East O the Sun and West O the Moon | Page 2

and
closed the door both tight and well. But the Bear called out, "I'll give
you time to think; next Thursday night I'll come for your answer."
Now, the lassie had heard every word that the Bear had said, and before
the next Thursday evening came, she had washed and mended her rags,
made herself as neat as she could, and was ready to start. I can't say her
packing gave her much trouble.
Next Thursday evening came the White Bear to fetch her, and she got
upon his back with her bundle, and off they went. So when they had
gone a bit of the way, the White Bear said, "Are you afraid?"
"No, not at all," said the lassie.
"Well! mind and hold tight by my shaggy coat, and then there's nothing
to fear," added the Bear.
So she rode a long, long way, till they came to a great steep hill. There
on the face of it the White Bear gave a knock, and a door opened, and
they came into a castle, where there were many rooms all lit up,
gleaming with silver and gold, and there too was a table ready laid, and
it was all as grand as grand could be. Then the White Bear gave her a
silver bell. When she wanted anything she had only to ring it, and she
would get what she wanted at once.
Well, when she had had supper and evening wore on, she became
sleepy because of her journey. She thought she would like to go to bed,
so she rang the bell. She had scarce taken hold of it before she came
into a chamber where there were two beds as fair and white as any one

would wish to sleep in. But when she had put out the light and gone to
bed some one came into the room and lay down in the other bed. Now
this happened every night, but she never saw who it was, for he always
came after she had put out the light; and, before the day dawned, he
was up and off again.
So things went on for a while, the lassie having everything she wanted.
But you must know, that no human being did she see from morning till
night, only the White Bear could she talk to, and she did not know what
man or monster it might be who came to sleep in her room by night. At
last she began to be silent and sorrowful and would neither eat nor
drink.
One day the White Bear came to her and said: "Lassie, why are you so
sorrowful? This castle and all that is in it are yours, the silver bell will
give you anything that you wish. I only beg one thing of you--ask no
questions, trust me and nothing shall harm you. So now be happy
again." But still the lassie had no peace of mind, for one thing she
wished to know: Who it was who came in the night and slept in her
room? All day long and all night long she wondered and longed to
know, and she fretted and pined away.
So one night, when she could not stand it any longer and she heard that
he slept, she got up, lit a bit of a candle, and let the light shine on him.
Then she saw that he was the loveliest Prince one ever set eyes on, and
she bent over and kissed him. But, as she kissed him, she dropped three
drops of hot tallow on his shirt, and he woke up.
"What have you done?" he cried; "now you have made us both unlucky,
for had you held out only this one year, I had been freed. For I am the
White Bear by day and a man by night. It is a wicked witch who has
bewitched me; and now I must set off from you to her. She lives in a
castle which stands East o' the Sun and West o' the Moon, and there are
many trolls and witches there and one of those is the wife I must now
have."
She wept, but there was no help for it; go he must.
Then she asked if she mightn't go with him?
No, she mightn't.
"Tell me the way then," she said, "and I'll search you out; that, surely, I
may get leave to do."
"Yes, you may do that," he said, "but there is no way to that place. It

lies East o' the Sun and West o' the Moon and thither you can never
find your way." And at that very moment both Prince and castle were
gone, and she lay on a little green patch in the midst of the gloomy
thick