when the young folks went to the bed-room there stood a stone image of st. christopher, and the king’s daughter said to it, "my father will come at nine o’clock, and every hour till it strikes three; when he calls, give him an answer instead of the king’s son." then the stone image of st. christopher nodded its head quite quickly, and then more and more slowly till at last it stood still. the next morning the king said to him, "thou hast done the business well, but i cannot give my daughter away. thou must now watch a night by my second daughter, and then i will consider with myself, whether thou canst have my eldest daughter to wife, but i shall come every hour myself, and when i call thee, answer me, and if i call thee and thou dost not reply, thy blood shall flow." then they both went into the sleeping-room, and there stood a still larger stone image of st. christopher, and the king’s daughter said to it, "if my father calls, do you answer him." then the great stone image of st. christopher again nodded its head quite quickly and then more and more slowly, until at last it stood still again. and the king’s son lay down on the threshold, put his hand under his head and slept. the next morning the king said to him, "thou hast done the business really well, but i cannot give my daughter away; thou must now watch a night by the youngest princess, and then i will consider with myself whether thou canst have my second daughter to wife, but i shall come every hour myself, and when i call thee answer me, and if i call thee and thou answerest not, thy blood shall flow for me."