so the gold-child rode joyfully through the forest, and no evil befell him. one day he entered a village wherein he saw a maiden, who was so beautiful that he did not believe that any more beautiful than she existed in the world. and as such a mighty love took possession of him, he went up to her and said, "i love thee with my whole heart, wilt thou be my wife?" he, too, pleased the maiden so much that she agreed and said, "yes, i will be thy wife, and be true to thee my whole life long." then they were married, and just as they were in the greatest happiness, home came the father of the bride, and when he saw that his daughter’s wedding was being celebrated, he was astonished, and said, "where is the bridegroom?" they showed him the gold-child, who, however, still wore his bear-skins. then the father said wrathfully, "a vagabond shall never have my daughter!" and was about to kill him. then the bride begged as hard as she could, and said, "he is my husband, and i love him with all my heart!" until at last he allowed himself to be appeased. nevertheless the idea never left his thoughts, so that next morning he rose early, wishing to see whether his daughter’s husband was a common ragged beggar. but when he peeped in, he saw a magnificent golden man in the bed, and the cast-off bear-skins lying on the ground.