There was once an old Queen whose husband had been dead for many
years, and she had a very beautiful daughter. When she grew up she was
betrothed to a Prince in a distant country. When the time came for the
maiden to be sent into this distant country to be married, the old
Queen packed up quantities of clothes and jewels, gold and silver,
cups and ornaments, and, in fact, everything suitable to a royal
outfit, for she loved her daughter very dearly.
She also sent a Waiting-woman to travel with her, and to put her hand
into that of the bridegroom. They each had a horse. The Princess's
horse was called Falada, and it could speak.
When the hour of departure came, the old Queen went to her bedroom,
and with a sharp little knife cut her finger and made it bleed. Then
she held a piece of white cambric under it, and let three drops of
blood fall on to it. This cambric she gave to her daughter, and said,
'Dear child, take good care of this; it will stand you in good stead
on the journey.' They then bade each other a sorrowful farewell. The
Princess hid the piece of cambric in her bosom, mounted her horse, and
set out to her bridegroom's country.
When they had ridden for a time the Princess became very thirsty, and
said to the Waiting-woman, 'Get down and fetch me some water in my cup
from the stream. I must have something to drink.'
'If you are thirsty,' said the Waiting-woman, 'dismount yourself, lie
down by the water and drink. I don't choose to be your servant.'
So, in her great thirst, the Princess dismounted and stooped down to
the stream and drank, as she might not have her golden cup. The poor
Princess said, 'Alas!' and the drops of blood answered, 'If your
mother knew this, it would break her heart.'
The royal bride was humble, so she said nothing, but mounted her horse
again. Then they rode several miles further; but the day was warm, the
sun was scorching, and the Princess was soon thirsty again.
When they reached a river she called out again to her Waiting-woman,
'Get down, and give me some water in my golden cup!'
She had forgotten all about the rude words which had been said to her.
But the Waiting-woman answered more haughtily than ever, 'If you want
to drink, get the water for yourself. I won't be your servant.'
Being very thirsty, the Princess dismounted, and knelt by the flowing
water. She cried, and said, 'Ah me!' and the drops of blood answered,
'If your mother knew this it would break her heart.'
While she stooped over the water to drink, the piece of cambric with
the drops of blood on it fell out of her bosom, and floated away on
the stream; but she never noticed this in her great fear. The
Waiting-woman, however, had seen it, and rejoiced at getting more
power over the bride, who, by losing the drops of blood, had become
weak and powerless.
Now, when she was about to mount her horse Falada again, the
Waiting-woman said, 'By rights, Falada belongs to me; this jade will
do for you!'
The poor little Princess was obliged to give way. Then the
Waiting-woman, in a harsh voice, ordered her to take off her royal
robes, and to put on her own mean garments. Finally, she forced her to
swear before heaven that she would not tell a creature at the Court
what had taken place. Had she not taken the oath she would have been
killed on the spot. But Falada saw all this and marked it.
The Waiting-woman then mounted Falada and put the real bride on her
poor jade, and they continued their journey.
There was great rejoicing when they arrived at the castle. The Prince
hurried towards them, and lifted the Waiting-woman from her horse,
thinking she was his bride. She was led upstairs, but the real
Princess had to stay below.
The old King looked out of the window and saw the delicate, pretty
little creature standing in the courtyard; so he went to the bridal
apartments and asked the bride about her companion, who was left
standing in the courtyard, and wished to know who she was.
'I picked her up on the way, and brought her with me for company. Give
the girl something to do to keep her from idling.'
But the old King had no work for her, and could not think of anything.
At last he said, 'I have a little lad who looks after the geese; she
may help him.'
The boy was called little Conrad, and the real bride was sent with him
to look after the geese.
Soon after, the false bride said to the Prince, 'Dear husband, I pray
you do me a favour.'