He looked and shuddered , but there was no escape ; so he shut his eyes to avoid seeing . The word was given for him to mount the steps which led to the top of the cask , when , suddenly , some men were seen running with all their might , crying as they went that a large ship with its sails spread was making straight for the city . No one knew what the ship was , or whence it came ; but the king declared that he would not have the boy burned before its arrival , there would always be time enough for that . At length the vessel was safe in port , and a whisper went through the watching crowd that on board was the Sister of the Sun , who had come to marry the young peasant as she had promised . In a few moments more she had landed , and desired to be shown the way to the cottage which her bridegroom had so often described to her ; and whither he had been led back by the king 's order at the first sign of the ship . ` Do n't you know me ? ' asked the Sister of the Sun , bending over him where he lay , almost driven out of his senses with terror . ` No , no ; I do n't know you , ' answered the youth , without raising his eyes . ` Kiss me , ' said the Sister of the Sun ; and the youth obeyed her , but still without looking up . ` Do n't you know me NOW ? ' asked she . ` No , I do n't know you -- I do n't know you , ' he replied , with the manner of a man whom fear had driven mad . At this the Sister of the Sun grew rather frightened , and beginning at the beginning , she told him the story of his meeting with her , and how she had come a long way in order to marry him . And just as she had finished in walked the king , to see if what the boy had said was really true . But hardly had he opened the door of the cottage when he was almost blinded by the light that filled it ; and he remembered what he had been told about the star on the forehead of the princess . He staggered back as if he had been struck , then a curious feeling took hold of him , which he had never felt before , and falling on his knees before the Sister of the Sun , he implored her to give up all thought of the peasant boy , and to share his throne . But she laughed , and said she had a finer throne of her own , if she wanted to sit on it , and that she was free to please herself , and would have no husband but the boy whom she would never have seen except for the king himself . ' I shall marry him to-morrow , ' ended she ; and ordered the preparations to be set on foot at once . When the next day came , however , the bridegroom 's father informed the princess that , by the law of the land , the marriage must take place in the presence of the king ; but he hoped his majesty would not long delay his arrival . An hour or two passed , and everyone was waiting and watching , when at last the sound of trumpets was heard and a grand procession was seen marching up the street .
A chair covered with velvet had been made ready for the king , and he took his seat upon it , and , looking round upon the assembled company , he said : ' I have no wish to forbid this marriage ; but , before I can allow it XXXXX be celebrated , the bridegroom must prove himself worthy of such a bride by fulfilling three tasks .
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