One morning the empress sat on the edge of her husband 's bed , and began to coax him with all sorts of pretty ways . It was some time before the bait took , but at length -- even emperors are only men ! ` Well , well , ' he said at last , ` have your way and cut down the trees ; but out of one they shall make a bed for me , and out of the other , one for you ! ' And with this the empress was forced to be content . The aspens were cut down next morning , and before night the new bed had been placed in the emperor 's room . Now when the emperor lay down in it he seemed as if he had grown a hundred times heavier than usual , yet he felt a kind of calm that was quite new to him . But the empress felt as if she was lying on thorns and nettles , and could not close her eyes . When the emperor was fast asleep , the bed began to crack loudly , and to the empress each crack had a meaning . She felt as if she were listening to a language which no one but herself could understand . ` Is it too heavy for you , little brother ? ' asked one of the beds . ` Oh , no , it is not heavy at all , ' answered the bed in which the emperor was sleeping . ' I feel nothing but joy now that my beloved father rests over me . ' ` It is very heavy for me ! ' said the other bed , ` for on me lies an evil soul . ' And so they talked on till the morning , the empress listening all the while . By daybreak the empress had determined how to get rid of the beds . She would have two others made exactly like them , and when the emperor had gone hunting they should be placed in his room . This was done and the aspen beds were burnt in a large fire , till only a little heap of ashes was left . Yet while they were burning the empress seemed to hear the same words , which she alone could understand .
Then she stooped and gathered up the ashes , and scattered them to the four winds , so that they might blow over fresh lands and fresh seas , and nothing remain XXXXX them .
By at in like of on over till while with