“I don’t like that old saddle,” she said. “All I have to do is turn my wishing ring and we’ll be home.”
“Very well then,” replied the drummer, “then wish us in front of the city gate.”
In an instant they were there. The drummer said, “I want to go to my parents to let them know I’m okay. Wait for me here in the field, I’ll be back soon.”
“Oh,” said the princess, “I beg you, be careful, don’t kiss your parents on the right cheek when you see them, or else you’ll forget everything, and I’ll be left all alone, abandoned out here in the field.”
“How could I forget you?” he said, and squeezed her hand, promising to be back very soon.
But when he entered his father’s house, nobody knew who he was, so much had he changed, for the three days he spent on Glass Mountain were, in fact, three long years. Then he said who he was, and his parents wept for joy, wrapping their arms around his neck, and he was so moved in his heart that, forgetting the girl’s words of warning, he kissed them on both cheeks. But as soon as he kissed them on the right cheek, he completely forgot the princess. He emptied his pockets and lay handfuls of the biggest diamonds on the table. His parents had no idea what to do with all those riches. The father built a splendid castle ringed by gardens, forests, and fields, as though a lord lived within. And when he was done, the mother said, “I have a girl for you. In three days’ time the wedding will take place.” The son acceded gladly to his parents’ wishes.
The poor princess stood outside the gates of the city, waiting a long time for the youth’s return. As darkness fell she said to herself, “He must surely have kissed his parents on the right cheek and forgotten me.” Her heart was heavy with sadness, and she resolved to retreat to a lonesome cottage in the woods and never return to her father’s court. Every evening she entered the city and walked past the drummer’s house. He sometimes caught sight of her but did not recognize her. Then one day she heard people say, “Tomorrow he will be married.”
Whereupon she said to herself, “Let me try to win back his heart.”
Come the first day of the wedding celebration, she turned her ring and said, “Make me a dress as dazzling as the sun.” No sooner were the words spoken than there before her lay a dress as glimmering as if it were woven of nothing but sunrays. When all the guests had gathered, she entered the hall. Everyone wondered at the lovely dress, most of all, the bride, and since she had a passion for beautiful garments, she went over to the stranger and asked if she would sell it to her. “Not for money,” the stranger replied, “but if I may spend the first night outside the door of the bridegroom’s room, I’ll give it to you.”
The bride could not quell her longing and agreed, but she mixed a sleeping potion in with the bridegroom’s nightly glass of wine, which made him fall into a deep sleep. When everything was still, the princess huddled before his bedroom door, opened it a crack, and called out:
“Drummer, drummer, listen up.
Tell me, how could you clean forget
The girl who by your side on Glass Mountain sat?
Did I not trick the witch and save your life?
Did you not swear to make me your wife?
Drummer, drummer, listen up.”
But it was no use, the drummer did not awaken, and come morning the princess had to leave without having gotten through to him.
On the evening of the second day of the wedding celebration, she turned her wishing ring and said, “Make me a dress as silvery as the moon.” When she appeared at the festivities wearing the dress, she once again aroused the bride’s longing and gave her the gown under the stipulation that she yet again be permitted to spend the night outside the bridegroom’s bedroom door. And she called out in the still of the night:
“Drummer, drummer, listen up.
Tell me, how could you clean forget
The girl who by your side on Glass Mountain sat?
Did I not trick the witch and save your life?
Did you not swear to make me your wife?
Drummer, drummer, listen up.”
But drugged by the sleeping potion, the drummer did not wake up. In the morning the princess sadly returned to her lonesome cottage in the woods. But the people in the house in which the drummer slept had heard the sad song of the strange girl and told the bridegroom about it. They also told him that he could not hear it because the bride had mixed a sleeping potion with his wine.
On the third night of the nuptial celebration the princess turned her wishing ring and said, “Make me a dress that glitters like the stars.” When she appeared so attired at the party the bride was beside herself with longing to possess the dress that outshone all the others and said, “I must absolutely have it.” The girl gave it to her, as she’d given the other two, in exchange for permission to spend the night outside the bridegroom’s door. But this time the bridegroom did not drink his wine, but poured it out behind the bed. And as soon as all was still in the house, he heard a soft voice calling to him: