quantitiesofthesamesortgrowroundthecaveinwhichyousleep,butnonewillbeofanyusetoyouunlesstheygrowuponthegravesinachurchyard.theseyoumustgatherevenwhiletheyburnblistersonyourhands.breakthemtopieceswithyourhandsandfeet,andtheywillbecomeflax,fromwhichyoumustspinandweaveelevencoatswithlongsleeves;ifthesearethenthrownovertheelevenswans,thespellwillbebroken.butremember,thatfromthemomentyoucommenceyourtaskuntilitisfinished,evenshoulditoccupyyearsofyourlife,youmustnotspeak.thefirstwordyouutterwillpiercethroughtheheartsofyourbrotherslikeadeadlydagger.theirliveshanguponyourtongue.rememberallihavetoldyou."andasshefinishedspeaking,shetouchedherhandlightlywiththenettle,andapain,asofburningfire,awokeeliza.

itwasbroaddaylight,andclosebywhereshehadbeensleepinglayanettleliketheoneshehadseeninherdream.shefellonherkneesandofferedherthankstogod.thenshewentforthfromthecavetobeginherworkwithherdelicatehands.shegropedinamongsttheuglynettles,whichburntgreatblistersonherhandsandarms,butshedeterminedtobearitgladlyifshecouldonlyreleaseherdearbrothers.soshebruisedthenettleswithherbarefeetandspuntheflax.atsunsetherbrothersreturnedandwereverymuchfrightenedwhentheyfoundherdumb.theybelievedittobesomenewsorceryoftheirwickedstep-mother.butwhentheysawherhandstheyunderstoodwhatshewasdoingontheirbehalf,andtheyoungestbrotherwept,andwherehistearsfellthepainceased,andtheburningblistersvanished.shekepttoherworkallnight,forshecouldnotresttillshehadreleasedherdearbrothers.duringthewholeofthefollowingday,whileherbrotherswereabsent,shesatinsolitude,butneverbeforehadthetimeflownsoquickly.onecoatwasalreadyfinishedandshehadbegunthesecond,whensheheardthehuntsman'shorn,andwasstruckwithfear.thesoundcamenearerandnearer,sheheardthedogsbarking,andfledwithterrorintothecave.shehastilyboundtogetherthenettlesshehadgatheredintoabundleandsatuponthem.immediatelyagreatdogcameboundingtowardsheroutoftheravine,andthenanotherandanother;theybarkedloudly,ranback,andthencameagain.inaveryfewminutesallthehuntsmenstoodbeforethecave,andthehandsomestofthemwasthekingofthecountry.headvancedtowardsher,forhehadneverseenamorebeautifulmaiden.

"howdidyoucomehere,mysweetchild?"heasked.butelizashookherhead.shedarednotspeak,atthecostofherbrothers'lives.andshehidherhandsunderherapron,sothatthekingmightnotseehowshemustbesuffering.

"comewithme,"hesaid;"hereyoucannotremain.ifyouareasgoodasyouarebeautiful,iwilldressyouinsilkandvelvet,iwillplaceagoldencrownuponyourhead,andyoushalldwell,andrule,andmakeyourhomeinmyrichestcastle."andthenheliftedheronhishorse.sheweptandwrungherhands,butthekingsaid,"iwishonlyforyourhappiness.atimewillcomewhenyouwillthankmeforthis."andthenhegallopedawayoverthemountains,holdingherbeforehimonthishorse,andthehuntersfollowedbehindthem.asthesunwentdown,theyapproachedafairroyalcity,withchurches,andcupolas.onarrivingatthecastlethekingledherintomarblehalls,wherelargefountainsplayed,andwherethewallsandtheceilingswerecoveredwithrichpaintings.butshehadnoeyesforalltheseglorioussights,shecouldonlymournandweep.patientlysheallowedthewomentoarrayherinroyalrobes,toweavepearlsinherhair,anddrawsoftglovesoverherblisteredfingers.asshestoodbeforetheminallherrichdress,shelookedsodazzinglybeautifulthatthecourtbowedlowinherpresence.thenthekingdeclaredhisintentionofmakingherhisbride,butthearchbishopshookhishead,andwhisperedthatthefairyoungmaidenwasonlyawitchwhohadblindedtheking'seyesandbewitchedhisheart.butthekingwouldnotlistentothis;heorderedthemusictosound,thedaintiestdishestobeserved,andtheloveliestmaidenstor-wardsheledherthroughfragrantgardensandloftyhalls,butnotasmileappearedonherlipsorsparkledinhereyes.shelookedtheverypictureofgrief.thenthekingopenedthedoorofalittlechamberinwhichshe.wastosleep;itwasadornedwithrichgreentapestry,andresembledthecaveinwhichhehadfoundher.onthefloorlaythebundleofflaxwhichshehadspunfromthenettles,andundertheceilinghungthecoatshehadmade.thesethingshadbeenbroughtawayfromthecaveascuriositiesbyoneofthehuntsmen.

"hereyoucandreamyourselfbackagainintheoldhomeinthecave,"saidtheking;"hereistheworkwithwhichyouemployedyourself.itwillamuseyounowinthemidstofallthissplendortothinkofthattime."

whenelizasawallthesethingswhichlaysonearherheart,asmileplayedaroundhermouth,andthecrimsonbloodrushedtohercheeks.shethoughtofherbrothers,andtheirreleasemadehersojoyfulthatshekissedtheking'shand.thenhepressedhertohisheart.verysoonthejoyouschurchbellsannouncedthemarriagefeast,andthatthebeautifuldumbgirloutofthewoodwastobemadethequeenofthecountry.thenthearchbishopwhisperedwickedwordsintheking'sear,buttheydidnotsinkintohisheart.themarriagewasstilltotakeplace,andthearchbishophimselfhadtoplacethecrownonthebride'shead;inhiswickedspite,hepressedthenarrowcircletsotightlyonherforeheadthatitcausedherpain.butaheavierweightencircledherheart-sorrowforherbrothers.shefeltnotbodilypain.hermouthwasclosed;asinglewordwouldcostthelivesofherbrothers.butshelovedthekind,handsomeking,whodideverythingtomakeherhappymoreandmoreeachday;shelovedhimwithallherheart,andhereyesbeamedwiththeloveshedarednotspeak.oh!