when they sat down to the table the king 's son -- the same who had been at the giant's -- said it would be no more than right to invite the maiden , too , who had lent them the poker , and the door and the calf : " for if we had not had these things , we should not have moved from the spot . " this seemed right to the king , so he sent five of his most distinguished courtiers to the little golden house . they were to carry the king 's kindest greetings , and ask that the maiden come up to the castle and take dinner with them . " a kind greeting to the king , and if he is too good to come to me , then i am too good to go to him , " said the master girl . so the king had to go to her himself , and then she went along with him at once , and the king saw very well that she was more than she appeared to be , and gave her a place at the head of the table , next to the young bridegroom . after they had been at dinner for a while , the master girl produced the rooster and the hen and the golden apple -- they were the three things she had taken along from the giant 's castle -- and placed them on the table before her . at once the rooster and the hen began to fight for the golden apple . " why , just see how the two fight for the golden apple ! " said the king 's son . " yes , that is how we had to fight the time we wanted to get out of the rock ! " said the master girl . and then the king 's son recognized her , and was very happy . the witch who had rolled the apple over to him was duly punished . then the wedding really began , and the bailiff , and the clerk and the magistrate held out to the very end , for all that their wings had been so thoroughly singed .
she was more than she appeared to be .
why did the king give the master girl a place at the head of the table ?
why did the king give the master girl a place at the head of the table ?