The four men who had led Hans before the princesses came forward, and
would have secured him, but Hans, brandishing in one hand a piece of his
broken chain of great weight, broke the skull of the foremost, the back
of the second, the ribs of the third, and the shins of the fourth. Some few others now attempted to seize Hans, but there was something so
terrible in his aspect as he furiously fought his way through the crowd,
knocking down one with his fist and another with his chain, that they
prudently drew back, and every spectator took refuge in flight before
the ungovernable fury of Hans. Then the Princess Bertha, making herself again visible, ordered Hans to
carry her to her two sisters, who had just recovered consciousness. Standing upright in the palm of her husband's hand, she addressed them
thus:

"Are ye not ashamed of yourselves to treat a brave knight in this
spiteful manner? Mean spirits that ye are; but ye are rightly served. Nor is this all; there is more in store for ye. Your ambitious scheming
is seen through, and the good powers protect the right. Ye shall live
yet to see me crowned, together with this man, whom I now declare to be
my husband. The coronation will take place to-morrow, in spite of all
your puny schemes. Farewell!" The two princesses were so enraged at the words and bearing of their
little sister whom they had persecuted, that they knew not what to
reply, but turned red and pale by turns, stamped their feet, bit their
hands, tore their hair, and screamed. "Let us go to the arch-priest," said Bertha, to her spouse. "Go just as
thou art, half-naked and bleeding. All the world shall know how these
princesses treat brave knights." So saying, the Princess Bertha left the amphitheatre in the hand of her
gigantic husband, leaving her two envious sisters behind, foaming with
rage. Hans hastened through the streets, his back covered with weals and
streaming with blood, towards the palace of the arch-priest. The people
recognised him as the knight who had vanquished the champions of the
twin princesses on the day before, and asked him how he came in such
plight. Then Hans, being instructed by Bertha, answered thus:

"Good people, you all see in me the champion of the Princess Bertha, who
is ready to shed his last drop of blood for her sake; and these wounds
that you see have not been inflicted in a fair fight, but by treachery. After I vanquished the two champions of the twin princesses several
lords of the court came forward to congratulate me on my success, and
invited me into their houses. I, contrary to the orders of our most
august princess, whom I now hold before ye (cheers from the populace),
and who, more wily than I, suspected treachery, contrary to her orders,
I trusted too easily to false appearances, and accepted the hospitality
of one of them. He invited me to his house, gave me to eat and to drink,
and when I had well eaten and drunk, he drugged my cup, and cast me into
a dungeon underground, where I remained all night, and was fetched away
this morning, loaded with chains, only to be brought into the presence
of the two usurping princesses and flogged before the whole court. "But it pleased the good powers to loosen my chains, and I have given
some few of them their deserts. Follow me, all ye that love justice,
and proclaim the right of the Princess Bertha to the crown." "Long live the Princess Bertha, our rightful queen," cried the mob. "Prince Hans, our rightful king," cried the princess. "I here declare in
the presence of all men that I am already married to this brave knight!" Tumultuous cheering ensued this speech of the little princess, and
shouts of "Long live King Hans and Queen Bertha" followed them until
they arrived at the palace of the arch-priest. Hans knocked at the door. The servant who opened it started back in surprise and horror at the
half-naked and bleeding figure of the visitor. "What do you want?" he asked, rudely, as yet not noticing the princess. "I want the arch-priest. Who else did you think I wanted," responded
Hans, equally roughly. "The arch-priest is not at home to everyone," said the menial,
haughtily. "What's your business?" "Come, let us in immediately, and don't stand prating there. I am the
Princess Bertha," said the dwarf princess. "I crave your Royal Highness's pardon," said the servant, bowing low. "I
did not observe you," and he allowed our pair to enter without further
opposition. "What is all this?" exclaimed the arch-priest who came to meet them. "My
little princess, with her champion naked and bleeding!" "Holy father," said the princess, "we wish to be crowned to-morrow. See
that preparations are made for the occasion." The arch-priest bowed to the ground. "Your Royal Highness's will is law. Is there no further obstacle to the
coronation?" "None; and if there were, I'd conquer it as I have done the rest. See
that my spouse and I are crowned to-morrow in presence of all the
people," said the princess. "Your spouse!" exclaimed the arch-priest. "I knew nothing of it. He is
not what he seems, then--he is of royal blood?" "Royal blood or not, he is my lawful spouse, and he is to be crowned,"
said the princess, firmly. "But, my dear princess," answered the priest, "if he is not of royal
blood, how can I?" "Enough," said Bertha. "I have the warrant of the queen of the fairies
that he is to be my partner in life. Here is my certificate of
marriage." And she produced a paper five or six times as big as herself, which she
handed to the priest. The priest opened it, and glanced through it. "What!" he exclaimed. "Then he really is of royal blood. I see. What is
this paper enclosed? Ha! a pedigree." And he began to read, "Prince Hans
Wurst, son of King Blut Wurst, lost in early youth and picked up by a
woodcutter, with whom----"

"You see," said the princess, "how the fairies befriend me. This second
paper must have been placed here by their hands, for this is the first
time I have set eyes upon it. Are you content with the information
therein contained?" asked the Princess Bertha. "Perfectly, your Royal Highness," said the arch-priest, bowing. "To-morrow, then, it must take place, father," said the princess. "Without delay," replied the priest. "But, tell me, what on earth brings
His Royal Highness Prince Hans here in this pitiable plight?" Bertha then began to recount the misadventures of her knight and the
spite of her envious sisters, the detailing of which filled the poor old
priest with horror. "But, at any rate," said he, at the conclusion of the narrative, "let
the prince's wounds be healed. Send for a surgeon." "A surgeon! Bah!" cried the princess. "Behold, sir priest, what one
favoured by the fairies can do," and thus saying, she touched her
husband's back with her wand, and it instantly healed so that none could
see even the slightest scratch. "Gramercy!" quoth the arch-priest; "I never before beheld such a
miracle. Thou art indeed favoured of the higher powers."