The old woman sent after it at once , and when she questioned the magpies the crippled one was the only one who knew where the three bulrushes were . Then the prince started off with the lame magpie . They went on and on till they reached a great stone wall , many , many feet high . ` Now , prince , ' said the magpie , ` the three bulrushes are behind that wall . ' The prince wasted no time . He set his horse at the wall and leaped over it . Then he looked about for the three bulrushes , pulled them up and set off with them on his way home . As he rode along one of the bulrushes happened to knock against something . It split open and , only think ! out sprang a lovely girl , who said : ` My heart 's love , you are mine and I am yours ; do give me a glass of water . ' But how could the prince give it her when there was no water at hand ? So the lovely maiden flew away . He split the second bulrush as an experiment and just the same thing happened . 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 XXXXX him his father and mother and a great train of courtiers to escort Ilonka home .
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