“With all my heart,” says he, and when she pulled out her provisions he ate them nearly all.  But once again she made no complaint, but bade him eat what he needed, and welcome.

Now when he had finished he gave her many thanks, and said: 

“For your beauty, and your kindness, and your grace, take this wand.  There is a thick thorny hedge before you which seems impassable.  But strike it thrice with this wand, saying each time, ’Please, hedge, let me through,’ and it will open a pathway for you.  Then, when you come to a well, sit down on the brink of it; do not be surprised at anything you may see, but, whatever you are asked to do, that do!”

So saying the old man went into the cave, and she went on her way.  After a while she came to a high, thick thorny hedge; but when she struck it three times with the wand, saying, “Please, hedge, let me through,” it opened a wide pathway for her.  So she came to the well, on the brink of which she sate down, and no sooner had she done so, than a golden head without any body came up through the water, singing as it came: 

  “Wash me, and comb me, lay me on a bank to dry
   Softly and prettily to watch the passers-by.”

“Certainly,” she said, pulling out her silver comb.  Then, placing the head on her lap, she began to comb the golden hair.  When she had combed it, she lifted the golden head softly, and laid it on a primrose bank to dry.  No sooner had she done this than another golden head appeared, singing as it came: 

  “Wash me, and comb me, lay me on a bank to dry
   Softly and prettily to watch the passers-by.”

“Certainly,” says she, and after combing the golden hair, placed the golden head softly on the primrose bank, beside the first one.

Then came a third head out of the well, and it said the same thing: 

  “Wash me, and comb me, lay me on a bank to dry
   Softly and prettily to watch the passers-by.”

“With all my heart,” says she graciously, and after taking the head on her lap, and combing its golden hair with her silver comb, there were the three golden heads in a row on the primrose bank.  And she sate down to rest herself and looked at them, they were so quaint and pretty; and as she rested she cheerfully ate and drank the meagre portion of the brown bread, hard cheese, and small-beer which the old man had left to her; for, though she was a king’s daughter, she was too proud to complain.

Then the first head spoke.  “Brothers, what shall we weird for this damsel who has been so gracious unto us?  I weird her to be so beautiful that she shall charm every one she meets.”

“And I,” said the second head, “weird her a voice that shall exceed the nightingale’s in sweetness.”

“And I,” said the third head, “weird her to be so fortunate that she shall marry the greatest King that reigns.”

“Thank you with all my heart,” says she; “but don’t you think I had better put you back in the well before I go on?  Remember you are golden, and the passers-by might steal you.”