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in　the　mountain　had　said。

〃I　may　as　well　say　that　as　anything；〃　said　John。　〃Perhaps　your
dream　may　come　true；　still　I　will　say　farewell；　for　if　I　guess　wrong　I
shall　never　see　you　again。〃

Then　they　embraced　each　other；　and　John　went　into　the　town　and
walked　to　the　palace。　The　great　hall　was　full　of　people；　and　the
judges　sat　in　arm…chairs；　with　eider…down　cushions　to　rest　their　heads
upon；　because　they　had　so　much　to　think　of。　The　old　king　stood　near；
wiping　his　eyes　with　his　white　pocket…handkerchief。　When　the
princess　entered；　she　looked　even　more　beautiful　than　she　had　appeared　the　day　before；　and　greeted　every　one　present　most　gracefully；　but　to　John　she　gave　her　hand；　and　said；　〃Good　morning　to　you。〃　Now　came　the　time　for　John　to　guess　what　she　was　thinking　of；　and　oh；　how　kindly　she　looked　at　him　as　she　spoke。　But　when　he　uttered　the　single　word　shoe；　she　turned　as　pale　as　a　ghost；　all　her　wisdom　could　not　help　her；　for　he　had　guessed　rightly。　Oh；　how　pleased　the　old　king　was！　It　was　quite　amusing　to　see　how　he　capered　about。　All　the　people　clapped　their　hands；　both　on　his　account　and　John's；　who　had　guessed　rightly　the　first　time。　His　fellow…traveller　was　glad　also；　when　he　heard　how　successful　John　had　been。　But　John　folded　his　hands；　and　thanked　God；　who；　he　felt　quite　sure；　would　help　him　again；　and　he　knew　he　had　to　guess　twice　more。　The　evening　passed　pleasantly　like　the　one　preceding。　While　John　slept；　his　companion　flew　behind　the　princess　to　the　mountain；　and　flogged　her　even　harder　than　before；　this　time　he　had　taken　two　rods　with　him。　No　one　saw　him　go　in　with　her；　and　he　heard　all　that　was　said。　The　princess　this　time　was　to　think　of　a　glove；　and　he　told　John　as　if　he　had　again　heard　it　in　a　dream。　The　next　day；　therefore；　he　was　able　to　guess　correctly　the　second　time；　and　it　caused　great　rejoicing　at　the
palace。　The　whole　court　jumped　about　as　they　had　seen　the　king　do
the　day　before；　but　the　princess　lay　on　the　sofa；　and　would　not　say
a　single　word。　All　now　depended　upon　John。　If　he　only　guessed
rightly　the　third　time；　he　would　marry　the　princess；　and　reign　over
the　kingdom　after　the　death　of　the　old　king：　but　if　he　failed；　he
would　lose　his　life；　and　the　magician　would　have　his　beautiful　blue
eyes。　That　evening　John　said　his　prayers　and　went　to　bed　very　early；
and　soon　fell　asleep　calmly。　But　his　companion　tied　on　his　wings　to
his　shoulders；　took　three　rods；　and；　with　his　sword　at　his　side；
flew　to　the　palace。　It　was　a　very　dark　night；　and　so　stormy　that　the
tiles　flew　from　the　roofs　of　the　houses；　and　the　trees　in　the　garden
upon　which　the　skeletons　hung　bent　themselves　like　reeds　before　the
wind。　The　lightning　flashed；　and　the　thunder　rolled　in　one
long…continued　peal　all　night。　The　window　of　the　castle　opened；　and
the　princess　flew　out。　She　was　pale　as　death；　but　she　laughed　at　the
storm　as　if　it　were　not　bad　enough。　Her　white　mantle　fluttered　in
the　wind　like　a　large　sail；　and　the　traveller　flogged　her　with　the
three　rods　till　the　blood　trickled　down；　and　at　last　she　could
scarcely　fly；　she　contrived；　however；　to　reach　the　mountain。　〃What　a
hail…storm！〃　she　said；　as　she　entered；　〃I　have　never　been　out　in
such　weather　as　this。〃

〃Yes；　there　may　be　too　much　of　a　good　thing　sometimes；〃　said　the
magician。

Then　the　princess　told　him　that　John　had　guessed　rightly　the
second　time；　and　if　he　succeeded　the　next　morning；　he　would　win；　and　she　could　never　come　to　the　mountain　again；　or　practice　magic　as　she　had　done；　and　therefore　she　was　quite　unhappy。　〃I　will　find　out
something　for　you　to　think　of　which　he　will　never　guess；　unless　he
is　a　greater　conjuror　than　myself。　But　now　let　us　be　merry。〃

Then　he　took　the　princess　by　both　hands；　and　they　danced　with
all　the　little　goblins　and　Jack…o'…lanterns　in　the　room。　The　red
spiders　sprang　here　and　there　on　the　walls　quite　as　merrily；　and　the
flowers　of　fire　appeared　as　if　they　were　throwing　out　sparks。　The
owl　beat　the　drum；　the　crickets　whistled　and　the　grasshoppers　played
the　mouth…organ。　It　was　a　very　ridiculous　ball。　After　they　had
danced　enough；　the　princess　was　obliged　to　go　home；　for　fear　she
should　be　missed　at　the　palace。　The　magician　offered　to　go　with　her；
that　they　might　be　company　to　each　other　on　the　way。　Then　they　flew
away　through　the　bad　weather；　and　the　traveller　followed　them；　and
broke　his　three　rods　across　their　shoulders。　The　magician　had　never
been　out　in　such　a　hail…storm　as　this。　Just　by　the　palace　the　magician
stopped　to　wish　the　princess　farewell；　and　to　whisper　in　her　ear；

〃To…morrow　think　of　my　head。〃

But　the　traveller　heard　it；　and　just　as　the　princess　slipped
through　the　window　into　her　bedroom；　and　the　magician　turned　round
to　fly　back　to　the　mountain；　he　seized　him　by　the　long　black　beard；
and　with　his　sabre　cut　off　the　wicked　conjuror's　head　just　behind
the　shoulders；　so　that　he　could　not　even　see　who　it　was。　He　threw
the　body　into　the　sea　to　the　fishes；　and　after　dipping　the　head　into
the　water；　he　tied　it　up　in　a　silk　handkerchief；　took　it　with　him　to
the　inn；　and　then　went　to　bed。　The　next　morning　he　gave　John　the
handkerchief；　and　told　him　not　to　untie　it　till　the　princess　asked　him
what　she　was　thinking　of。　There　were　so　many　people　in　the　great
hall　of　the　palace　that　they　stood　as　thick　as　radishes　tied
together　in　a　bundle。　The　council　sat　in　their　arm…chairs　with　the
white　cushions。　The　old　king　wore　new　robes；　and　the　golden　crown
and　sceptre　had　been　polished　up　so　that　he　looked　quite　smart。　But
the　princess　was　very　pale；　and　wore　a　black　dress　as　if　she　were
going　to　a　funeral。

〃What　have　I　thought　of？〃　asked　the　princess；　of　John。　He
immediately　untied　the　handkerchief；　and　was　himself　quite
frightened　when　he　saw　the　head　of　the　ugly　magician。　Every　one
shuddered；　for　it　was　terrible　to　look　at；　but　the　princess　sat　like　a
statue；　and　could　not　utter　a　single　word。　At　length　she　rose　and　gave
John　her　hand；　for　he　had　guessed　rightly。

She　looked　at　no　one；　but　sighed　deeply；　and　said；　〃You　are　my
master　now；　this　evening　our　marriage　must　take　place。〃

〃I　am　very　pleased　to　hear　it；〃　said　the　old　king。　〃It　is　just
what　I　wish。〃

Then　all　the　people　shouted　〃Hurrah。〃　The　band　played　music　in　the
streets；　the　bells　rang；　and　the　cake…women　took　the　black　crape　off
the　sugar…sticks。　There　was　universal　joy。　Three　oxen；　stuffed　with
ducks　and　chickens；　were　roasted　whole　in　the　market…place；　where
every　one　might　help　himself　to　a　slice。　The　fountains　spouted　forth
the　most　delicious　wine；　and　whoever　bought　a　penny　loaf　at　the
baker's　received　six　large　buns；　full　of　raisins；　as　a　present。　In　the
evening　the　whole　town　was　illuminated。　The　soldiers　fired　off
cannons；　and　the　boys　let　off　crackers。　There　was　eating　and　drinking；　dancing　and　jumping　everywhere。　In　the　palace；　the　high…born　gentlemen　and　beautiful　ladies　danced　with　each　other；　and　they　could　be　heard　at　a　great　distance　singing　the　following　song：…
〃Here　are　maidens；　young　and　fair；
Dancing　in　the　summer　air；
Like　two　spinning…wheels　at　play；
Pretty　maidens　dance　away…
Dance　the　spring　and　summer　through
Till　the　sole　falls　from　your　shoe。〃
But　the　princess　was　still　a　witch；　and　she　could　not　love　John。
His　fellow…traveller　had　thought　of　that；　so　he　gave　John　three
feathers　out　of　the　swan's　wings；　and　a　little　bottle　with　a　few　drops
in　it。　He　told　him　to　place　a　large　bath　full　of　water　by　the
princess's　bed；　and　put　the　feathers　and　the　drops　into　it。　Then；　at
the　moment　she　was　about　to　get　into　bed；　he　must　give　her　a　little
push；　so　that　she　might　fall　into　the　water；　and　then　dip　her　three
times。　This　would　destroy　the　power　of　the　magician；　and　she　would
love　him　very　much。　John　did　all　that　his　companion　told　him　to　do。
The　princess　shrieked　aloud　when　he　dipped　her　under　the　water　the
first　time；　and　struggled　under　his　hands　in　the　form　of　a　great　black
swan　with　fiery　eyes。　As　she　rose　the　second　time　from　the　water；
the　swan　had　become　white；　with　a　black　ring　round　its　neck。　John
allowed　the　water　to　close　once　more　over　the　bird；　and　at　the　same
time　it　changed　into　a　most　beautiful　princess。　She　was　more　lovely
even　than　before；　and　thanked　him；　while　her　eyes　sparkled　with　tears；
for　having　broken　the　spell　of　the　magician。　The　next　day；　the　king
came　with　the　whole　court　to　offer　their　congratulations；　and　stayed
till　quite　late。　Last　of　all　came　the　travelling　companion；　he　had　his
staff　in　his　hand　and　his　knapsack　on　his　back。　John　kissed　him　many
times　and　told　him　he　must　not　go；　he　must　remain　with　him；　for　he　was　the　cause　of　all　his　good　fortune。　But　the　traveller　shook　his　head；　and　said　gently　and　kindly；　〃No：　my　time　is　up　now；　I　have　only　paid　my　debt　to　you。　Do　you　remember　the　dead　man　whom　the　bad　people　wished　to　throw　out　of　his　coffin？　You　gave　all　you　possessed　that　he　might　rest　in　his　grave；　I　am　that　man。〃　As　he　said　this；　he　vanished。

The　wedding　festivities　lasted　a　whole　month。　John　and　his
princess　loved　each　other　dearly；　and　the　old　king　lived　to　see　many　a
happy　day；　when　he　took　their　little　children　on　his　knees　and　let
them　play　with　his　sceptre。　And　John　became　king　over　the　whole
country。

THE　END

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Written　By　Anderson