“Stop a bit”, she said, “and I’ll tell you how the farmer sets to work to get in his winter rye.”
And so she told him such a long story about the winter rye.
“First of all, you see, he ploughs his field, and then he dungs it, and then he ploughs it again, and then he harrows it”; and so she went on till the sun rose.
“Oh, do look behind you, and there you’ll see such a lovely lady”, said the Cat to the Troll.
So the Troll turned round, and, of course, as soon as he saw the sun he burst.
“Now all this is yours”, said the Cat to Lord Peter. “Now, you must cut off my head; that’s all I ask for what I have done for you.”
“Nay, nay”, said Lord Peter, “I’ll never do any such thing, that’s flat.”
“If you don’t”, said the Cat,” see if I don’t claw your eyes out.”
Well! so Lord Peter had to do it, though it was sore against his will. He cut off the Cat’s head, but there and then she became the loveliest Princess you ever set eyes on, and Lord Peter fell in love with her at once.
“Yes! all this greatness was mine first”, said the Princess, “but a Troll bewitched me to be a Cat in your father’s and mother’s cottage. Now you may do as you please, whether you take me as your queen or not, for you are now king over all this realm.”