During his absence the queen fell ill , and after lingering for some time she died , to the great grief of her children . They made up their minds to live altogether for a time in their trees , and for this purpose they had provisions enough stored up inside to last them a year . Now , I must tell you , in another country a long way off , there reigned a king who had an only son named Ring . Prince Ring had heard so much about the beauty and goodness of Princess Signy that he determined to marry her if possible . So he begged his father to let him have a ship for the voyage , set sail with a favourable wind , and after a time landed in the country where Signy lived . The prince lost no time in setting out for the royal palace , and on his way there he met such a wonderfully lovely woman that he felt he had never seen such beauty in all his life . He stopped her and at once asked who she was . ' I am Signy , the king 's daughter , ' was the reply . Then the prince inquired why she was wandering about all by herself , and she told him that since her mother 's death she was so sad that whilst her father was away she preferred being alone . Ring was quite deceived by her , and never guessed that she was not Princess Signy at all , but a strong , gigantic , wicked witch bent on deceiving him under a beautiful shape . He confided to her that he had travelled all the way from his own country for her sake , having fallen in love with the accounts he had heard of her beauty , and he then and there asked her to be his wife . The witch listened to all he said and , much pleased , ended by accepting his offer ; but she begged him to return to his ship for a little while as she wished to go some way further into the forest , promising to join him later on . Prince Ring did as she wished and went back to his ship to wait , whilst she walked on into the forest till she reached the two oak trees . Here she resumed her own gigantic shape , tore up the trees by their roots , threw one of them over her back and clasped the other to her breast , carried them down to the shore and waded out with them to the ship . She took care not to be noticed as she reached the ship , and directly she got on board she once more changed to her former lovely appearance and told the prince that her luggage was now all on board , and that they need wait for nothing more . The prince gave orders to set sail at once , and after a fine voyage landed in his own country , where his parents and his only sister received him with the greatest joy and affection . The false Signy was also very kindly welcomed . A beautiful house was got ready for her , and Prince Ring had the two oaks planted in the garden just in front of her windows so that she might have the pleasure of seeing them constantly . He often went to visit the witch , whom he believed to be Princess Signy , and one day he asked : ` Do n't you think we might be married before long ? ' ` Yes , ' said she , quite pleased , ' I am quite ready to marry you whenever you like . '
` Then , ' replied Ring , ` let us decide XXXXX this day fortnight .
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