There was a king, who was already old, and had but one son. Once upon a
time he called this son to him and said to him: "My dear son! you know
that old fruit falls to make room for other fruit. My head is already
ripening, and maybe the sun will soon no longer shine upon it; but
before you bury me, I should like to see your wife, my future daughter.
My son, marry!" The prince said: "I would gladly, father, do as you
wish; but I have no bride, and don't know any." The old king put his
hand into his pocket, took out a golden key and showed it to his son,
with the words, "go up into the tower, to the top story, look round
there, and then tell me which you fancy." The prince went without delay.
Nobody within the memory of man had been up there or had ever heard what
was up there.

When he got up to the last story, he saw in the ceiling a little iron
door like a trap-door. It was closed. He opened it with the golden key,
lifted it, and went up above it. There was a large circular room. The
ceiling was blue like the sky on a clear night, and silver stars
glittered on it, the floor was a carpet of green silk, and around in the
wall were twelve high windows in golden frames, and in each window on
crystal glass was a damsel painted with the colours of the rainbow, with
a royal crown on her head, in each window a different one in a different
dress, each handsomer than the other, and it was a wonder that the
prince did not let his eyes dwell upon them. When he had gazed at them
with astonishment, the damsels began to move as if they were alive,
looked down upon him, smiled, and did everything but speak.

Now the prince observed that one of the twelve windows was covered with
a white curtain; he drew the curtain to see what was behind it. There
there was a damsel in a white dress, girt with a silver girdle, with a
crown of pearls on her head; she was the most beautiful of all, but was