She then got a dress made for her own daughter , like the finest robe for a queen , and she had a mask prepared and put upon her face , so that she looked quite pretty , and gave her strict orders not to take it off until the king had promised to wed her . The brother now set sail with his two sisters , for the stepmother pretended that the ugly one wanted to see the other a bit on her way . But when they got out to sea , and Maiden Bright-eye came up on deck , the sister did as her mother had instructed her -- she gave her a push and made her fall into the water . When the brother learned what had happened he was greatly distressed , and did not know what to do . He could not bring himself to tell the truth about what had happened , nor did he expect that the king would believe it . In the long run he decided to hold on his way , and let things go as they liked . What he had expected happened -- the king received his sister and wedded her at once , but repented it after the first night , as he could scarcely put down his foot in the morning for all the toads that were about the room , and when he saw her real face he was so enraged against the brother that he had him thrown into a pit full of serpents . He was so angry , not merely because he had been deceived , but because he could not get rid of the ugly wretch that was now tied to him for life . Now we shall hear a little about Maiden Bright-eye When she fell into the water she was fortunate enough to get the bergman 's cap put on her head , for now she was in danger of her life , and she was at once transformed into a duck . The duck swam away after the ship , and came to the king 's palace on the next evening . There it waddled up the drain , and so into the kitchen , where her little dog lay on the hearth-stone ; it could not bear to stay in the fine chambers along with the ugly sister , and had taken refuge down here . The duck hopped up till it could talk to the dog . ` Good evening , ' it said . ` Thanks , Maiden Bright-eye , ' said the dog . ` Where is my brother ? ' ` He is in the serpent-pit . ' ` Where is my wicked sister ? ' ` She is with the noble king . ' ` Alas ! alas !
I am here this evening , and shall be XXXXX two evenings yet , and then I shall never come again . '
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