Miss Malin(Part4)

The bride then hurried to the groom's room and said, "Now I remember what I said to the nettle bush." She repeated the words she had heard from Miss Malin. The groom asked, "Well, what did you say as we passed the cemetery road?" The bride replied, "The cemetery road? I do not talk to the cemetery road." The groom said, “Then you are not the true bride.”

At that moment, the bride ran out and mistreated Miss Malin, saying, "You filthy dishwasher, what did you say as you passed the cemetery?" The girl replied, “I only said, 'O little path, may God protect you. Know that I am not the promised fiancée.'”

The bride shouted, "This will cost you your life!" and ran back to the groom's room, saying, "Now I remember what I said to the cemetery road." She repeated everything she had heard from Miss Malin. The groom asked, "So tell me, what did you say at the entrance of the church?" The bride replied, "The entrance of the church? I do not talk to the door of the church." The groom responded, "Then it is clear that you are not the true bride." 

The bride ran out of the room again and once more mistreated and cursed Miss Malin, saying, "You filthy dishwasher, what did you say to the church door?" The girl answered, “I only said: 'O little door, may God protect you. Know that I am not the promised fiancée.'”

Fuming with anger, the bride screamed, "You will lose your head for this!" She then returned to the groom's room, saying, "Now I remember what I said to the church door." She repeated the words she had heard. The groom asked, "What did you do with the necklace I gave you at the entrance of the church?" The bride said, "What necklace? You did not give me a necklace." The groom replied, "I put it around your neck and fastened the clasp myself." He then lifted her veil and, upon seeing her hideous face, recoiled in fear, saying, "How did you get here? Who are you?" The bride answered, "I am the fiancée who was promised to you, but fearing that people would mock me, I told the kitchen maid to wear my clothes and go to the church in my place." 

The groom asked, "Where is that girl? I want to see her. Go and bring her to me." The bride left the room and told the guards that the kitchen maid had cheated, ordering them to shoot her on sight and sever her head from her body. The guards captured her and were about to drag her away when she cried out for help, so loudly that the prince heard her. He quickly ran out of his chamber and ordered them to let her go. 

Then they brought a torch, and when he saw the sparkling necklace around her neck— the very necklace he had given her at the church entrance— he said, "You are my true bride, the one who came with me to the church. Now come to my chamber." Once they were alone, he said, "On the way, you mentioned Miss Malin. If it were possible, I could have believed she was standing before me, for you resemble her greatly." The girl replied, "I am Miss Malin, the one who was imprisoned in the tower for seven years because of you, enduring hunger and thirst, living in despair and misery. But today the sun shines for me again. I have entered into marriage with you in the church, and I am your lawful wife." 

They embraced each other and lived the rest of their lives in happiness. The counterfeit bride faced the consequences of her actions and had her head cut off. The tower where Miss Malin was imprisoned remained untouched for many years, and when children passed by it, they would sing:

"Who is locked up in this tower?

The daughter of a king, I cannot see her as the walls do not give way / The stone does not budge.

My friend, give me your hand / And let us take our own path and go."