An hour or two passed , and everyone was waiting and watching , when at last the sound of trumpets was heard and a grand procession was seen marching up the street . A chair covered with velvet had been made ready for the king , and he took his seat upon it , and , looking round upon the assembled company , he said : ' I have no wish to forbid this marriage ; but , before I can allow it to be celebrated , the bridegroom must prove himself worthy of such a bride by fulfilling three tasks . And the first is that in a single day he must cut down every tree in an entire forest . The youth stood aghast as the king 's words . He had never cut down a tree in his life , and had not the least idea how to begin . And as for a whole forest -- ! But the princess saw what was passing in his mind , and whispered to him : ` Do n't be afraid . In my ship you will find an axe , which you must carry off to the forest . When you have cut down one tree with it just say : `` So let the forest fall , '' and in an instant all the trees will be on the ground . But pick up three chips of the tree you felled , and put them in your pocket . ' And the young man did exactly as he was bid , and soon returned with the three chips safe in his coat . The following morning the princess declared that she had been thinking about the matter , and that , as she was not a subject of the king , she saw no reason why she should be bound by his laws ; and she meant to be married that very day . But the bridegroom 's father told her that it was all very well for her to talk like that , but it was quite different for his son , who would pay with his head for any disobedience to the king 's commands . However , in consideration of what the youth had done the day before , he hoped his majesty 's heart might be softened , especially as he had sent a message that they might expect him at once . With this the bridal pair had to be content , and be as patient as they could till the king 's arrival . He did not keep them long , but they saw by his face that nothing good awaited them . ` The marriage can not take place , ' he said shortly , 'till the youth has joined to their roots all the trees he cut down yesterday . ' This sounded much more difficult than what he had done before , and he turned in despair to the Sister of the Sun . ` It is all right , ' she whispered encouragingly . ` Take this water and sprinkle it on one of the fallen trees , and say to it : `` So let all the trees of the forest stand upright , '' and in a moment they will be erect again . '
And the young man did what he was told , and left the forest looking exactly XXXXX it had done before .
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