“Good knight,” said the old crone, before he could arise to leave her sight, “tell me, I pray thee, what hard thing ye seek.  I am old, and have had much wisdom.  It may happen that I can help you out of the great trouble into which you have come.”

The knight, in spite of her loathsomeness, felt a ray of hope at this offer, and in a few words told her what he was seeking.

As soon as she had heard, the old creature burst into so loud a laugh that between laughing and mumbling Sir Ulric feared she would choke herself before she found breath to answer him.

“You are but a poor hand at riddles,” she said at length, “if you cannot guess what is so simple.  Let me but whisper two words in your ear, and you shall be able to tell the queen what neither she nor her ladies nor any woman in all the kingdom shall be able to deny.  But I give my aid on one condition,—­that if I be right in what I tell, you shall grant me one boon, whatever I ask, if the same be in your power.”

The knight gladly consented, and on this the old hag whispered in his ear two little words, which caused him to leap upon his horse with great joy and set out directly for the queen’s court.

When he had arrived there, and given notice of his readiness to answer her, Guinevere held a great meeting in her chief hall, of all the ladies in the kingdom.  Thither came old and young, wife, maid and widow, to decide if Sir Ulric answered aright.

The queen was placed on a high throne as judge if what he said be the truth, and all present waited eagerly for his time to speak.  When, therefore, it was demanded of him what he had to say, all ears stretched to hear his answer.

“Noble lady,” said the knight, when he saw all eyes and ears intent upon him, “I have sought far and wide the answer you desired.  And I find that the thing of all the world which pleaseth women best, is to have their own way in all things.”

When the knight had made this answer in a clear and manly voice, which was heard all over the audience chamber, there was much flutter and commotion among all the women present, and many were at first inclined to gainsay him.  But Queen Guinevere questioned all thoroughly, and gave fair judgment, and at the end declared that the knight had solved the question, and there was no woman there who did not confess that he spoke aright.

On this Ulric received his life freely, and was preparing to go out in great joy, when suddenly as he turned to go, he saw in his way the little old woman to whom he owed the answer which had bought his life.  At sight of her, more hideous than ever, among the beauty of the court ladies, who looked at her in horror of her ugliness, the knight’s heart sank again.  Before he could speak she demanded of him her boon.

“What would you ask of me?” said Ulric, fearfully.

“My boon is only this,” answered the hag, “that in return for thy life, which my wit has preserved to thee, thou shalt make me thy true and loving wife.”