So she brought the prince into the house, and then she left him while she went to put the pot on the fire, and to sharpen the bread-knife on the stone door-step.
While the prince sat waiting for the witch, there came a tap at the door, and whom should it be but the pretty Swan Maiden.
“Come,” said she, “and bring the three eggs with you, for the knife that the old witch is sharpening is for you, and so is the great pot on the fire, for she means to pick your bones in the morning.”
She led the prince down into the kitchen; there they made a figure out of honey and barley-meal, so that it was all soft and sticky; then the maiden dressed the figure in her own clothes and set it in the chimney-corner by the fire.
After that was done, she became a swan again, and, taking the prince upon her back, she flew away, over hill and over dale.
As for the old witch, she sat on the stone door-step, sharpening her knife. By and by she came in, and, look as she might, there was no prince to be found.
Then if anybody was ever in a rage it was the old witch; off she went, storming and fuming, until she came to the kitchen. There sat the woman of honey and barley-meal beside the fire, dressed in the maiden’s clothes, and the old woman thought that it was the girl herself. “Where is your sweetheart?” said she; but to this the woman of honey and barley-meal answered never a word.
“How now! are you dumb?” cried the old witch; “I will see whether I cannot bring speech to your lips.” She raised her hand—slap!—she struck, and so hard was the blow that her hand stuck fast to the honey and barley-meal. “What!” cried she, “will you hold me?”—slap!—she struck with the other hand, and it too stuck fast. So there she was, and, for all that I know, she is sticking to the woman of honey and barley-meal to this day.
As for the Swan Maiden and the prince, they flew over the seven high mountains, the seven deep valleys, and the seven wide rivers, until they came near to the prince’s home again. The Swan Maiden lit in a great wide field, and there she told the prince to break open one of the crow’s eggs. The prince did as she bade him, and what should he find but the most beautiful little palace, all of pure gold and silver. He set the palace on the ground, and it grew and grew and grew until it covered as much ground as seven large barns. Then the Swan Maiden told him to break another egg, and he did as she said, and what should come out of it but such great herds of cows and sheep that they covered the meadow far and near. The Swan Maiden told him to break the third egg, and out of it came scores and scores of servants all dressed in gold and silver livery.