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When they came to the stairs, the soldier ran on before the

princesses, and laid himself down; and as the twelve sisters

slowly came up very much tired, they heard him snoring in his

bed; so they said, 'Now all is quite safe'; then they undressed

themselves, put away their fine clothes, pulled off their shoes,

and went to bed. In the morning the soldier said nothing about

what had happened, but determined to see more of this strange

adventure, and went again the second and third night; and every

thing happened just as before; the princesses danced each time

till their shoes were worn to pieces, and then returned home.

However, on the third night the soldier carried away one of the

golden cups as a token of where he had been.