“Indeed!” said the Princess; “I might have married him if I chose, and then I should not have had to walk about like a beggar’s wife.”
So, whenever they came to grand castles, and woods, and parks, and she asked whose they were? the beggar’s answer was still the same: “Oh: they are Hacon Grizzlebeard’s.” And the Princess was in a sad way that she had not chosen the man who had such broad lands. Last of all, they came to a palace, where he said he was known, and where he thought he could get her work, so that they might have something to live on; so he built up a cabin by the woodside for them to dwell in; and every day he went to the king’s palace, as he said, to hew wood and draw water for the cook, and when he came back he brought a few scraps of meat; but they did not go very far. One day, when he came home from the palace, he said: “To-morrow I will stay at home and look after the baby, but you must get ready to go to the palace, do you hear! for the Prince said you were to come and try your hand at baking.”
“I bake!” said the Princess; “I can’t bake, for I never did such a thing in my life.”
“Well, you must go”, said Hacon, “since the Prince has said it. If you can’t bake, you can learn; you have only got to look how the rest bake; and mind, when you leave, you must steal me some bread.”
“I can’t steal”, said the Princess.
“You can learn that too”, said Hacon; “you know we live on short commons. But take care that the Prince doesn’t see you, for he has eyes at the back of his head.”
So when she was well on her way, Hacon ran by a short cut and reached the palace long before her, and threw off his rags and beard, and put on his princely robes.
The Princess took her turn in the bakehouse, and did as Hacon bade her, for she stole bread till her pockets were crammed full. So when she was about to go home at even, the Prince said:
“We don’t know much of this old wife of Hacon Grizzlebeard’s, I think we’d best see if she has taken anything away with her.”
So he thrust his hand into all her pockets, and felt her all over, and when he found the bread, he was in a great rage, and led them all a sad life. She began to weep and bewail, and said: