“And now, have you taken my bed-quilt, with silver patches and gold patches, and gold patches and silver patches?”
“Aye! aye!” said the lad.
“Shall you come back again?”
“Very likely”, said the lad.
But when he got back with the gold and silver patchwork quilt, every one was fonder of him than ever, and he was made the king’s body-servant.
At this, the other two were still more vexed, and, to be revenged, they went and told the coachman:
“Now, our brother has said, he is man enough to get the king the gold harp which the Troll has, and that harp is of such a kind, that all who listen when it is played grow glad, however sad they may be.”
Yes! the coachman went and told the king, and he said to the lad:
“If you have said this, you shall do it. If you do it, you shall have the Princess and half the kingdom. If you don’t, you shall lose your life.”
“I’m sure I never thought or said anything of the kind”, said the lad; “but if there’s no help for it, I may as well try; but I must have six days to think about it.”