Peter Christen Asbjørnsen

“ But the lad was scarcely awake before the greybeard came with a morning draught in a tumbler of gold.
So when he had huddled on his clothes and broken his fast, the old man took him round with him and showed him everything, that he might choose something that he would like to have as his meed for saving his son. There was much to see and to choose from, you may fancy.
"Now what will you have?" said the king; "you see there is plenty of choice; you can have what you please."
But the lad said he would think it over and ask the prince. Yes! the king was willing he should do that. ”

“ Well, the lad was not slow in running after it and sticking his knife into its tail just as it was crawling into a hole in the wall, and that very minute it was turned into a young man as fine and handsome as the grandest prince, and a prince he was indeed.
"Now you have saved me," said the prince, "for that old hag with whom you and your master have dealt is a witch, and me she has changed into a lizard, and my brother and sister into a puppy and kitten."
"A pretty story!" said the lad.
"Yes," said the prince; "and now she was on her way to cast us into the fjord and kill us ”

“ So as they walked along, all at once the lad wished that he might become the handsomest man in all the world, and so he was in a trice. When the princess saw how handsome he had grown in no time, she gave the queen a nudge, and the queen passed it on to the king, and when they had all stared their full, they saw still more plainly the lad was more than he seemed to be when he first came in all tattered and torn. ”