wish to sleep in. But when she had put out the light and gone to bed
some one came into the room and lay down in the other bed. Now this
happened every night, but she never saw who it was, for he always came
after she had put out the light; and, before the day dawned, he was up
and off again.

So things went on for a while, the lassie having everything she wanted.
But you must know, that no human being did she see from morning till
night, only the White Bear could she talk to, and she did not know what
man or monster it might be who came to sleep in her room by night. At
last she began to be silent and sorrowful and would neither eat nor
drink.

One day the White Bear came to her and said: "Lassie, why are you so
sorrowful? This castle and all that is in it are yours, the silver bell
will give you anything that you wish. I only beg one thing of you--ask
no questions, trust me and nothing shall harm you. So now be happy
again." But still the lassie had no peace of mind, for one thing she
wished to know: Who it was who came in the night and slept in her room?
All day long and all night long she wondered and longed to know, and she
fretted and pined away.

So one night, when she could not stand it any longer and she heard that
he slept, she got up, lit a bit of a candle, and let the light shine on
him. Then she saw that he was the loveliest Prince one ever set eyes on,
and she bent over and kissed him. But, as she kissed him, she dropped
three drops of hot tallow on his shirt, and he woke up.

"What have you done?" he cried; "now you have made us both unlucky, for
had you held out only this one year, I had been freed. For I am the