Upon the tip top of the
hill the king's daughter was to sit, with three golden apples in her
lap, and the man who could ride up and carry off the three golden apples
was to have half the kingdom, and the Princess to wife. This offer the
king had posted on all the church doors in his realm; and had given it
out in many other kingdoms besides. Now, this Princess was so lovely,
that all who set eyes on her loved her. So I needn't tell you how all
the princes and knights who heard of her were eager to win her to wife,
and half the kingdom besides; and how they came riding from all parts of
the world on high prancing horses, and clad in the grandest clothes, for
there wasn't one of them who hadn't made up his mind that he, and he
alone, was to win the Princess.
So when the day of trial came, which the king had fixed, there was such
a crowd of princes and knights under the glass hill, that it made one's
head whirl to look at them; and every one in the country who could even
crawl along was off to the hill, for they all were eager to see the man
who was to win the Princess. Thus the two elder brothers set off with
the rest; but as for Boots, they said outright he shouldn't go with
them, for if they were seen with such a dirty fellow, all begrimed with
smut from cleaning their shoes, and sifting cinders in the dust-hole,
they said folk would make game of them.
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