The Princess In The Earth-Ball

Once upon a time there was a king who had an only daughter. The young princess was gentle in mind, and fair in appearance, she said won the hearts of all who saw her. When she has now become an adult, were there many princes and Hungarian friends, who sought her hand and love, and among them was a dead king's son from another kingdom. He conversed often with the friendly woman, and the young people were so flattered that they willingly wanted to own each other.
While this was going on, it happened that a storm broke out, and the enemy fell into the country with a great army. As now the king had no power to stand against him, he had an earth-ball built in the middle of the dark forest, for to hide his daughter there from the dangers of war. He provided for her abundantly with means of life, and gave her company a maid of honor, and a dog and a male, who would separate the shifts of the day for them. After that the king prepared for battle, and the young prince made himself ready to follow him. But when the royal children were to part, they felt one great sorrow of heart on both sides, and conversed long with each other. The princess spoke up: "My heart tells me that we will not soon be back again." happens; therefore I want to ask a prayer that you must not refuse. You shall promise never to marry someone who can't wash the stains out this hand-cloth, and weave this gold-loom to the end. At these words she handed her fiance an arme-linen, and a loom, which was strange crocheted with gold and silk. The prince took the hand-cloth and the gold-loom, and said he would never forget his lover's words. Thus they parted from each other. The king's daughter was placed in the earth-ball; but the prince and it the old king went away to defend the country against the enemy.
Now when the armies met, there was a fierce battle. But luck was king against, so he fell in the battle with great fame; and the young prince must return home without victory to his own kingdom. Then the enemy advanced over the whole village, with devastation and man-killing, burned up the king's farm, and ravaged far and wide. Finally he made his way, and was the land then little better than a wasteland. But no one knew what had become of it the king's daughter, if she was dead, or had fallen into the hands of the enemy.
Meanwhile, the princess and her maid of honor sat in the earth-ball, sewing gold on their knees, while they waited for the king to come home again. But day went in, and day went out, and yet he did not return, for to free them from their captivity. It suffered like this for seven long years. Then were the means of living to the end, so the virgins had nothing to live on, but were forced to slaughter their male; but from that day they knew not as time went on, and so it seemed to them that their lot was heavier than before. Shortly afterwards the maid died of grief and hunger, and now the king's daughter was all alone in the dark earth-ball. Then she didn't know what to do take the lead in their great need. At last she seized a knife, and began tearing at the ceiling without pause, both arla and serla. How she behaved, she finally succeeded in making an opening in the stock-work; and she then on the third day came out of the earth-ball, where she had been sitting for so long.
The king's daughter then dressed in the maid's garb, lured her dog, and began to wander through the wilderness. When she so traveled both long and well, without meeting anyone, she noticed a smoke rising in between the trees, and now came at last to an old man, who was burning coal in the forest. The princess went up to the coaler, was asked for some food, and said that she willingly assisted him in his work. The man then gave her a beta bread, and she helped him burn coal. While they were now spoken to, spurred the young man looks for newspapers, what's new in the country. Then told the old man about the king's death, and everything else that has occurred during the last few years the years. But the king's daughter was grieved beyond measure, and it drained her in the heap, how "it has few friends, who count many green graves."
When some time had passed, and the coals were burnt, the old man said that he no further help was needed, but the princess was advised to seek service upstairs the king's farm, preferably as he could well see that she was not used to heavy work. The king's daughter now began her journey again, and nothing is told of her journey, until she came to a great lake. Then she knew not how she would cross the water, but sat down on the shore, and was greatly distressed. But at the same time a large wolf came running out the forest. Ulfven qvad:
»Give me your dog,
you shall come over waves and ground.»
Now the king's daughter was sick, but she did not dare to deny the wolf request, but gave him the dog. When the wolf had eaten his fill, he took over words:
»Sit on my back,
shall you go comforted and safe.»
Immediately the princess sat on his back, and then he carried her over the lake to the other country. But on the shore was a fair royal court, and over The royal court was ruled by the king's son, he who in his younger days had promised the princess his faith and honor.
Now it should be told that while the princess sat in the earth-ball, the king had died, and the prince became lord of the land after his father. When so As the years progressed, the king's men begged him to look around for one queen; but he would not listen to their advice, for he thought always on top of the beautiful face, which he betrothed in his youth. There seven years went by without anyone hearing or sensing it least about the friendly king's daughter. Then the king could no longer think she was alive; he therefore consulted with his men, and let them go out an order that it should become his queen, who could complete the princess's gold-weave and wash the stains out of her hand-cloth. When this was scattered over the lands, virgins and maidens came from both the east and the west, for they wished to own the young king; yet none were so please, that she could fulfill his conditions. But just in those days was there came a noble maiden, who likewise wanted to try her luck. To the princess went to her, called herself _Åsa_, and was asked to receive service. She was thus accepted as maid of honor to the foreign maiden; but there was no one up in the king's court, who knew who she really was.
The princess's matron would now complete the king's weaving; but it worked her like the others, she couldn't figure out the strange one the weave. Over this the maiden bore a great grudge, and did not know right how she should behave. Then it happened one day, while she was out, that the disguised princess sat down by the wooden chair, and wove a long paragraph. Then the maiden came again, and noticed that the loom had slipped forward, she was well satisfied, and wondered who had helped her. The king's daughter didn't want to say how it was at first, but had to finally confess the truth. Now the maiden was overjoyed, and sat the princess to crochet on the loom; but no one knew it was the bridesmaid, who crocheted in her foster mother's place.
There was now a great rumor over the whole royal court that the stranger the maiden wove the strange loom. Then much was said about the king's marriage, and he himself often went to the maiden's cottage, to see how it suffered with the prof. But when the king came in, the loom always stood still, and no one worked on the wooden chair. This rarely occurred to the king, and he spurred the strange maiden, if she never wove when he was in there. The maiden excused herself, and answered cunningly: "Lord! I am too shy to work, while you look up.» The king was satisfied with this answer, and it was not long before the loom was finished.
The strange maiden would then wash the stains out of the princess arm-linen; but she fared as the others, the more she washed, the darker the clothing became. Over this the maiden bore a great grudge, and knew not right how she should behave. Then one day happened, while she was out, that the disguised princess sat down to two hand-dress, and as she put her hand to it, the spot immediately became smaller. When the virgin came back, and noticing what had happened, she was well satisfied, and asked who helped her. The king's daughter initially did not want to say how where, but must at last confess the truth. Now the maiden was overwhelmed happy, and set the princess to wash on the hand-cloth; but nobody knew that it was the maid who did the washing in place of her foster mother.
There was now again a great rumor over the whole royal court, that the the strange maiden washed the stains out of the garment. Then a lot was talked about the king's marriage, and he himself often went to the maiden's cabin, to see what happened to the prof. But every time the king came there, stood work always quiet, and no one washed the clothes. This occurred to him strangely before, and he wondered why the strange maiden never washed when he was inside. The maiden excused herself, and answered cunningly: "Lord, King! I cannot wash the cloth, when I shall have red gold rings on the fingers.» The king contented himself with this answer; and it said so not long before the stains were washed out of the princess's army linen. The foreign maiden had thus fulfilled all the king's wishes.
When all this was spurred, there was much joy over country and kingdom, and there were great preparations for the king's wedding. But of course On the day of the wedding, the bride fell ill quickly, so she couldn't ride the church with the rest of the crowd. Which she now did not want to let anyone know the cause of her illness, she spoke profitably to her maid of honor, and prayed her riding bride in her place. The young princess hunted to this: hon was then shrouded in bridal linen, adorned with red rings, and put on a fair walker; but no one knew that it was the maid of honor who rode in hers food mother's place. After that, the wedding party set off, with a big one state, and games, and other joys, as was the custom in olden days. But the princess mourned in wages, and her heart was heavy, when she should risk riding bride for another, with him who in young days won her faith and love.
The wedding party now traveled the way forward; the bride sat on her walker with the red gold-crowned but pale cheek, and the bridegroom rode her ever second; although he certainly did not think what her heart would mourn. When they saw having gone a little way, they came to a bridge; but it was predicted that the bridge would break if any bride passed over it who was not of royal descent. Then what the princess:
»Lie down, lie down, you broad broad!
Two noble children of kings above you ride.»
'What do you say, my betrothed?' asked the king. "Oh, nothing, then very much,' answered the bride. »I'm talking to _Åsa_, ~my bridesmaid~.»
They then prepared again a little, and came to the king's court, from each place the princess's father had lived. But now the yard was burned, and weeds grew up out of the gravel pile. Then the princess said:
»Here both thistles and thorns grow,
there used to be gold in the corner.
Here now lies cattle and swine,
there before I lost both mead and wine.»
'What do you say, my betrothed?' asked the king again. The bride replied: »oh, nothing much. I'm talking to _Åsa_, ~my bridesmaid~.»
Then they advanced, and came to a fair linden. Then the princess said:
"Are you standing here, you old linden tree!
here I have attached gold rings with my old sweetheart.»
The king asked again: "What do you say, my betrothed?" But the bride answered as before: »oh! nothing much. I only spoke with _Åsa_, ~min maid of honor~.»
The wedding crowd now moved on. Then a pair of dufvo came flying in the air. The bride what:
»Here you fly with your husband,
Tonight I lose mine.»
'What do you say, my fiancée?' asked the groom, listening her words. "Oh! nothing much», answered the bride. »I only spoke with _Åsa_, ~my bridesmaid~.»
When they had ridden a short distance again, the cuckoo crowed. Then the princess said:
»Cuckoo crazy in pine;
At home the bride lies and gives birth to a child in a stable.»
'What do you say, my dear?' asked the king. The princess retorted, which before: »oh! nothing much. I only spoke to _Åsa_, ~my bridesmaid~.»
The bridal party now traveled forward, and arrived in the dark forest, from where the earth-ball lay. While they were thus going, the king rode to his young bride, and asked her to narrate some adventure along the way. Then the princess sighed heavy, and what:
»Seven years I sat in the earth-ball,
Tales and riddles I forgot.
Evil has happened to me,
I have burned coal.
Evil have I suffered,
I have ridden Ulfven.
Today I get to go bride
for my young wife.”
'What do you say, my betrothed?' asked the king again, and became strange at ease. The bride replied: »oh nothing much. I was just talking along _Åsa_, ~my bridesmaid~.»
They were then at the church where the wedding was to take place. Then the princess said:
»Here I am baptized _Maria_, ~Rose and Star~,
Now I get to be called _Åsa_, ~my bridesmaid~.»
Then the wedding party marched into the church with great pomp, following the old one custom. Mainly went pipe-players, and fiddlers, and percussionists, and others spele-men, then came the bride-svenners and court-knights, and finally the bride with their little bridesmaids. The young couple were now seated in the "bride-bench", and the wedding took place with great solemnity, as one could king couple; but no one knew but it was the strange maiden, who was betrothed to the king.
When the bridal mass was read, and the king had exchanged rings with the princess, he took out a silver belt, and girded it around her waist; but the belt had a lock, so strange and wanton, that no one could open it but the king self. Then the bridal party went home to the king's farm, and the wedding party drank with lust, and play, and dance, and all kinds of fun. But the princess hurried into the maiden-cage, and changed clothes with her food-mother, saw no one would notice that it was the maid of honor who rode the bride in the maiden's place.
It was like that in the evening, and the king sat down to talk with his young one bride, as newly married people have for custom. Me'ns they now glammed up with each other, asked the king: »say, my friend! what where what you said, when we ready to cross the bridge? I'd like to know." Then the maiden turned blood red in the face, for she did not know what to answer; but she found herself, and said: "I have completely forgotten that; but I want to ask _Åsa_, ~min maid of honor~.» The bride then went over to the maid of honor, and spurred her on, whatever been spoken to along the way. Then she turned again to the bridegroom, and said: »well now I remember, I qwhat like this:
Lie, lie you bro wide!
Two noble children of kings above you ride.»
'Why qwhat did you see?' asked the king. But the bride did not answer, but remained silent.
When it had suffered for a while, the bridegroom urged again: »say, my friend! what was that what you said when we got to the old king's farm? Me shines would like to know.” Then the maiden was again very embarrassed; but she found himself, and said: "I have completely forgotten that; but I want to ask _Åsa_, ~my maid of honor~.» She then went over to the maid of honor, and spurred her on, whatever been spoken to along the way. Then she turned again to her bridegroom, and said: »well, now I remember, I qwhat like this:
Here both thistle and thorn grow,
there used to be gold in the corner.
Here now lies cattle and swine,
there before I lost both mead and wine.»
'Why did you say that?' asked the king; but the bride did not answer, but remained silent.
It suffered now for a while. Then the king asked again: "Say, my friend! what was what you said, when we were ready past the linden. I'd like to know." But the bride could not answer his question, but would ask _Åsa_, ~sin maid of honor~. She then came back and said: "Well, now I remember." I said like this:
Are you standing here, you old linden tree!
Here, I have attached rings with my longtime sweetheart.»
'Why did you say that?' asked the groom; but the bride did not answer.
All this occurred to the king very strangely, and he did not turn back to ask his fiancee what had been said between them throughout the road; but always the maiden must go away, and ask _Åsa_, ~her maid of honor~. -- It was now late in the evening, and the bride and groom were to be "led to bed." Then asked the king: "Say my friend!" where is the belt I gave you when we foro from the church?” 'What kind of belt?' said the bride, and turned pale cheek. 'I gave that to _Åsa_, ~my bridesmaid~.' The maid was so sent back, and when she came forward, behold, she wore the belt around her waist, and the locks were so strange that no one but the king himself could open it. Now it noticed strange virgin that her falsehood was cleared, she therefore went forth, and pulled away from the yard indignantly. But the king recognized his true bride, and the princess told him all as she had done in the long years, as they were separated. Then there was great desire and joy among the guests, and the king thought that he had now been well repaid for all his sorrows.
Then the bride and groom were led into the "bride's house", and the groomsmen and bridesmaids left before them, and carry wax-candles, as was the custom of our fathers. When so the king and his young consort having gone to bed, the wedding procession began sing the old tune:
»Extinguish the candle in the crown,
Take the bride in your arms.»
And there was joy over both city and country, that they both came together, who have loved each other for so long. Then I wasn't there anymore.