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had。 〃Then； if you have done what your mother wished；〃
said he； 〃you have brought great misery on both of us。〃
〃No；〃 she said； 〃I have not done anything at all。〃 So
when she had reached home and had gone to bed it was
just the same as it had been before； and a man came and
lay down beside her； and late at night； when she could
hear that he was sleeping； she got up and kindled a light；
lit her candle； let her light shine on him； and saw him； and
he was the handsomest prince that eyes had ever beheld；
and she loved him so much that it seemed to her that she
must die if she did not kiss him that very moment。 So
she did kiss him； but while she was doing it she let three
drops of hot tallow fall upon his shirt； and he awoke。
〃What have you done now？〃 said he； 〃you have brought
misery on both of us。 If you had but held out for the
space of one year I should have been free。 I have a step…
mother who has bewitched me so that I am a white bear
by day and a man by night； but now all is at an end
between you and me； and I must leave you； and go to her。
She lives in a castle which lies east of the sun and west of
the moon； and there too is a princess with a nose which
is three ells long； and she now is the one whom I must
marry。〃
She wept and lamented； but all in vain； for go he must。
Then she asked him if she could not go with him。 But
no； that could not be。 〃Can you tell me the way then；
and I will seek youthat I may surely be allowed to do！〃
〃Yes； you may do that；〃 said he； 〃but there is no way
thither。 It lies east of the sun and west of the moon； and
never would you find your way there。〃
When she awoke in the morning both the Prince and
the castle were gone； and she was lying on a small green
patch in the midst of a dark； thick wood。 By her side lay
the self…same bundle of rags which she had brought with
her from her own home。 So when she had rubbed the
sleep out of her eyes； and wept till she was weary； she
set out on her way； and thus she walked for many and
many a long day； until at last she came to a great mountain。
Outside it an aged woman was sitting； playing with
a golden apple。 The girl asked her if she knew the way
to the Prince who lived with his stepmother in the castle
which lay east of the sun and west of the moon； and who
was to marry a princess with a nose which was three ells
long。 〃How do you happen to know about him？〃
inquired the old woman； 〃maybe you are she who ought to
have had him。〃 〃Yes； indeed； I am；〃 she said。 〃So it is
you； then？〃 said the old woman； 〃I know nothing about
him but that he dwells in a castle which is east of the sun
and west of the moon。 You will be a long time in getting
to it； if ever you get to it at all； but you shall have the
loan of my horse； and then you can ride on it to an old
woman who is a neighbor of mine： perhaps she can tell
you about him。 When you have got there you must just
strike the horse beneath the left ear and bid it go home
again； but you may take the golden apple with you。〃
So the girl seated herself on the horse； and rode for a
long； long way； and at last she came to the mountain； where
an aged woman was sitting outside with a gold carding…
comb。 The girl asked her if she knew the way to the
castle which lay east of the sun and west of the moon；
but she said what the first old woman had said： 〃I know
nothing about it； but that it is east of the sun and west
of the moon； and that you will be a long time in getting
to it； if ever you get there at all； but you shall have the
loan of my horse to an old woman who lives the nearest
to me： perhaps she may know where the castle is； and
when you have got to her you may just strike the horse
beneath the left ear and bid it go home again。〃 Then she
gave her the gold carding…comb； for it might； perhaps； be
of use to her； she said。
So the girl seated herself on the horse； and rode a
wearisome long way onward again； and after a very long time
she came to a great mountain； where an aged woman was
sitting； spinning at a golden spinning…wheel。 Of this
woman； too； she inquired if she knew the way to the
Prince； and where to find the castle which lay east of the
sun and west of the moon。 But it was only the same
thing once again。 〃Maybe it was you who should have
had the Prince；〃 said the old woman。 〃Yes； indeed； I
should have been the one；〃 said the girl。 But this old
crone knew the way no better than the othersit was
east of the sun and west of the moon； she knew that； 〃and
you will be a long time in getting to it； if ever you get to
it at all；〃 she said； 〃but you may have the loan of my
horse； and I think you had better ride to the East Wind；
and ask him： perhaps he may know where the castle is；
and will blow you thither。 But when you have got to
him you must just strike the horse beneath the left ear；
and he will come home again。〃 And then she gave her the
golden spinning…wheel； saying： 〃Perhaps you may find
that you have a use for it。〃
The girl had to ride for a great many days； and for a
long and wearisome time； before she got there； but at last
she did arrive； and then she asked the East Wind if he
could tell her the way to the Prince who dwelt east of the
sun and west of the moon。 〃Well；〃 said the East Wind；
〃I have heard tell of the Prince； and of his castle； but I
do not know the way to it； for I have never blown so far；
but； if you like； I will go with you to my brother the West
Wind： he may know that； for he is much stronger than I
am。 You may sit on my back； and then I can carry you
there。〃 So she seated herself on his back； and they did go
so swiftly！ When they got there； the East Wind went in
and said that the girl whom he had brought was the one
who ought to have had the Prince up at the castle which
lay east of the sun and west of the moon； and that now she
was traveling about to find him again； so he had come
there with her； and would like to hear if the West Wind
knew whereabout the castle was。 〃No；〃 said the West
Wind； 〃so far as that have I never blown； but if you like
I will go with you to the South Wind； for he is much
stronger than either of us； and he has roamed far and wide；
and perhaps he can tell you what you want to know。 You
may seat yourself on my back； and then I will carry you
to him。〃。
So she did this； and journeyed to the South Wind；
neither was she very long on the way。 When they had got
there； the West Wind asked him if he could tell her the
way to the castle that lay east of the sun and west of the
moon； for she was the girl who ought to marry the Prince
who lived there。 〃Oh； indeed！〃 said the South Wind； 〃is
that she？ Well；〃 said he； 〃I have wandered about a great
deal in my time； and in all kinds of places； but I have
never blown so far as that。 If you like； however； I will go
with you to my brother； the North Wind； he is the oldest
and strongest of all of us； and if he does not know where
it is no on