" at what time does the princess ride to her dearest to - night ? " said he . " at one o'clock sharp , " bleated the goat . when the time came , the comrade was standing in the stable , wearing his three - sisters hat , and after the princess had anointed the goat and spoken her formula , off they went through the air as before , with the comrade sitting in back . but this time he was anything but gentle , and kept giving the princess a cuff here , and a cuff there , until she had received a terrible drubbing . when she reached the wall of rock , she knocked three times , the hill opened , and they flew through it to her dearest . she complained bitterly to him , and said she would never have thought it possible that the weather could affect one so . it had seemed to her as though some one were flying along with them , beating her and the goat , and her whole body must be covered with black and blue spots , so badly had she been thrashed . and then she told how the suitor had again had the ball of twine . how he had managed to get it , neither she nor the troll could guess . " but do you know the thought that came to me ? " said she . of course the troll did not . 
the comrade kept giving the princess a cuff here , and a cuff there , until she had received a terrible drubbing .
what was the real reason why the princess had been thrashed ?
what was the real reason why the princess had been thrashed ?