Pagina 343 di 626

'Back again! back again! look to the shoe! The shoe is too small,

and not made for you! Prince! prince! look again for thy bride,

For she's not the true one that sits by thy side.'

Then the prince got down and looked at her foot; and he saw, by

the blood that streamed from it, what a trick she had played him.

So he turned his horse round, and brought the false bride back to

her home, and said, 'This is not the right bride; let the other

sister try and put on the slipper.' Then she went into the room

and got her foot into the shoe, all but the heel, which was too

large. But her mother squeezed it in till the blood came, and

took her to the king's son: and he set her as his bride by his

side on his horse, and rode away with her.

But when they came to the hazel-tree the little dove sat there

still, and sang:

'Back again! back again! look to the shoe! The shoe is too small,

and not made for you! Prince! prince! look again for thy bride,

For she's not the true one that sits by thy side.'