the wedding was fixed, and the maiden had already arrived; but because of her great ugliness, however, she shut herself in her room, and allowed no one to see her, and maid maleen had to take her her meals from the kitchen. when the day came for the bride and the bridegroom to go to church, she was ashamed of her ugliness, and afraid that if she showed herself in the streets, she would be mocked and laughed at by the people. then said she to maid maleen, "a great piece of luck has befallen thee. i have sprained my foot, and cannot well walk through the streets; thou shalt put on my wedding-clothes and take my place; a greater honour than that thou canst not have!" maid maleen, however, refused it, and said, "i wish for no honour which is not suitable for me." it was in vain, too, that the bride offered her gold. at last she said angrily, "if thou dost not obey me, it shall cost thee thy life. i have but to speak the word, and thy head will lie at thy feet." then she was forced to obey, and put on the bride’s magnificent clothes and all her jewels. when she entered the royal hall, every one was amazed at her great beauty, and the king said to his son, "this is the bride whom i have chosen for thee, and whom thou must lead to church." the bridegroom was astonished, and thought, "she is like my maid maleen, and i should believe that it was she herself, but she has long been shut up in the tower, or dead." he took her by the hand and led her to church. on the way was a nettle-plant, and she said,