They waited and waited, thinking that some one would come: but when
nobody came for a long time, they sat down and ate and drank what the
palate fancied.
When they had done eating, they looked about to find where to sleep.
Thereupon the door flew open unexpectedly all at once, and into the room
came the wizard; a bent old man in a long black garb, with a bald head,
a gray beard down to his knees, and three iron hoops instead of a
girdle. By the hand he led a beautiful, very beautiful damsel, dressed
in white; she had a silver girdle round her waist, and a crown of pearls
on her head, but was pale and sad, as if she had risen from the grave.
The prince recognized her at once, sprang forward, and went to meet her;
but before he could utter a word the wizard addressed him: "I know for
what you have come; you want to take the princess away. Well, be it so!
Take her, if you can keep her in sight for three nights, so that she
doesn't vanish from you. If she vanishes, you will be turned into stone
as well as your three servants; like all who have come before you." He
then motioned the princess to a seat and departed.
The prince could not take his eyes off the princess, so beautiful was
she. He began to talk to her, and asked her all manner of questions, but
she neither answered nor smiled, nor looked at any one more than if she
had been of marble.
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