Of course his sweetheart was a crow.

'The newspapers came out next morning with a border of hearts
round it, and the princess's monogram on it, and inside you could
read that every good-looking young man might come into the palace
and speak to the princess, and whoever should speak loud enough
to be heard would be well fed and looked after, and the one who
spoke best should become the princess's husband. Indeed,' said
the crow, 'you can quite believe me. It is as true as that I am
sitting here.

'Young men came in streams, and there was such a crowding and a
mixing together! But nothing came of it on the first nor on the
second day. They could all speak quite well when they were in
the street, but as soon as they came inside the palace door, and
saw the guards in silver, and upstairs the footmen in gold, and
the great hall all lighted up, then their wits left them! And
when they stood in front of the throne where the princess was
sitting, then they could not think of anything to say except to
repeat the last word she had spoken, and she did not much care to
hear that again. It seemed as if they were walking in their
sleep until they came out into the street again, when they could
speak once more. There was a row stretching from the gate of the
town up to the castle.

'They were hungry and thirsty, but in the palace they did not
even get a glass of water.

'A few of the cleverest had brought some slices of bread and
butter with them, but they did not share them with their