` Yes , ' said the Foal , ` we shall go into that . ' When the Foals got into the churchyard they turned into men and looked like the sons of a king , and their clothes were so magnificent that they shone with splendour , and they went into the church and received bread and wine from the priest , who was standing before the altar , and Cinderlad went in too . But when the priest had laid his hands on the princes and read the blessing , they went out of the church again , and Cinderlad went out too , but he took with him a flask of wine and some consecrated bread . No sooner had the seven princes come out into the churchyard than they became foals again , and Cinderlad got upon the back of the youngest , and they returned by the way they had come , only they went much , much faster . First they went over the bridge , and then past the trunk of the birch tree , and then past the old hag who sat in the cleft of the rock spinning , and they went by so fast that Cinderlad could not hear what the old hag screeched after him , but just heard enough to understand that she was terribly enraged . It was all but dark when they got back to the King at nightfall , and he himself was standing in the courtyard waiting for them . ` Hast thou watched well and faithfully the whole day ? ' said the King to Cinderlad . ' I have done my best , ' replied Cinderlad . ` Then thou canst tell me what my seven foals eat and drink ? ' asked the King . So Cinderlad pulled out the consecrated bread and the flask of wine , and showed them to the King . ` Here may you behold their meat , and here their drink , ' said he . ` Yes , diligently and faithfully hast thou watched , ' said the King , ` and thou shalt have the Princess and half the kingdom . ' So all was made ready for the wedding , and the King said that it was to be so stately and magnificent that everyone should hear of it , and everyone inquire about it . But when they sat down to the marriage-feast , the bridegroom arose and went down to the stable , for he said that he had forgotten something which he must go and look to . When he got there , he did what the foals had bidden him , and cut off the heads of all the seven . First the eldest , and then the second , and so on according to their age , and he was extremely careful to lay each head at the tail of the foal to which it had belonged , and when that was done , all the foals became princes again . When he returned to the marriage-feast with the seven princes , the King was so joyful that he both kissed Cinderlad and clapped him on the back , and his bride was still more delighted with him than she had been before . ` Half my kingdom is thine already , ' said the King , ` and the other half shall be thine after my death , for my sons can get countries and kingdoms for themselves now that they have become princes again . '
Therefore , as all may well believe , there was joy and merriment XXXXX that wedding .
at from in into on over past that to upon