I am a king, and of no meaner origin than
thou art, and if I have carried thee away with subtlety, that has come to
pass because of my exceeding great love for thee. The first time that I
looked on thy portrait, I fell fainting to the ground." When the princess
of the Golden Dwelling heard that, she was comforted, and her heart was
inclined unto him, so that she willingly consented to be his wife.
It so happened, however, while they were sailing onwards over the deep
sea, that Faithful John, who was sitting on the fore part of the vessel,
making music, saw three ravens in the air, which came flying towards
them. On this he stopped playing and listened to what they were saying
to each other, for that he well understood. One cried, "Oh, there he is
carrying home the princess of the Golden Dwelling." "Yes," replied the
second, "but he has not got her yet." Said the third, "But he has got
her, she is sitting beside him in the ship." Then the first began again,
and cried, "What good will that do him? When they reach land a chestnut
horse will leap forward to meet him, and the prince will want to mount
it, but if he does that, it will run away with him, and rise up into the
air with him, and he will never see his maiden more.
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