at Halvor, towards whom they had always been so proud and
haughty before.

`Ay, ay! you have always thought that you were so pretty and
dainty that no one was equal to you,' said Halvor, `but you should
just see the eldest Princess whom I set free. You look like herds-
women compared with her, and the second Princess is also much
prettier than you; but the youngest, who is my sweetheart, is more
beautiful than either sun or moon. I wish to Heaven they were
here, and then you would see them.'

Scarcely had he said this before they were standing by his side,
but then he was very sorrowful, for the words which they had said
to him came to his mind.

Up at the farm a great feast was made ready for the Princesses,
and much respect paid to them, but they would not stay there.

`We want to go down to your parents,' they said to Halvor, `so
we will go out and look about us.'

He followed them out, and they came to a large pond outside
the farm-house. Very near the water there was a pretty green
bank, and there the Princesses said they would sit down and while
away an hour, for they thought that it would be pleasant to sit and
look out over the water, they said.

There they sat down, and when they had sat for a short time
the youngest Princess said, `I may as well comb your hair a little,
Halvor.'