"Fear not, fear not, thy friend I am;
I am the wondrous bird called Dam.
When thou'rt in trouble call on me:
I shall be near to succour thee,"
said the voice, and then added: "As soon as you wake to-morrow morning, you must go directly to the Stabur[4], and fetch me four bushels of rye for my breakfast; I must have a good meal, otherwise I can do nothing for you."
[4] A building used as a kind of store-room or larder, and supported on short pillars or posts, so as not to allow it to touch the ground.
When the prince awoke in the morning, he saw by his bed-side a terribly large bird, who had a feather at the back of his head as long as a half-grown fir tree. The prince immediately went to the Stabur and brought thence four bushels of rye, as the wondrous bird Dam had commanded, who, as soon as he had taken his breakfast, desired the prince to hang the chest containing the golden crowns on one side of his neck, and as much gold and silver as would balance it on the other, and then to get upon his back and hold fast by the long feather. The prince obeyed and off they went, whizzing through the air at such a rate, that in a very short time they found themselves exactly above the ship. The prince then wished to go on board, that he might get the sword which the wizard had given him.
THE TWELVE LOST PRINCESSES AND THE WIZARD KING.
But the wondrous bird Dam told him that he must not do so: "Commander Rod," added he, "will not discover it; but if you go on board he will try to kill you, for he very much wishes to marry the youngest princess; but make yourself easy about her, for every night she places a drawn sword on the bed by her side."
At last they reached the castle of the wizard prince, who gave the young prince a hearty welcome. He seemed as if he could not make enough of him, for having killed his sovereign, in whose stead he was now king. He would willingly have given his daughter and half his kingdom to the young prince, but that the latter was so much in love with the youngest of the twelve princesses, that he could think of no one but her, and he was all impatience to be off again.
The wizard, however, besought him to have a little patience, and told him that the princesses were doomed to sail about still for twice seven years before they could return home. As to the youngest princess, the wizard said exactly the same as the wondrous bird Dam: "You may be quite at ease concerning her," said he, "for she always carries a drawn sword to bed with her. And if you do not believe me, you may go on board when they next sail past this place, to convince yourself; and, at the same time, bring me the sword I lent you, for I must positively have it back."
Now after seven years' more wandering, the princes and princesses were again sailing past the island; a terrible storm came on as before, and after it was over the king's son went on board and found them all fast asleep as on the former occasions; but by each of the princes a princess also lay asleep. Only the youngest princess slept alone, with a naked sword beside her; and on the floor, in front of the bed, lay Commander Rod, also sound asleep. The king's son took the sword from his hammock, and rowed to the island, without any one having perceived that he had been on board.