Pagina 117 di 626

Then all rode farther on their journey, till the day grew so

warm, and the sun so scorching, that the bride began to feel very

thirsty again; and at last, when they came to a river, she forgot

her maid's rude speech, and said, 'Pray get down, and fetch me

some water to drink in my golden cup.' But the maid answered her,

and even spoke more haughtily than before: 'Drink if you will,

but I shall not be your waiting-maid.' Then the princess was so

thirsty that she got off her horse, and lay down, and held her

head over the running stream, and cried and said, 'What will

become of me?' And the lock of hair answered her again:

'Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, Sadly, sadly, would she rue

it.'