The next day Plavachek delivered the letter and as soon as the queen read it, she gave orders at once for the wedding. Both she and her daughter were much taken with the handsome youth and gazed at him with tender eyes. As for Plavachek he fell instantly in love with the princess and was delighted to marry her.
Some days after the wedding the king returned and when he heard what had happened he flew into a violent rage at the queen.
“But,” protested the queen, “you yourself ordered me to have him married to our daughter before you came back. Here is your letter.”
The king took the letter and examined it carefully. The handwriting, the seal, the paper—all were his own.
He called his son-in-law and questioned him.
Plavachek related how he had lost his way in the forest and spent the night with his godmother.
“What does your godmother look like?” the king asked.
Plavachek described her.
From the description the king recognized her as the same old woman who had promised the princess to the charcoal-burner’s son twenty years before.
He looked at Plavachek thoughtfully and at last he said: