She knew that the
good fairies protected her, and believed in their promise that she
should be queen. Whatever hardships she might have to encounter she made
up her mind were for her good. All day long she wandered by the side of
the stream, over the rough stones, with her tiny feet, subsisting on
berries and roots, and thus she wandered for some days without
adventure. At length, one day, having arrived at the top of a high cliff which
overhung a lake, and which she had ascended to see the country that lay
before her, her dress caught in a thicket, and she heard the sound of
horses' hoofs behind her. It happened on that day that her two sisters
had joined a hunting party and passed by in that direction. The rest of the party passed over without observing her, but her sister
Clothilde, who was behind the rest, suddenly caught sight of the little
princess's shining robe, and dismounting, came up to her, saying, "So I
have found thee at last, minx; but think not to live to prove my tale
false," and with that she spurned her pigmy sister with her foot, so
that she fell over the cliff. A stone which she dislodged at the same time fell into the water with a
splash, and Clothilde, fancying that it was her sister who caused the
splash, and that she was now hidden for ever at the bottom of the lake,
rode off, rejoicing that she had rid herself so cleverly of her hated
rival. But the Princess Bertha, instead of falling into the water, was caught
half-way in the web of an enormous spider, who made towards her as if to
devour her; but she said, "Good spider, harm me not for I am a king's
daughter, and when I am queen I will grant thee whatsoever boon thou
askest." "I will remember thy promise," said the spider, "for I am no common
spider, but an enchanted prince, and a victim to the malice of the witch
queen." Thereupon the spider seized her gently with its legs, and letting out
its thread, descended carefully with her to the bottom of the cliff. Then the spider left her, and she was once more alone on the brink of
the lake. Presently she heard the sound of a woodcutter's axe on the opposite bank
of the lake. She would speak with the woodcutter, and tell him her tale;
perhaps he could help her, but how was she to cross? She looked around
for a moment, and saw some water lilies. One of the leaves was detached
and seemed floating slowly on by itself. This she managed to reach, and
it was sufficiently strong to support her light form; then, spreading
out the scarf that covered her shoulders towards the wind for a sail,
she was slowly wafted to the opposite shore. Now, as she was about to land, it happened that her foot slipped and she
fell into the water, uttering a slight scream. The woodcutter, who was
resting from his work, had his eyes fixed on the lake, and perceived
with surprise the pigmy princess sailing towards the shore. When,
therefore, he heard the scream, small as it was, he rushed down the bank
and seized her slight form in his huge hand. The princess, however, was
already insensible, but the good man wrung her clothes dry and kept her
in his bosom until she should recover. Now, during her swoon the queen
of the fairies appeared to her in a dream, and told her that the
woodcutter was the man she was destined to marry and to go at once with
him to a cave hard by where lived a holy hermit, whom she had already
commissioned to marry them. Then, leaving her a magic wand which changed any object she touched into
whatever she pleased, she disappeared, enjoining her to use her own
judgement in everything. Upon this she awoke, and found herself still in the woodcutter's bosom. Now, the woodcutter was a young man of a stature approaching the
gigantic, immensely powerful, but very ugly, very clumsy, and very
stupid. At the first sight of him the princess recoiled, and could not
make up her mind to take him for a husband; but then she thought that
the fairies must know best what was for her good, so she reversed the
generally received order of etiquette and made him a proposal of
marriage. The young man simpered, scratched his head, and looked very sheepish;
but having heard the princess's story, and being assured by her that the
fairies had ordained it so, he turned away his head, blushed, and
accepted her. Then the princess, finding the magic wand beside her, waved it over her
head, and instantly converted the peasant's ragged clothes into a suit
of mail, his axe into a lance, a knife that he wore at his side into a
sword; while the tree that he had just felled, she converted into a
magnificent charger. She then bade him mount and place her within his
helmet, close to his ear, so that she could give him any instructions
that might be necessary without being observed by anyone. Then asking Hans (which was the name of the transformed woodcutter)
whether he knew where the hermit lived whom the fairy had mentioned, and
receiving an answer in the affirmative, she bade him put spurs to his
horse, and in a short time they arrived at the mouth of the cave. The
recluse rose to meet the man in armour. "Good day, fair son," quoth the holy man. "What would'st thou of me?" "Holy father," said the knight, "I have come to get married." "And the fair bride?" asked the hermit. "She is with me." "With thee! I see her not." "Here, holy father, here," cried the princess, emerging from the helmet
of Hans. "I am the Princess Bertha, and have been commanded by the
fairies in a dream to call at thy cell with my betrothed that we may be
joined together in holy matrimony." "I know it, O illustrious princess," said the hermit, with deep
reverence; "and doubt not that I shall discharge my duty. May it please
your royal highness to enter the abode of the humble?" "Dismount!" cried Bertha in the ear of her betrothed, suddenly, as if to
wake him up, for the simple youth looked as if he intended to remain on
the horse's back all day. Hans dismounted clumsily, and nearly tripped himself up with his pointed
iron toes. "Now, then, tie up the horse to a tree and enter the cave, and don't
look such a fool," said the princess. Hans entered the cave, and placed himself in front of the rude altar,
having unclasped his helmet and deposited his bride on a large stone
near. The hermit lit candles, opened the mass-book, and the ceremony began. As
the moment for putting on of the ring drew near, a faint and distant
music, together with a perfume like incense, seemed to fill the cave. Then followed a bright sunbeam, through which swam troops of fairies. Then the distant sound of trumpets was heard, and the troop made way for
the chariot of the fairy queen, who, stepping out of her car of
mother-of-pearl and precious stones, and standing upon a cloud of
incense, handed Hans the wedding ring, and bestowed a benediction on the
happy pair.