Go back and throw the sword into the water, or, weak as I am, I will rise up and kill you.' "Back went the knight, and this time he seized the sword without looking at it, so that he should not see how beautiful it was, and then he swung it once, twice, thrice, round his head, and away it went into the lake.
And as it fell, up rose a hand and arm in a long white sleeve out of the water, and the hand caught the sword and drew it down under the water.
And then for a moment, all round the lake, the knight fancied he heard a sound of sobbing and weeping, and he thought in his heart that it must be the water-fairies weeping for the king's death.
"'What did you see by the lake ?' asked the king again, when he came back, and the knight told him.

Then the king told him to lift him up and carry him on his back down to the edge of the lake, and when they got there, what do you think they saw ?" But the children could not guess, and Milly pressed Aunt Emma's hand hard to make her go on.
"They saw a great black ship coming slowly over the water, and on the ship were numbers of people in black, sobbing and crying, so that the air was full of a sound of weeping, and in front sat three queens in long black dresses, and with gold crowns on their heads, and they, too, were weeping and wringing their hands.
"'Lift me up,' said the king, when the ship came close beside them, 'and put me into the ship.' And the knight lifted him up, while the three queens stretched out their hands and drew him into the ship.
"'Oh, king! take me with you,' said the knight, 'take me too.

What shall I do all alone without you ?' But the ship began to move away, and the knight was left standing on the shore.

Only he fancied he heard the king's voice saying, 'Wait for me, I shall come again.

Farewell!' "And the ship went faster and faster away into the darkness, for it was a fairy ship, till at last the knight could see it no more.