When the Princess arose and was about to mount Falada the waiting-maid said to her, “Wait a bit! I am tired of acting as your servant. Now, we will try it the other way around. Give me your fine clothes, and you can dress yourself in these common things I am wearing.”
The Princess was afraid to refuse; she gave the waiting-maid her beautiful dress and her jewels, and dressed herself in the common clothes.
Again she was about to mount Falada, but again the waiting-maid bade her stay; “You shall ride my horse,” said she, “and I will ride Falada.” As she said so it was done. The waiting-maid also made the Princess swear that she would tell no living soul who she was. The Princess dared not refuse for fear of her life. But Falada made no such promise, and he had seen and heard all that had happened.
When they rode on again the waiting-maid was in front, dressed in the fine clothes and mounted on Falada, and the Princess came behind on the waiting-maid’s horse, and she was dressed in the common clothes, but even so she was far more beautiful than the servant.
They reached the palace, and the Prince came out to meet his bride. He lifted down the waiting-maid from Falada, for he thought she was the Princess, and he led her up the grand stairway and into the room where the King sat, but the Princess was left below in the courtyard, and no one paid any attention to her.
The King was surprised when he saw the waiting-maid, for he supposed her to be the Princess, and he had expected her to be much more beautiful. However, he said nothing about it to anyone, but made her welcome. Presently he happened to look out of the window, and there he saw the true Princess down below. “Who is that standing in the courtyard?” he asked, for he saw at once that she was very beautiful, and he was curious about it.
“Oh, that is only my waiting-maid,” answered the false bride carelessly. “I wish you would give her some work to do so that she may not be spoiled by idleness.”
“I do not know what she can do except take care of the geese,” answered the King. “Conrad, who is the goose-herd, is only a boy, and he would be glad of help in caring for them.”
“Very well; then let her be a goose-herd,” answered the false bride.
So the Princess went out in the field to help tend the geese, and the waiting-maid lived in the palace, and was treated to all that was best there. But the Prince was not happy, for his bride was rude and ill-tempered, and he could not love her.