Pagina 242 di 626

The king was greatly delighted to see all this glittering

treasure; but still he had not enough: so he took the miller's

daughter to a yet larger heap, and said, 'All this must be spun

tonight; and if it is, you shall be my queen.' As soon as she was

alone that dwarf came in, and said, 'What will you give me to

spin gold for you this third time?' 'I have nothing left,' said

she. 'Then say you will give me,' said the little man, 'the first

little child that you may have when you are queen.' 'That may

never be,' thought the miller's daughter: and as she knew no

other way to get her task done, she said she would do what he

asked. Round went the wheel again to the old song, and the

manikin once more spun the heap into gold. The king came in the

morning, and, finding all he wanted, was forced to keep his word;

so he married the miller's daughter, and she really became queen.