The Headless Princess.[364]
In a certain country there lived a King; and this King had a daughter who was an enchantress. Near the royal palace there dwelt a priest, and the priest had a boy of ten years old, who went every day to an old woman to learn reading and writing. Now it happened one day that he came away from his lessons late in the evening, and as he passed by the palace he looked in at one of the windows. At that window the Princess happened to be sitting and dressing herself. She took off her head, lathered it with soap, washed it with clean water, combed its hair, plaited its long back braid, and then put it back again in its proper place. The boy was lost in wonder.
“What a clever creature!” thinks he. “A downright witch!”
And when he got home he began telling every one how he had seen the Princess without her head.
All of a sudden the King’s daughter fell grievously ill, and she sent for her father, and strictly enjoined him, saying—
“If I die, make the priest’s son read the psalter over me three nights running.”
The Princess died; they placed her in a coffin, and carried it to church. Then the king summoned the priest, and said—
“Have you got a son?”
“I have, your majesty.”
“Well then,” said the King, “let him read the psalter over my daughter three nights running.”