` You must rouse yourself , sir , ' went on the minister , ` and put aside your own sorrows for the sake of your country . ' ` You do not spare me , ' answered the king ; ` but what you say is just , and your counsel is good . I have heard that men say , likewise , that it will be for the good of my kingdom for me to marry again , though my heart will never cease to be with my lost wife . But it was her wish also ; therefore , to you I entrust the duty of finding a lady fitted to share my throne ; only , see that she comes neither from a small town nor a remote island . ' So an embassy was prepared , with the minister at its head , to visit the greatest courts in the world , and to choose out a suitable princess . But the vessel which carried them had not been gone many days when a thick fog came on , and the captain could see neither to the right nor to the left . For a whole month the ship drifted about in darkness , till at length the fog lifted and they beheld a cliff jutting out just in front . On one side of the cliff lay a sheltered bay , in which the vessel was soon anchored , and though they did not know where they were , at any rate they felt sure of fresh fruit and water . The minister left the rest of his followers on board the ship , and taking a small boat rowed himself to land , in order to look about him and to find out if the island was really as deserted as it seemed . He had not gone far , when he heard the sound of music , and , turning in its direction , he saw a woman of marvellous beauty sitting on a low stool playing on a harp , while a girl beside her sang . The minister stopped and greeted the lady politely , and she replied with friendliness , asking him why he had come to such an out-of-the way place . In answer he told her of the object of his journey . ' I am in the same state as your master , ' replied the lady ; ' I was married to a mighty king who ruled over this land , till Vikings -LSB- sea-robbers -RSB- came and slew him and put all the people to death . But I managed to escape , and hid myself here with my daughter . ' And the daughter listened , and said softly to her mother : ` Are you speaking the truth now ? ' ` Remember your promise , ' answered the mother angrily , giving her a pinch which was unseen by the minister . ` What is your name , madam ? ' asked he , much touched by this sad story . ` Blauvor , ' she replied ` and my daughter is called Laufer ' ; and then she inquired the name of the minister , and of the king his master . After this they talked of many things , and the lady showed herself learned in all that a woman should know , and even in much that men only were commonly taught .
` What a wife she would make for the king , ' thought the minister to himself , and before long he had begged the honour XXXXX her hand for his master .
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