it along all those galleries and stairs at this time of night.'

'Well!' said the Princess, 'if it sleeps here, I'm sure I won't.'

But just then the bear curled himself up and lay down by the stove;
and it was settled at last that the Princess should sleep there too,
with a light burning. But as soon as the king was well gone, the
white bear came and begged her to undo his collar. The Princess was
so scared she almost swooned away; but she felt about till she found
the collar, and she had scarce undone it before the bear pulled his
head off. Then she knew him again, and was so glad there was no end
to her joy, and she wanted to tell her father at once that her
deliverer was come. But the lad would not hear of it; he would earn
her once more, he said. So in the morning when they heard the king
rattling at the posts outside, the lad drew on the hide, and lay down
by the stove.

'Well, has it lain still?' the king asked.

'I should think so', said the Princess; 'it hasn't so much as turned
or stretched itself once.'

When they got up to the castle again, the captain took the bear and
led it away, and then the lad threw off the hide, and went to a
tailor and ordered clothes fit for a prince; and when they were
fitted on he went to the king, and said he wanted to find the
Princess.

'You're not the first who has wished the same thing', said the king,
'but they have all lost their lives; for if any one who tries can't