How careful he was of the third bulrush ! He waited till he came to a well , and there he split it open , and out sprang a maiden seven times lovelier than either of the others , and she too said : ` My heart 's love , I am yours and you are mine ; do give me a glass of water . ' This time the water was ready and the girl did not fly away , but she and the prince promised to love each other always . Then they set out for home . They soon reached the prince 's country , and as he wished to bring his promised bride back in a fine coach he went on to the town to fetch one . In the field where the well was , the king 's swineherds and cowherds were feeding their droves , and the prince left Ilonka -LRB- for that was her name -RRB- in their care . Unluckily the chief swineherd had an ugly old daughter , and whilst the prince was away he dressed her up in fine clothes , and threw Ilonka into the well . The prince returned before long , bringing with him his father and mother and a great train of courtiers to escort Ilonka home . But how they all stared when they saw the swineherd 's ugly daughter ! However , there was nothing for it but to take her home ; and , two days later , the prince married her , and his father gave up the crown to him . But he had no peace ! He knew very well he had been cheated , though he could not think how . Once he desired to have some water brought him from the well into which Ilonka had been thrown . The coachman went for it and , in the bucket he pulled up , a pretty little duck was swimming . He looked wonderingly at it , and all of a sudden it disappeared and he found a dirty looking girl standing near him . The girl returned with him and managed to get a place as housemaid in the palace . Of course she was very busy all day long , but whenever she had a little spare time she sat down to spin . Her distaff turned of itself and her spindle span by itself and the flax wound itself off ; and however much she might use there was always plenty left . When the queen -- or , rather , the swineherd 's daughter -- heard of this , she very much wished to have the distaff , but the girl flatly refused to give it to her . However , at last she consented on condition that she might sleep one night in the king 's room .
The queen was very angry , and scolded her well ; but as she longed to have the distaff she consented , XXXXX she gave the king a sleeping draught at supper .
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