'You swore to marry her if she saved your life, and, come what
may, you must fulfil your promise.' Then, striking a silver
shield that hung close by, he said to the equerry who appeared
immediately:

'Go and seek the priest who lives near the door of the prison,
and ask him where you can find the old woman who visited him last
night; and when you have found her, bring her to the palace.'

It took some time to discover the whereabouts of the old woman,
but at length it was accomplished, and when she arrived at the
palace with the equerry, she was received with royal honours, as
became the bride of the prince. The guards looked at each other
with astonished eyes, as the wizened creature, bowed with age,
passed between their lines; but they were more amazed still at
the lightness of her step as she skipped up the steps to the
great door before which the king was standing, with the prince at
his side. If they both felt a shock at the appearance of the aged
lady they did not show it, and the king, with a grave bow, took
her band, and led her to the chapel, where a bishop was waiting
to perform the marriage ceremony.

For the next few weeks little was seen of the prince, who spent
all his days in hunting, and trying to forget the old wife at
home. As for the princess, no one troubled himself about her, and
she passed the days alone in her apartments, for she had
absolutely declined the services of the ladies-in-waiting whom
the king had appointed for her.