“Do not be afraid, dear princess,” replied the ash-trees. “You know that whosoever stands beneath our boughs is bound to speak the truth. You need ask but one question of each of the suitors. According to his answer you will be able to judge of his suitability as a husband.”
“What shall I ask him?” said the princess.
“Ask him,” replied the ash-trees, “what he most desires in a wife. That will be quite sufficient.”
So the princess sat and waited.
Presently she heard a whispering among the leaves over her head.
“There’s one coming,” they said. “We can see him riding along the high road.”
“Oh, what is he like?” said the princess.
“He is a very fine-looking gentleman indeed,” said the ash-trees. “He rides on a great black prancing horse, and a company of twenty knights rides behind him. He wears shining armour. The harness of his horse is studded with jewels and the hilt of his sword blazes in the sunshine.”
“It sounds very exciting,” said the princess, and she put down her stitching and smoothed her golden hair and spread out the folds of her flower-embroidered gown, for naturally she wanted to look her best.
Before long the prince arrived at the castle gates, and a messenger came out into the park to tell the princess that he had come from a neighbouring kingdom to seek her hand.