The young man guessed what was in her heart , and replied with a smile : ` Fear nothing . Promise all that he asks ; it will be fulfilled somehow . ' So she went to the palace , where she found the king sitting in the Hall of Justice listening to the petitions of his people . The woman waited until all had been heard and the hall was empty , and then went up and knelt before the throne . ` My son has sent me to ask for the hand of the princess , ' said she . The king looked at her and thought that she was mad ; but , instead of ordering his guards to turn her out , he answered gravely : ` Before he can marry the princess he must build me a palace of ice , which can be warmed with fires , and wherein the rarest singing-birds can live ! ' ` It shall be done , your Majesty , ' said she , and got up and left the hall . Her son was anxiously awaiting her outside the palace gates , dressed in the clothes that he wore every day . ` Well , what have I got to do ? ' he asked impatiently , drawing his mother aside so that no one could overhear them . ` Oh , something quite impossible ; and I hope you will put the princess out of your head , ' she replied . ` Well , but what is it ? ' persisted he . ` Nothing but to build a palace of ice wherein fires can burn that shall keep it so warm that the most delicate singing-birds can live in it ! ' ' I thought it would be something much harder than that , ' exclaimed the young man . ' I will see about it at once . ' And leaving his mother , he went into the country and took the stone from his turban . ' I want a palace of ice that can be warmed with fires and filled with the rarest singing-birds ! ' ` Shut your eyes , then , ' said the stone ; and he shut them , and when he opened them again there was the palace , more beautiful than anything he could have imagined , the fires throwing a soft pink glow over the ice . ` It is fit even for the princess , ' thought he to himself .
As soon as the king awoke next morning he ran XXXXX the window , and there across the plain he beheld the palace .
Before at from into outside over than that to until