not to blame. I saw the young smith get into the carriage, and we
never stopped a minute since.' 'It's uncivil you were to him.
Go,' says he to the other prince, 'and bring the young smith
here, and be polite.' 'Never fear,' says he.

But there's some people that couldn't be good-natured if they
tried, and not a bit civiller was the new messenger than the old,
and when the king opened the carriage door a second time, it's
shower of mud that came down on him. 'There's no use,' says he,
'going on this way. The fox never got a better messenger than
himself.'

So he changed his clothes, and washed himself, and out he set to
the prince's forge and asked him to sit along with himself. The
prince begged to be allowed to sit in the other carriage, and
when they were half-way he opened his snuff-box. 'Master,' says
he, 'I'd wish to be dressed now according to my rank.' 'You shall
be that,' says Seven Inches. 'And now I'll bid you farewell.
Continue as good and kind as you always were; love your wife; and
that's all the advice I'll give you.' So Seven Inches vanished;
and when the carriage door was opened in the yard, out walks the
prince as fine as hands could make him, and the first thing he
did was to run over to his bride and embrace her.

Every one was full of joy but the two other princes. There was
not much delay about the marriages, and they were all celebrated
on the one day. Soon after, the two elder couples went to their
own courts, but the youngest pair stayed with the old king, and
they were as happy as the happiest married couple you ever heard
of in a story.