A converse story is afforded by the first part of the Norse tale translated by Dasent in _Popular Tales from the Norse_, 1888, p. 39, under the title of _Hacon Grizzlebeard_. A princess refuses all suitors, and mocks them publicly. Hacon Grizzlebeard, a prince, comes to woo her. She makes the king's fool mutilate the prince's horses, and then makes game of his appearance as he drives out the next day. Resolved to take his revenge, Hacon disguises himself as a beggar, attracts the princess's notice by means of a golden spinning-wheel, its stand, and a golden wool-winder, and sells them to her for the privilege of sleeping firstly outside her door, secondly beside her bed, and finally in it. The rest of the tale narrates Hacon's method of breaking down the princess's pride.
Other parallels of incident and phraseology may be noted:--
4.1 'well good steed'; 'well good,' a commonplace = very good; for 'well good steed,' cf. _John o' the Side_, 34.3 (p. 162 of this volume).
7.1 'Four-and-twenty knights.' The number is a commonplace in ballads; especially cf. _The Beggar Laddie_ (as above), Child's text A, st. 13:
'Four an' tuenty gentelmen They conved the beager ben, An' as mony gay ladës Conved the beager's lassie.'
12.4 For the proper mediæval horror of 'churl's blood,' see _Glasgerion_, stt. 12, 19 (First Series, pp. 4, 5).
13.3 'meal-pock.' The meal-bag was part of the professional beggar's outfit; see _Will Stewart and John_, 78.3 (Child, No. 107, ii. 437). For blinding with meal-dust, see _Robin Hood and the Beggar_, ii. 77, 78 (Child, No. 134, iii. 163). The meal-pock also occurs in _The Jolly Beggar_, as cited above.
Draw me near, draw me near, Draw me near, ye jolly jugglere!
1. Here beside dwelleth A rich baron's daughter; She would have no man That for her love had sought her. _So nice she was!_
2. She would have no man That was made of mould, But if he had a mouth of gold To kiss her when she would. _So dangerous she was!_
3. Thereof heard a jolly juggler That laid was on the green; And at this lady's words I wis he had great teen. _An-ang'red he was!_
4. He juggled to him a well good steed Of an old horse-bone, A saddle and a bridle both, And set himself thereon. _A juggler he was!_