East of the Sun and West of the Moon (9)

East of the Sun and West of the Moon (9)

When they they had gone some distance on their way, the WHite Bear asked her if everything had not happened just as he had foretold, and she could not but own  that it had.

" Then, if you have done what your mother wished, " said he, " you have brought great misery on both of us. "

" No, " she said, " I have not done anything at all. "

So when she had reached home and had gone to bed it was just the same as it had been before, and a man came and lay down beside her, and late at night, when she could hear that he was sleeping, she got up and kindled a light, lit her candle, let her light shine on him, and saw him, and he was the handsomest prince that eyes had ever beheld, and she loved him so much that it seemed to her that she must die if she did not kiss him that very moment.

So she did kiss him ; but while she was doing it she let three drops of hot tallow fail upon his shirt, and he awoke.

(9/23)