It was no easy task for Hans' clumsy fingers to place so small a ring
upon so tiny a finger, but at length by the aid of a needle brought to
him for the purpose he accomplished the feat, and the marriage ceremony
over, the knight and the lady rode off in the same fashion as before. Now, it may be thought by some, perhaps, that these two were ill
matched, but that only shows how the whole world may be deceived by
appearances, for they were most admirably mated. It is true they had
little in common with each other, but for that very reason in this case,
at least, they pulled well together. Bertha was physically weak, but
then Hans was strong. Hans was as stupid as an owl, but the princess was
as clear sighted as an eagle and as cunning as a fox. Bertha possessed
the brains and Hans the brawny arm. Each was a type of those two items
which go to make up the most perfect human being--mind and matter. In this case the husband was not the head of the wife, but the wife the
head of the husband, and a very clear little head it was, too. The
princess was ever concealed in her husband's helmet, close to his ear,
to give him sage councils, which he, as you shall hear farther on, often
had occasion to put into practise by his superior physical strength. The world would have chosen for Hans some rough daughter of the soil, as
stupid as himself, and as nearly as possible of his own dimensions; but
this sort of wife, however well she might have suited Hans in his former
contented existence, would never have raised him into the hero that he
afterwards became. The humble woodcutter, beneath his rough exterior, had hidden seeds of
greatness which were destined to be developed in a new soil. Our knight
and his lady did not profess to love each other very much, just because
they were married; indeed, how should they upon so short an
acquaintance; but that was not necessary, for love is one thing and
marriage another, as all the world knows. Enough, that each had need of
the other at present. Now, the first thing to be done was to ride to the city, and for Hans to
proclaim the right of the Princess Bertha to the throne; and should any
other champion come forward for either of the twin princesses, it was
meet that they should do battle for their cause. "Therefore, Hans," said the princess, "ride quickly to the town, and
proclaim my rights. Pass over yonder hill where stands a ruined castle." "Let us not pass thither, fair princess," said Hans, "for yon castle is
inhabited by a terrible wizard, who has lived here since the reign of
your highness's grandsire, who, you will have heard, rather encouraged
these sort of people than otherwise, and whom no power can force to flee
the country, for as soon as the king's guards approach the castle he
enchants them into rocks and fir trees." "Oh, oh! we will see about that," said the Princess Bertha. "So this man
is a dangerous character. I do not intend to allow any dangerous person
when I am queen. Come, we must subdue this man." "But----" remonstrated Hans. "But me no buts, Sir Shaveling," quoth the princess, "but do my bidding. Must I lend thee courage as well as wit? Onward, I say." Hans could ill brook being called a coward, and that, too, by a
woman--such a little woman, too--so, crossing himself, he put spurs to
his horse and ascended the hill till he arrived at the gate of the
castle. "What do _you_ want?" said the wizard, suddenly making his appearance at
the window. "Say," said the princess in the ear of her husband, "that you have come
in the name of the Princess Bertha, our future queen, to bid him flee
the country." Hans cried out in a loud voice as he was instructed by his spouse. The
wizard answered with a loud laugh, and descended the staircase. Now, the princess knew that evil charms availed not against good ones,
so, touching her husband with her wand, she thus made him proof against
any magic power of the wizard. "Wait a bit," said the magician, descending; "you will be no harder task
to manage than the rest have been, I'll warrant," and he proceeded to
draw a circle on the ground and to mumble a spell. "Enough of this mummery," said Hans, at the instigation of the princess. "Prepare to leave the country at once, or you die." "These words to _me_, you churl!" cried the wizard, pale with rage. "Dost know who I am?" "I know, and I defy you--both your arms and your spells." Then the wizard, mortified at finding that his charm failed upon Hans,
entered his castle in great wrath, put on his armour, and came forth
mounted on a black charger with fiery eyes, and ran at Hans furiously
with his lance, but the lance was shivered into splinters against the
magical armour of Hans. The wizard then seized his two-handed sword, and Hans seizing his, a
terrific combat ensued. At length Hans smote off the wizard's head at a
blow, and the bleeding carcase dropped from the saddle. At the death of
the wizard his fiery charger was instantly changed into a fir tree, and
his castle into a rock. "On this spot," said Bertha, "I will erect my palace," and waving her
wand over the rock, a magnificent palace arose where had stood the
ruined castle of the wizard, made of gold, silver and precious stones,
with windows, each pane of which was a sheet of diamond. Hans had hardly recovered his surprise at his unexpected victory over
the wizard, when he turned his head and observed the magnificent palace
that the princess had magically erected. He stood aghast, with his eyes
and his mouth wide open, and seemed beside himself with amazement. "Onward, you fool; don't stand gaping there; onward towards the town." Hans clapped spurs to his horse, and halted not until he arrived at the
gate of the city. Then entering, he stood in the middle of a large square where there was
a great crowd of people, and receiving instructions from the princess,
called out to the populace: "I proclaim the Princess Bertha the rightful
heiress to the crown. Whoever would depose her and set another on the
throne in her stead, let him come forth and do battle." Then some of the crowd cried out, "The Princess Bertha is dead; we have
seen her funeral. Who art thou, that speakest so boldly?" "I am the champion of the Princess Bertha, eldest daughter of the late
king, and whosoever says that she is dead, lies." So saying, he lifted his tiny spouse from his helmet with finger and
thumb, and showed her to the people. Then a great commotion arose. There
were some among them who recognised the princess, and admitted her right
to the throne. Others said nay; that it was a puppet, and voted for the
Princess Clothilde. Others, again, shouted for the Princess Carlotta. Presently the two first champions appeared who had fought together--one
for Clothilde, and the other for Carlotta, and they both called out, "We
ignore your Princess Bertha, for it is well known that she is dead. In
vain you exhibit your dwarf or puppet, for we have seen her funeral."