But whenever an innocent maiden came within this circle, she changed her into a bird, and shut her up in a wicker-work cage, and carried the cage into a room in the castle.
The wedding was fixed, and the maiden had already arrived, but because of her great ugliness she shut herself in her room, and allowed no one to see her, and Maid Maleen had to take her her meals from the kitchen.
" She gave him the mirror in his hand, and he saw therein the likeness of the most beautiful maiden on earth, and saw, too, how the tears were rolling down her cheeks with grief.
Then came a maiden out of the house who set a little basket with food before him, and said, what ails you, that you sit so sadly here.
" Thereupon she closed her eyes, and when she was laid in the earth, the maiden followed the coffin, weeping bitterly, and paid her the last mark of respect.
" The maiden looked up, and an old woman wasby her side.
In the village lived a beautiful and true-hearted maiden, who pleased the huntsman, and when his master perceived that, he gave him a little house, the two were married, lived peacefully and happily, and loved each other with all their hearts.
But how the maiden was changed.
Then the maiden went upstairs, shook the feather-beds, and laid clean sheets on them, and when she had done it the old man came and lay down in one of the beds, and his white beard reached down to his feet.
When Hans had reached the bottom, he found a door, and when he opened it a maiden was sitting there who was lovely as any picture, nay, so beautiful that no words can express it, and by her side sat the dwarf and grinned at Hans like a sea-cat.
How his admiration increasedwhen he saw therein a maiden of the greatest beauty!
Said the maiden, where are my twelve brothers, I have never yet heard of them.
" The maiden laughed, and said, "He does not stand much on ceremony, but I have already seen by his golden hair that he was no gardener's boy," and then she went and kissed him.
" Then said the maiden, "I should like to be as beautiful and fair as the sun," and instantly she was white and fair as day.
In olden times there lived an aged queen who was a sorceress, and her daughter was the most beautiful maiden under the sun.
The huntsman said, "I dare not fire, I should kill the beautiful maiden at the same time.
But already the king's son had another maiden by his side whom he wanted to marry, for he thought that she had long been dead.
Then said the maiden, "Oh, but I will soon do that for you.
An old woman was standing with a wonderfully beautiful maiden, looking out of one of the windows.
She was a beautiful and wise maiden, and as she did not see the ring on his arm, she said, "I shall never believe that you have brought the apple, until I see the ring on your arm.
