And as the spell was laid upon it, it shrivelled it into a tiny round ball like a seed, and she strung it on to a thread where were many others like it.
Seventy times seven was the number of beads on this strange rosary.
Then she laid it away until the time when it should be needed.
"When the night of the first ball rolled around, Olga combed her long golden hair and twined it with a wreath of snowy water-lilies, and then she stood before the old dame in her dress of tow.

To her wonderment and grief she saw the old flax-spinner had no silken robe in waiting, only a string of beads which she clasped around Olga's white throat.

Each bead in the necklace looked like a little shrivelled seed, and Olga's eyes were filled with tears of disappointment.
"'Obey me and all will be well,' said the old dame.

'When thou reachest the castle gate clasp one bead in thy fingers and say: "'"For love's sweet sake, in my hour of need, Blossom and deck me, little seed." "'Straightway, right royally shalt thou be clad.

Thou hast been a good daughter to me, and thus I reward thee.