A　thousand　gleaming　spiders　ran　here　and　there　on　the　walls；　causing
  them　to　glitter　as　if　they　were　illuminated　with　fire。　They　next
  entered　a　large　hall　built　of　silver　and　gold。　Large　red　and　blue
  flowers　shone　on　the　walls；　looking　like　sunflowers　in　size；　but　no
  one　could　dare　to　pluck　them；　for　the　stems　were　hideous　poisonous
  snakes；　and　the　flowers　were　flames　of　fire；　darting　out　of　their
  jaws。　Shining　glow…worms　covered　the　ceiling；　and　sky…blue　bats
  flapped　their　transparent　wings。　Altogether　the　place　had　a
  frightful　appearance。　In　the　middle　of　the　floor　stood　a　throne
  supported　by　four　skeleton　horses；　whose　harness　had　been　made　by
  fiery…red　spiders。　The　throne　itself　was　made　of　milk…white　glass；　and
  the　cushions　were　little　black　mice；　each　biting　the　other's　tail。
  Over　it　hung　a　canopy　of　rose…colored　spider's　webs；　spotted　with
  the　prettiest　little　green　flies；　which　sparkled　like　precious　stones。
  On　the　throne　sat　an　old　magician　with　a　crown　on　his　ugly　head；　and　a　sceptre　in　his　hand。　He　kissed　the　princess　on　the　forehead；　seated
  her　by　his　side　on　the　splendid　throne；　and　then　the　music
  commenced。　Great　black　grasshoppers　played　the　mouth　organ；　and　the　owl　struck　herself　on　the　body　instead　of　a　drum。　It　was　altogether　a　ridiculous　concert。　Little　black　goblins　with　false　lights　in
  their　caps　danced　about　the　hall；　but　no　one　could　see　the
  traveller；　and　he　had　placed　himself　just　behind　the　throne　where　he
  could　see　and　hear　everything。　The　courtiers　who　came　in　afterwards
  looked　noble　and　grand；　but　any　one　with　common　sense　could　see　what　they　really　were；　only　broomsticks；　with　cabbages　for　heads。
  The　magician　had　given　them　life；　and　dressed　them　in　embroidered　robes。
  It　answered　very　well；　as　they　were　only　wanted　for　show。　After
  there　had　been　a　little　dancing；　the　princess　told　the　magician　that
  she　had　a　new　suitor；　and　asked　him　what　she　could　think　of　for　the
  suitor　to　guess　when　he　came　to　the　castle　the　next　morning。
  〃Listen　to　what　I　say；〃　said　the　magician；　〃you　must　choose
  something　very　easy；　he　is　less　likely　to　guess　it　then。　Think　of
  one　of　your　shoes；　he　will　never　imagine　it　is　that。　Then　cut　his　head
  off；　and　mind　you　do　not　forget　to　bring　his　eyes　with　you　to…morrow
  night；　that　I　may　eat　them。〃
  The　princess　curtsied　low；　and　said　she　would　not　forget　the　eyes。
  The　magician　then　opened　the　mountain　and　she　flew　home　again；　but
  the　traveller　followed　and　flogged　her　so　much　with　the　rod；　that
  she　sighed　quite　deeply　about　the　heavy　hail…storm；　and　made　as　much　haste　as　she　could　to　get　back　to　her　bedroom　through　the　window。
  The　traveller　then　returned　to　the　inn　where　John　still　slept；　took
  off　his　wings　and　laid　down　on　the　bed；　for　he　was　very　tired。　Early
  in　the　morning　John　awoke；　and　when　his　fellow…traveller　got　up；　he
  said　that　he　had　a　very　wonderful　dream　about　the　princess　and　her
  shoe；　he　therefore　advised　John　to　ask　her　if　she　had　not　thought　of
  her　shoe。　Of　course　the　traveller　knew　this　from　what　the　magician
  in　the　mountain　had　said。
  〃I　may　as　well　say　that　as　anything；〃　said　John。　〃Perhaps　your
  dream　may　come　true；　still　I　will　say　farewell；　for　if　I　guess　wrong　I
  shall　never　see　you　again。〃
  Then　they　embraced　each　other；　and　John　went　into　the　town　and
  walked　to　the　palace。　The　great　hall　was　full　of　people；　and　the
  judges　sat　in　arm…chairs；　with　eider…down　cushions　to　rest　their　heads
  upon；　because　they　had　so　much　to　think　of。　The　old　king　stood　near；
  wiping　his　eyes　with　his　white　pocket…handkerchief。　When　the
  princess　entered；　she　looked　even　more　beautiful　than　she　had　appeared　the　day　before；　and　greeted　every　one　present　most　gracefully；　but　to　John　she　gave　her　hand；　and　said；　〃Good　morning　to　you。〃　Now　came　the　time　for　John　to　guess　what　she　was　thinking　of；　and　oh；　how　kindly　she　looked　at　him　as　she　spoke。　But　when　he　uttered　the　single　word　shoe；　she　turned　as　pale　as　a　ghost；　all　her　wisdom　could　not　help　her；　for　he　had　guessed　rightly。　Oh；　how　pleased　the　old　king　was！　It　was　quite　amusing　to　see　how　he　capered　about。　All　the　people　clapped　their　hands；　both　on　his　account　and　John's；　who　had　guessed　rightly　the　first　time。　His　fellow…traveller　was　glad　also；　when　he　heard　how　successful　John　had　been。　But　John　folded　his　hands；　and　thanked　God；　who；　he　felt　quite　sure；　would　help　him　again；　and　he　knew　he　had　to　guess　twice　more。　The　evening　passed　pleasantly　like　the　one　preceding。　While　John　slept；　his　companion　flew　behind　the　princess　to　the　mountain；　and　flogged　her　even　harder　than　before；　this　time　he　had　taken　two　rods　with　him。　No　one　saw　him　go　in　with　her；　and　he　heard　all　that　was　said。　The　princess　this　time　was　to　think　of　a　glove；　and　he　told　John　as　if　he　had　again　heard　it　in　a　dream。　The　next　day；　therefore；　he　was　able　to　guess　correctly　the　second　time；　and　it　caused　great　rejoicing　at　the
  palace。　The　whole　court　jumped　about　as　they　had　seen　the　king　do
  the　day　before；　but　the　princess　lay　on　the　sofa；　and　would　not　say
  a　single　word。　All　now　depended　upon　John。　If　he　only　guessed
  rightly　the　third　time；　he　would　marry　the　princess；　and　reign　over
  the　kingdom　after　the　death　of　the　old　king：　but　if　he　failed；　he
  would　lose　his　life；　and　the　magician　would　have　his　beautiful　blue
  eyes。　That　evening　John　said　his　prayers　and　went　to　bed　very　early；
  and　soon　fell　asleep　calmly。　But　his　companion　tied　on　his　wings　to
  his　shoulders；　took　three　rods；　and；　with　his　sword　at　his　side；
  flew　to　the　palace。　It　was　a　very　dark　night；　and　so　stormy　that　the
  tiles　flew　from　the　roofs　of　the　houses；　and　the　trees　in　the　garden
  upon　which　the　skeletons　hung　bent　themselves　like　reeds　before　the
  wind。　The　lightning　flashed；　and　the　thunder　rolled　in　one
  long…continued　peal　all　night。　The　window　of　the　castle　opened；　and
  the　princess　flew　out。　She　was　pale　as　death；　but　she　laughed　at　the
  storm　as　if　it　were　not　bad　enough。　Her　white　mantle　fluttered　in
  the　wind　like　a　large　sail；　and　the　traveller　flogged　her　with　the
  three　rods　till　the　blood　trickled　down；　and　at　last　she　could
  scarcely　fly；　she　contrived；　however；　to　reach　the　mountain。　〃What　a
  hail…storm！〃　she　said；　as　she　entered；　〃I　have　never　been　out　in
  such　weather　as　this。〃
  〃Yes；　there　may　be　too　much　of　a　good　thing　sometimes；〃　said　the
  magician。
  Then　the　princess　told　him　that　John　had　guessed　rightly　the
  second　time；　and　if　he　succeeded　the　next　morning；　he　would　win；　and　she　could　never　come　to　the　mountain　again；　or　practice　magic　as　she　had　done；　and　therefore　she　was　quite　unhappy。　〃I　will　find　out
  something　for　you　to　think　of　which　he　will　never　guess；　unless　he
  is　a　greater　conjuror　than　myself。　But　now　let　us　be　merry。〃
  Then　he　took　the　princess　by　both　hands；　and　they　danced　with
  all　the　little　goblins　and　Jack…o'…lanterns　in　the　room。　The　red
  spiders　sprang　here　and　there　on　the　walls　quite　as　merrily；　and　the
  flowers　of　fire　appeared　as　if　they　were　throwing　out　sparks。　The
  owl　beat　the　drum；　the　crickets　whistled　and　the　grasshoppers　played
  the　mouth…organ。　It　was　a　very　ridiculous　ball。　After　they　had
  danced　enough；　the　princess　was　obliged　to　go　home；　for　fear　she
  should　be　missed　at　the　palace。　The　magician　offered　to　go　with　her；
  that　they　might　be　company　to　each　other　on　the　way。　Then　they　flew
  away　through　the　bad　weather；　and　the　traveller　followed　them；　and
  broke　his　three　rods　across　their　shoulders。　The　magician　had　never
  been　out　in　such　a　hail…storm　as　this。　Just　by　the　palace　the　magician
  stopped　to　wish　the　princess　farewell；　and　to　whisper　in　her　ear；
  〃To…morrow　think　of　my　head。〃
  But　the　traveller　heard　it；　and　just　as　the　princess　slipped
  through　the　window　into　her　bedroom；　and　the　magician　turned　round
  to　fly　back　to　the　mountain；　he　seized　him　by　the　long　black　beard；
  and　with　his　sabre　cut　off　the　wicked　conjuror's　head　just　behind
  the　shoulders；　so　that　he　could　not　even　see　who　it　was。　He　threw
  the　body　into　the　sea　to　the　fishes；　and　after　dipping　the　head　into
  the　water；　he　tied　it　up　in　a　silk　handkerchief；　took　it　with　him　to
  the　inn；　and　then　went　to　bed。　The　next　morning　he　gave　John　the
  handkerchief；　and　told　him　not　to　untie　it　till　the　princess　asked　him
  what　she　was　thinking　of。　There　were　so　many　people　in　the　great
  hall　of　the　palace　that　they　stood　as　thick　as　radishes　tied
  together　in　a　bundle。　The　council　sat　in　their　arm…chairs　with　the
  white　cushions。　The　old　king　wore　new　robes；　and　the　golden　crown
  and　sceptre　had　been　polished　up　so　that　he　looked　quite　smart。　But
  the　princess　was　very　pale；　and　wore　a　black　dress　as　if　she　were
  going　to　a　funeral。
  〃What　have　I　thought　of？〃　asked　the　princess；　of　John。　He
  immediately　untied　the　handkerchief；　and　was　himself　quite
  frightened　when　he　saw　the　head　of　the　ugly　magician。　Every　one
  shuddered；　for　it　was　terrible　to　look　at；　but　the　princess　sat　like　a
  statue；　and　could　not　utter　a　single　word。　At　length　she　rose　and　gave
  John　her　hand；　for　he　had　guessed　rightly。
  She　looked　at　no　one；　but　sighed　deeply；　and　said；　〃You　are　my
  master　now；　this　evening　our　marriage　must　take　place。〃
  〃I　am　very　pleased　to　hear　it；〃　said　the　old　king。　〃It　is　just