegantocry，butitwasnogood；shehadtokeepherword。Shetookleaveofherfather，putaknifeinherbelt，andwenttotheironstoveinthewood。Assoonasshereacheditshebegantoscrape，andtheirongavewayandbeforetwohourshadpassedshehadmadealittlehole。Thenshepeepedinandsawsuchabeautifulyouthallshiningwithgoldandpreciousstonesthatshefellinlovewithhimonthespot。Soshescrapedawayharderthanever，andmadetheholesolargethathecouldgetout。Thenhesaid，’Youaremine，andIamthine；youaremybrideandhavesetmefree！’Hewantedtotakeherwithhimtohiskingdom，butshebeggedhimjusttolethergooncemoretoherfather；andthePrincelethergo，buttoldhernottosaymorethanthreewordstoherfather，thentocomebackagain。Soshewenthome，butalas！shesaidMORETHANTHREEWORDS；andimmediatelytheironstovevanishedandwentawayoveramountainofglassandsharpswords。ButthePrincewasfree，andwasnolongershutupinit。Thenshesaidgood-byetoherfather，andtookalittlemoneywithher，andwentagainintothegreatwoodtolookfortheironstove；butshecouldnotfindit。Shesoughtitforninedays，andthenherhungerbecamesogreatthatshedidnotknowhowshecouldliveanylonger。Andwhenitwaseveningsheclimbedalittletreeandwishedthatthenightwouldnotcome，becauseshewasafraidofthewildbeasts。Whenmidnightcameshesawafaroffalittlelight，andthought，’Ah！
ifonlyIcouldreachthat！’Thenshegotdownfromthetreeandwenttowardsthelight。Shecametoalittleoldhousewithagreatdealofgrassgrowinground，andstoodinfrontofalittleheapofwood。Shethought，’Alas！whatamIcomingto？’andpeepedthroughthewindow；butshesawnothinginsideexceptbigandlittletoads，andatablebeautifullyspreadwithroastmeatsandwine，andallthedishesanddrinking-cupswereofsilver。
Thenshetookheartandknocked。Thenafattoadcalledout:
’Littlegreentoadwithleglikecrook，Openwidethedoor，andlookWhoitwasthelatchthatshook。’
Andalittletoadcameforwardandletherin。Whensheenteredtheyallbidherwelcome，andmadehersitdown。Theyaskedherhowshecamethereandwhatshewanted。Thenshetoldeverythingthathadhappenedtoher，andhow，becauseshehadexceededherpermissiononlytospeakthreewords，thestovehaddisappearedwiththePrince；andhowshehadsearchedaverylongtime，andmustwanderovermountainandvalleytillshefoundhim。
Thentheoldtoadsaid:
’Littlegreentoadwhoselegdothtwist，Gotothecornerofwhichyouwist，Andbringtomethelargeoldkist。’
Andthelittletoadwentandbroughtoutagreatchest。Thentheygaveherfoodanddrink，andledhertoabeautifullymadebedofsilkandsamite，onwhichshelaydownandsleptsoundly。
Whenthedaydawnedshearose，andtheoldtoadgaveherthreethingsoutofthehugechesttotakewithher。Shewouldhaveneedofthem，forshehadtocrossahighglassmountain，threecuttingswords，andagreatlake。Whenshehadpassedtheseshewouldfindherloveragain。Soshewasgiventhreelargeneedles，aplough-wheel，andthreenuts，whichshewastotakegreatcareof。Shesetoutwiththesethings，andwhenshecametotheglassmountainwhichwassoslipperyshestuckthethreeneedlesbehindherfeetandtheninfront，andsogotoverit，andwhenshewasontheothersideputthemcarefullyaway。
Thenshereachedthethreecuttingswords，andgotonherplough-wheelandrolledoverthem。Atlastshecametoagreatlake，and，whenshehadcrossedthat，arrivedatabeautifulcastle。Shewentinandgaveherselfoutasaservant，apoormaidwhowouldgladlybeengaged。ButsheknewthatthePrincewhomshehadfreedfromtheironstoveinthegreatwoodwasinthecastle。Soshewastakenonasakitchen-maidforverysmallwages。NowthePrincewasabouttomarryanotherprincess，forhethoughtshewasdeadlongago。
Intheevening，whenshehadwashedupandwasready，shefeltinherpocketandfoundthethreenutswhichtheoldtoadhadgivenher。Shecrackedoneandwasgoingtoeatthekernel，whenbehold！therewasabeautifulroyaldressinsideit！Whenthebrideheardofthis，shecameandbeggedforthedress，andwantedtobuyit，sayingthatitwasnotadressforaserving-maid。Thenshesaidshewouldnotsellitunlessshewasgrantedonefavour——namely，tosleepbythePrince’sdoor。Thebridegrantedherthis，becausethedresswassobeautifulandshehadsofewlikeit。Whenitwaseveningshesaidtoherbridegroom，’Thatstupidmaidwantstosleepbyyourdoor。’
’Ifyouarecontented，Iam，’hesaid。Butshegavehimaglassofwineinwhichshehadpouredasleeping-draught。Thentheybothwenttohisroom，buthesleptsosoundlythatshecouldnotwakehim。Themaidweptallnightlong，andsaid，’Ifreedyouinthewildwoodoutoftheironstove；Ihavesoughtyou，andhavecrossedaglassymountain，threesharpswords，andagreatlakebeforeIfoundyou，andwillyounothearmenow？’Theservantsoutsideheardhowshecriedthewholenight，andtheytoldtheirmasterinthemorning。
Whenshehadwashedupthenexteveningshebitthesecondnut，andtherewasastillmorebeautifuldressinside。Whenthebridesawitshewantedtobuyitalso。Butthemaiddidnotwantmoney，andaskedthatsheshouldsleepagainbythePrince’sdoor。Thebride，however，gavehimasleeping-draught，andhesleptsosoundlythatheheardnothing。Butthekitchen-maidweptthewholenightlong，andsaid，’Ihavefreedyouinawoodandfromanironstove；Isoughtyouandhavecrossedaglassymountain，threesharpswords，andagreatlaketofindyou，andnowyouwillnothearme！’Theservantsoutsideheardhowshecriedthewholenight，andinthemorningtheytoldtheirmaster。
Andwhenshehadwasheduponthethirdnightshebitthethirdnut，andtherewasastillmorebeautifuldressinsidethatwasmadeofpuregold。Whenthebridesawitshewantedtohaveit，butthemaidwouldonlygiveitheronconditionthatsheshouldsleepforthethirdtimebythePrince’sdoor。ButthePrincetookcarenottodrinkthesleeping-draught。Whenshebegantoweepandtosay，’Dearestsweetheart，Ifreedyouinthehorriblewildwood，andfromanironstove，’hejumpedupandsaid，’Youareright。Youaremine，andIamthine。’Thoughitwasstillnight，hegotintoacarriagewithher，andtheytookthefalsebride’sclothesaway，sothatshecouldnotfollowthem。Whentheycametothegreatlaketheyrowedacross，andwhentheyreachedthethreesharpswordstheysatontheplough-wheel，andontheglassymountaintheystuckthethreeneedlesin。Sotheyarrivedatlastatthelittleoldhouse，butwhentheysteppedinsideitturnedintoalargecastle。Thetoadswereallfreed，andwerebeautifulKing’schildren，runningaboutforjoy。Theretheyweremarried，andtheyremainedinthecastle，whichwasmuchlargerthanthatofthePrincess’sfather’s。Butbecausetheoldmandidnotlikebeingleftalone，theywentandfetchedhim。Sotheyhadtwokingdomsandlivedingreatwealth。
Amousehasrun，Mystory’sdone。
