The Castle, Which Stood On Gold Pillars

Once upon a time there was a king's son and a king's daughter who loved each other very much
each other. The young princess was kind and fair and by all means well
talked about; but her heart played more for pleasure and play, than for handiwork
and household chores. This seemed bad to the old queen, and
she said that she did not want any son-wife, who was not equal
kind as she herself had been in her youth. The queen therefore lay down
in every way against the prince's marriage.

When the queen did not want to take back her word, the king's son left
in front of his mother, and said that one could put his fiancée on prof,
if she had an adventure, she was as good at crafts as the queen herself. This
seemed to all a bold request; for the prince's mother was a drifter
woman, who spanned, and sewed, and wove, both night and day, so no one
knew her like. The end was, however, that the prince got his way.
The fair princess was now sent to the maiden cabin, and the queen
sent her a pound of flax for shavings. But the line should be spun before
day became bright, otherwise the maiden would never again think of having the king's son
to spouse.

Since the princess was left to herself, she became ill at ease,
for she knew well that she could not spin the queen's linen, and wanted to
however, do not lose the young prince, who held her so dear. She wavered
then around the room, and just cried, always cried. Right like that
now the door was opened ever so slowly, ever so slowly, and there entered a little,
little old woman, of rare appearance and with even rarer motives. The
the little old woman had enormously large feet, so that whoever saw it must
wonder about it. She greeted: "God's peace!" 'God's peace again!' answered
the king's daughter. The old woman asked: "Wherefore is the beautiful maiden so sad."
evening?” The princess replied: 'I must be sad. The Queen has
commanded me to spin a pound of flax. If I haven't done it by tomorrow, when
the day dawns, I lose the king's son, who holds me so dearly
in love.' The old woman spoke: "Be comforted, beautiful maiden! is nothing
otherwise, I can help you. But then J will fulfill a prayer, like me
now want to mention.» At this speech the princess was overjoyed, and
asked the old woman's request. "Well," said the old woman, "my name is
_Bigfoot Mother_. And I don't want any other pay for my assistance than that
I can attend your wedding. I haven't been to any weddings,
ever since the queen your mother-in-law was a bride.» The king's daughter agreed
willingly to this request, and so they parted from each other. The old lady left
her journey, as she had come; but the princess went to sleep, anyway
there was not a blink in her eyes during the whole long night of God.

Early in the morning before dawn, the door was opened, and the little one
the old woman re-entered. She now approached the king's daughter, and reached
her a bundle of yarn; but the yarn was white as snow and thin as a
spider web. The lady said: »You see, I don't have such beautiful yarn
spun ever since I spun for the queen, when she was getting married. But
it was a long time in the world." So spoken the little woman disappeared, and
the princess slept a lovely night. But it hadn't been long, before
she was awakened by the old queen, who was standing in front of the bed, and asked
if the line was ready-spun. The king's daughter hunted for this, and it was enough
her the yarn. The queen must therefore leave herself in peace for the time being;
but the princess could well see and notice that it did not happen for good
heart.

When the day came, the queen said she wanted to set
the king's daughter another prof before. She then sent the yarn to
the maiden cabin, together with gutter-trees and other implements, and commanded
the princess weaves it into a loom. But the weaving should be finished before then
sun rose, otherwise the maiden would never again think of having the young one
the king's son.

After the princess came to herself, she again became very ill
courage, for she knew that she could not weave the queen's yarn, and
nevertheless, she did not want to lose the king's son, who held her so dear. She
therefore staggered about the room, and wept bitterly. Right like that
now the door was opened so slowly, so slowly, and there entered a very
little old lady, of strange appearance and with even stranger motives. The
the little old woman had an enormously large rear, so that everyone who saw it
have to wonder about that. She greeted "God's peace!" 'God's peace again!' answered
the king's daughter. The old woman asked: "Wherefore is the beautiful maiden so lonely and
sad?” 'Well,' said the princess, 'I must be sad. The queen
has commanded me to weave all this yarn into a loom. But if I don't
have done it tomorrow, when dawn breaks, I lose the king's son,
who hold me so heartily in love.' The woman spoke: »be comforted
beautiful maiden! If nothing else, I want to help you. But then the school
J agree to one condition, which I now want to mention.» At this speech it became
the young princess was overjoyed, and chased after the old woman
request. "Well," said the old woman, "my name is _Biggumpa-mor_, and I don't want to."
have some other salary, than that I can attend your wedding. I have
haven't been to any weddings since the queen, your mother-in-law, stood
bride." The king's daughter readily agreed to this request, and so they parted
they from each other. The old woman went on her way as she had come; but
The king's daughter lay down to sleep, although there was not a blink of an eye
her eyes throughout God's long night.

Early in the morning, before dawn, the door was opened, and it
the little woman re-entered. She now approached the king's daughter,
and handed her a tissue; but the fabric was white as snow and dense as one
skin, so that no one has seen its like. The old man said: »You see, so smooth
I have not woven cities, since I wove for the queen, when she
would marry. But it was a long time in the world.» Then disappeared
the woman, and the princess slept a lovely little shut-eye. But it had not
hesitated for a long time, before she was awakened by the old queen, who was standing by
her bed, and asked if the weaving was finished. The king's daughter hunted
to this, and held out the beautiful weaving. The queen must give way
be at ease for the second time; but the princess could both see and notice,
that she did not do it out of good will.

The king's daughter now thought that she would avoid further prof. But
the queen was of a different opinion, for after a while she sent for it
the loom down to the maiden's cabin, and said that the princess would sew it
for shirts for her fiance. The shirts should be ready before sun
got up, otherwise the maiden would never hope to have the king's son
consort.

When the princess was left alone again, she became uneasy, for she
knew well that she could not sew the queen's tapestry, and yet wanted to
not lose the young prince, who held her so dear. She wavered at that
around the room, and shed her brave tears. Right as it was
the door opened ever so slowly, ever so slowly, and a very small one entered
old woman, of strange appearance and with an even stranger manner. The small one
the old woman had an enormously large thumb, so that everyone who saw it had to
wonder about it. She greeted: "God's peace!" 'God's peace again!' answered
the king's daughter. The old woman asked: "Why is the fair maiden so lonely and
sad?” 'Well,' said the princess, 'I must be sad. The queen
has ordered me to sew this fabric into shirts for the king's son. But if
I haven't done it until tomorrow when the sun rises, I lose mine
fiance, who holds me so heartily in love.' Then the woman spoke:
»be comforted beautiful maiden! If nothing else, I can help you. But
then J shall agree to a condition, which I shall now mention.» At this speech
the princess was overjoyed, and sought after the old woman's spirit.
'Well,' said the woman, 'my name is _Big-thumb-mother_, and I don't want any
any other salary than that I may attend your wedding. I have not
been at a wedding, ever since the queen was your mother-in-law
bride.' The king's daughter willingly consented to this condition, and so they parted
they from each other. The old woman went on her way as she had come; but
the princess went to sleep, and slept so soundly that she did not dream
her fiance once.

Early in the morning before the sun rose, the door was opened, and the little one
the old woman re-entered. She now approached the king's daughter, woke her up
her, and gave her some shirts; but the shirts were sewn and
knitted with art, so that one never saw the husband. The old woman said: »see
you, as well as this I have not sewn, all that I sewed for
the queen, when she was to be a bride. But that was a long time ago in the world.»
With these words the little woman disappeared, for the queen was standing right there
the door, and asked if the shirts were ready. The king's daughter hunted
here, and held out the beautiful sewing. Then the queen became like that
resentful, that it sparkled from her eyes. She said: »yes, then take it
him then! I never thought you were as kind as you are.”
With that she went on her way, and slammed the door shut so that the lock rang.

The king's son and the king's daughter would now have each other as equals
the queen had promised, and preparations were made for the wedding. But the princess
was not particularly happy about her wedding day, because she remembered what
strange guests there would come. So time went on, and the wedding
stood with lust and joy according to old custom; but no rubber bands were visible
to how the bride and groom looked around. Late at last, when the guests
was about to go to the table, the king's daughter noticed the three little women,
where they sat in a corner of the wedding hall, at a table by themselves
self. Then the king rose up, and asked what kind of guests these were,
which he had not seen before. The oldest of the three old ladies
retorted: "My name is _Bigfoot-mother_, and I have such big feet, that's why
that I got to spin so much in my day.» 'Yes,' said the king, 'then
shall my daughter-in-law never spin again.' He then turned to it
the other woman, and asked what the cause of her strangeness might be
appearance. The old woman replied: »My name is _Biggumpa-mor_, and I have so
a big butt, because I had to weave so much in my day.» 'Yes
so', said the king, 'then my daughter-in-law will never weave again.' He
then turned to the third old woman, and asked for her name.
Then _Big-thumb-mother_ stood up, and said that she had got such a big thumb,
because she sewed so much in her day. 'Yes,' said the king, 'then shall
my son-wife also never sew any more.' And there it was. That friend
The king's daughter got the prince, and still got away with both spinning and weaving
and sew forever.

When the wedding was over, the old ladies went on their way, and no one
saw where they went, just as no one knew where they came from. But
the prince lived happily and contentedly with his consort, and all went quietly and
still and peaceful, only because the princess was not as impetuous as
the stern queen.