“Why, bless my soul!” he cried, “it’s our Veikko!”
“Yes, father, I’m Veikko and this is the Princess that I’m going to marry!”
“A Princess, did you say, Veikko? Mercy me, where did my boy find a Princess?”
“Out in the forest where my tree pointed.”
“Well, well, well,” the farmer said, “where your tree pointed! I’ve always heard that was a good way to find a bride.”
The older brothers shook their heads gloomily and muttered:
“Just our luck! If only our trees had pointed to the forest we, too, should have found princesses instead of plain country wenches!”
But they were wrong: it wasn’t because his tree pointed to the forest that Veikko got the Princess, it was because he was so simple and good that he was kind even to a little mouse.
Well, after they had got the farmer’s blessing they rode home to the Princess’ kingdom and were married. And they were happy as they should have been for they were good and true to each other and they loved each other dearly.
