"Wash me, and comb me, lay me on a bank to dry
Softly and prettily to watch the passers-by."
"Certainly," she said, pulling out her silver comb. Then, placing the head on her lap, she began to comb the golden hair. When she had combed it, she lifted the golden head softly, and laid it on a primrose bank to dry. No sooner had she done this than another golden head appeared, singing as it came:
"Wash me, and comb me, lay me on a bank to dry
Softly and prettily to watch the passers-by."
"Certainly," says she, and after combing the golden hair, placed the golden head softly on the primrose bank, beside the first one.
Then came a third head out of the well, and it said the same thing:
"Wash me, and comb me, lay me on a bank to dry
Softly and prettily to watch the passers-by."
"With all my heart," says she graciously, and after taking the head on her lap, and combing its golden hair with her silver comb, there were the three golden heads in a row on the primrose bank. And she sate down to rest herself and looked at them, they were so quaint and pretty; and as she rested she cheerfully ate and drank the meagre portion of the brown bread, hard cheese, and small-beer which the old man had left to her; for, though she was a king's daughter, she was too proud to complain.
Then the first head spoke. "Brothers, what shall we weird for this damsel who has been so gracious unto us? I weird her to be so beautiful that she shall charm every one she meets."
"And I," said the second head, "weird her a voice that shall exceed the nightingale's in sweetness."
"And I," said the third head, "weird her to be so fortunate that she shall marry the greatest King that reigns."