She went there first , and Halvor followed her . When she got there she told them how Halvor had come home again , and now they should just see how magnificent he was . ` He looks like a prince , ' she said . ` We shall see that he is just the same ragamuffin that he was before , ' said the girls , tossing their heads . At that same moment Halvor entered , and the girls were so astonished that they left their kirtles lying in the chimney corner , and ran away in nothing but their petticoats . When they came in again they were so shamefaced that they hardly dared to look at Halvor , towards whom they had always been so proud and haughty before . ` Ay , ay ! you have always thought that you were so pretty and dainty that no one was equal to you , ' said Halvor , ` but you should just see the eldest Princess whom I set free . You look like herds-women compared with her , and the second Princess is also much prettier than you ; but the youngest , who is my sweetheart , is more beautiful than either sun or moon . I wish to Heaven they were here , and then you would see them . ' Scarcely had he said this before they were standing by his side , but then he was very sorrowful , for the words which they had said to him came to his mind . Up at the farm a great feast was made ready for the Princesses , and much respect paid to them , but they would not stay there . ` We want to go down to your parents , ' they said to Halvor , ` so we will go out and look about us . ' He followed them out , and they came to a large pond outside the farm-house . Very near the water there was a pretty green bank , and there the Princesses said they would sit down and while away an hour , for they thought that it would be pleasant to sit and look out over the water , they said . There they sat down , and when they had sat for a short time the youngest Princess said , ' I may as well comb your hair a little , Halvor . ' So Halvor laid his head down on her lap , and she combed it , and it was not long before he fell asleep . Then she took her ring from him and put another in its place , and then she said to her sisters : ` Hold me as I am holding you . I would that we were at Soria Moria Castle . ' When Halvor awoke he knew that he had lost the Princesses , and began to weep and lament , and was so unhappy that he could not be comforted .
In spite of all his father 's and mother 's entreaties , he would not stay , but bade them farewell , saying that he would never see them more , for if he did not find the XXXXX again he did not think it worth while to live .
Halvor Princess Princesses ay farm-house first hour left petticoats ragamuffin