But alas! If two rooms of gold look good to a king, three rooms of gold looked even better. The King took the girl to the biggest room yet. This time, however, the King said his son was coming back from a long journey that very night. The king thought, 'Even if she is a miller's daughter, I could not find a better wife for my son.' But he told the girl in a loud booming voice, if she could not do the task, she would marry no one at all for she would die! In the morning he would send his son to the room to see if the work was done. He told her she must turn that straw into gold by morning. How long would this go on? Would she ever get out? When the King left, the girl fell into a deep gloom. When she lifted her head, there was that little man again. “I bet you knew I would come back,” he said. “I could not know for sure,” said the girl. “But this time I no longer have anything to give you. But even if I were, I would never agree to such a thing!” “We will find a good price,” said the imp. And he was gone.Ī moment later, a young man stepped into the room.
