The Grave Prince and the Beneficent Cat.

There once was a king in Tirol who had three sons. The eldest was grave

and thoughtful beyond his years; but he seldom spoke to any one, took

no pleasure in pastimes, and lived apart from those of his age. The

other two were clever and merry, always forward at any game, or at any

piece of fun, and passed all their time in merry-making and enjoyment.

Now though the eldest son was, by his character, more adapted to make

a wise and prudent sovereign, yet the two younger brothers, by their

lively, engaging manner, had made themselves much more popular in

the country; they were also the favourites of their father, but the

eldest was the darling of his mother.

The king was old and stricken in years, and would gladly have given

up the cares of government, and passed his declining years in peace,

but he could not make up his mind to which of the brothers he should

delegate his authority. The queen was persuaded of the excellent

capacity of her eldest son; but the two younger were always saying

he was half mad, and not fit to govern, and as they had the people

on their side, he greatly feared lest the kingdom should be involved

in civil war, so he always put off making any arrangement.

One day, however, an ancient counsellor observed to him, that if he

really feared that there would be a dispute about the succession,

it was much better to have it decided now while he was alive to act

as umpire, than that it should befall when they would be left to

wrangle with no one to make peace between them.

The king found the counsel good, and decided to retire from the

government, and to proclaim his eldest son king in his stead. When the

two younger sons, however, heard what he intended to do, they came

to him and urged their old charge, that their elder brother was not

fit to govern, and entreated the king to halve the kingdom between

them. But the king, anxious as he was to gratify them, yet feared to

displease the queen by committing so great an injustice against her

eldest son; and thus they were no further advanced than before.

Then the old counsellor who had offered his advice before spoke again,

and suggested that some task should be set for the three, and that

whoever succeeded in that should be king beyond dispute.

The three sons all swore to abide by this decision; and the king found

the counsel good. But now the difficulty arose, what should he set

them to do? for they had insisted so much on the weak intellect of

the eldest, that the queen feared lest, after all, he should fail in

the trial, and her care for him be defeated. She knew he had never

practised himself in feats of strength, or in the pursuit of arms,

so it was useless proposing such as these for the test, but she

persuaded him to set them something much simpler.

So, having called an assembly of all the people, he proclaimed

aloud that the three brothers should travel for a year and a day,

and whichever of them should bring him back the finest drinking-horn,

he should be the king--the three sons swearing to abide by his award.

The two younger brothers set out with a great retinue; and, as they

did not apprehend much difficulty in surpassing their brother in

whatever they might undertake, they spent the greater part of the year

allowed them in amusing themselves, secure in bringing back the best,

whatever they might bring.

The eldest set out alone through the forest. In his lonely wanderings

he had often observed a strangely beautiful castle on a far-off

mountain, concerning which he could find no record in any of his

books, nor could he learn that any one living knew any thing about

it. He now resolved to make his way thither, persuaded that if he was

to find something surpassing the work of human hands, it was like to

be in this enchanted castle.

Though it was so high-placed, the way was much easier than he thought,

and he was not more than five months getting there; so that he had

ample time for exploring its precincts, and yet get back within the

appointed date. He had, indeed, to traverse dark forests and steep

rocky paths, but when he got near the castle all these difficulties

ceased. Here there were only easy slopes of greensward, diapered

by sparkling flowers; broad-leaved trees throwing delicious shade;

and rills that meandered with a pleasant music. Delicious bowers

and arcades of foliage of sweet-scented plants invited to repose;

and every where luscious fruits hung temptingly within reach. Birds

sang on every branch with a soft, dreamy melody which soothed, and

disturbed not the lightest slumber.

The prince thought it would have been delightful to pass the remainder

of his days there, but he remembered that it was an important mission

with which he was entrusted, and he passed on.

A broad flight of marble steps led from these amenities up to the

palace, and every now and then a thousand little jets were turned on,

to pour their tiny floods over them, and cool them for the tread of

those who entered.

And yet no one was near, no one to enjoy all this magnificence! The

prince entered the hall, but no one came to meet him; he passed through

the long corridors--all were deserted; he entered one apartment after

another--still no one. At last he came to one charming boudoir all

hung with pink satin, and lace, and beautiful flowers. On a pink

satin sofa covered with lace sat a large Cat with soft grey fur,

and soft grey eyes--the first living thing he had met!

As he entered, the Cat rose to meet him, walking on her hind-paws,

and, holding out her right front-paw in the most gracious manner,

asked him, in a sweet, clear voice, if there was any thing she could

do for him. Then, as if the effort was too great, she let herself

down on all fours, and rubbed her soft grey head against his boots.

Finding her so friendly, he was going to take her up in his arms:

this she would not allow, however, but sprang with an agile bound on

to a ledge above his head. "And now tell me," said she, "what is it

you want me to do for you?"

"Really, Lady Purrer, you are so kind, you confuse me! But, to tell

you the truth, I fear--"

"You fear that a poor puss can't be of any use," interposed the

Cat, smartly, "and that your requirements are much above her feeble

comprehension. But never mind, tell me all the same; there is little

fear but that I can help you, and if I can't, the telling me will do

you no harm."

"Quite the contrary," replied the prince, "it will be a great pleasure

to have only your sympathy, for I am in great distress." Her voice

was so sweet and kind, that he quite forgot it was only a Cat he was

talking to.

"Poor prince!" said the Cat, soothingly; "tell me all about it,

then. But stop, I'll tell you first what I think. I'm sure you are not

appreciated at home. I saw it in your look when you first came in. You

don't look bright and enterprising, as you ought to look. You look

as if you lived too much alone. Oh, you would be twice as handsome

if you only looked a little more lively and energetic--" and then

she stopped short, and sneezed a great many times, as if she feared

she had said what was not quite proper, and some other sound would

efface that of her words.

"There is a great deal of truth in what you say," replied the prince;

"they don't care much about me at home--at least my mother does,

but my father and brothers don't. And I do live too much alone--but

it's not my fault: it's a bad way of mine, and I don't know how to

get out of it."

"You want some one to pet you, and spoil you, and make you very happy;

and then you would be pleased to go into the society of others, because

then you could say to yourself, I'll show them that there's some one

understands me and makes a fuss about me--" and she stopped short,

as before.

"But who should care to spoil and pet me?" cried the prince,

despondingly, and too much interested in her words to see any reason

why she should be confused at what she had said.

"Why, a nice little wife, to be sure!" replied the Cat.

"A wife!" exclaimed the prince; "oh yes, my father's grey-bearded

counsellors will find me some damsel whom it is necessary I should

marry for the peace of the kingdom; and to her I shall be tied, and,

be she an idiot or a shrew, I shall have no voice in the matter."

"But do you mean to say," retorted the Cat, in a more excited voice,

"that if you found a nice little princess--I don't say any one they

could with justice object to, but a real princess--who cared very

much for you, and made you very happy, very happy indeed, so that you

determined to marry her, that you wouldn't be man enough to say to your

father and all his counsellors, 'Here is the princess I mean to make

my wife; I feel Heaven intended her for me. I am sure she will be the

joy of my people, as she is mine, and no other shall share my throne'?"

"Wouldn't I," exclaimed the prince, with energy, starting to his feet,

and placing his hand instinctively on his sword, his eye flashing

and the colour mounting in his cheek.

"Ah! if you always looked like that! Now, you are handsome

indeed!" exclaimed the Cat, enthusiastically, and purred away. "But,"

she added, immediately after, "all this time you haven't told me what

it was you came for."

"Ah!" said the prince, despondingly, at finding himself thus recalled

to the prosaic realities of his melancholy life from that brief

dream of happiness. "No; because you have been talking to me of more

interesting things" (the Cat purred audibly); and then he told her

what it was had really brought him there.

"You see, your mother understands your character better than all

the rest," said the Cat. "She knew you could be trusted to prove

your superiority over your brothers, though the others hope you

may fail. However, fail you won't this time, for I can give you a

drinking-horn which neither your brothers nor any one else on earth

can match!"

With that she sprang lightly on to the soft carpet, and ran out of

the room, beckoning to him to follow her. She led him through a long

suite of rooms till they came to a large dining-hall all panelled

with oak and filled with dark carved-oak furniture. In the centre of

one end of this hall, high up in the panelling, was an inlaid safe or

tabernacle curiously wrought. Puss gave one of her agile springs on to

the top of this cabinet, and, having opened its folding-doors gently

with her paw, disclosed to view a drinking-horn such as the prince had

never seen. It was a white semi-transparent horn, but close-grained,

like ivory, and all finely carved with designs of curious invention;

the dresses of the figures were all made of precious stones cunningly

let in, and they sparkled with a vivid lustre, like so many lamps. Then

it had a rim, stand, and handle of massive gold exquisitely chased,

and adorned with rows of pearls and diamonds.

"Kind Lady Purrer," exclaimed the prince, "you are right, there is

no doubt of my success! But how can I ever sufficiently thank you

for what you have done for me? for I owe all to you."

"And a little to your own discernment too," said the Cat, archly. "And

now, always look as much alive and as bright as you do now, and you

will see people will think better of you."

"But when shall I see you again, most sweet counsellor? May I come

back and see you again?" pleaded the prince, and he tried to stroke

her sleek fur as she rubbed her soft grey head, purring, against

his boots. The stroking, however, she would by no means allow, but

springing again on to the top of the cabinet, she said,--

"Oh, yes; it will not be long before you will have to come back to me,

I know. But go, now; you have spent more time here than you think,

and you have only just enough left to get back within the year."

The prince turned to obey her; and the Cat jumped down, and ran by his

side, purring. When he got out into the grounds again, she followed

him, climbing from tree to tree; and when he came to the boundary-wall

she ran all along on the coping. But here at last they had to part,

to her great regret, and for many a lonely mile he still heard her

low and plaintive mew.

It was true, he must have spent more time in her pleasant company than

he had thought, for when he reached home he found the day of trial

had arrived; the streets were deserted, and all the people gathered

in the palace to see the drinking-horns his brothers had brought,

and talking loudly of their magnificence. He passed through their

midst without being recognized, for the people knew him so little;

and thus he heard them speak of his younger brothers:--

"What bright faces they have! and what a merry laugh! it does the

heart good to hear them," said one.

"I wonder how the kingdom will be divided, and which half will be to

which of them," said another.

"For my part, I don't care to the lot of which I fall, for both are

excellent good fellows," replied a third.

And thus they had clearly settled in their own mind that his brothers

had carried the day, and they didn't even trouble themselves to

think what he would bring, or whether he would come back at all. It

was the same thing all the way along. The words were varied, but the

same idea prevailed every where, that the younger brothers had made

good their claim; there was no question at all of the eldest. The

prince's face was growing moody again; but just then one good woman,

wiping the soap-suds from her hands as she turned from her washing at

the river to join the throng, exclaimed, as she heard some neighbours

talking thus, "Hoity toity! it's all very well with you and your

laughing princes--a grave one for me, say I! Laughing may lead a man

to throw away his money, but it won't teach him to feed the poor,

or govern a kingdom. Wait till the Grave Prince comes back! I'll

warrant he'll bring the bravest drinking-horn!"

A chorus of mocking laughter greeted her defence of him.

"He bring the bravest drinking-horn!" said one.

"Don't believe he knows what a drinking-horn is for--or drink

either!" said another.

"No; his brothers understand that best, at all events. I like a man

who can drink his glass."

"And I like one who doesn't drink it, whether he can or not; but

keeps his head clear for his business," said the good wife who had

defended him before.

And as there were a good many who were too fond of the bottle in the

crowd, the laugh raised at him was turned against them.

He had one defender, then, in all that mass of people, but all the

rest judged him incapable, and without trial! He was too disheartened,

to make his way into the great hall where the success of his brothers

was being proclaimed, but instead trod sadly and secretly up to his

mother's chamber.

The queen was too distressed at the absence of her favourite son to

take part in the jocular scene below, and was seated, full of anxiety,

at her window, watching.

"What do you here, my son?" she exclaimed, when he entered; "you have

but one short half-hour more, and the time will be expired. The sun is

already gone down, and the time once past, whatever you have brought,

it will avail you not! Haste, my son, to the council-hall!"

"It is useless, mother; all are against me!" cried the prince; and

he laid the beautiful flagon on the table, and sank upon a chair.

In the mean time it had grown dark, but the queen, impelled by her

curiosity to know what success her son had had, pulled off the wrapper

that enclosed the drinking-horn, and instantly the apartment was

brilliantly lighted by the light of the precious stones with which

it was studded!

"My son, this is a priceless work! This is worth a kingdom! Nothing

your brothers can have brought can compare with this--haste, then,

my son!" and she led him along.

It was dark in the council-hall too; but when the queen had dragged

her son up to the throne where the king sat, she uncovered the flagon,

and the sparkling stones sent their radiance into every part.

Then there was one shout of praise. The drinking-horns of the younger

brothers, which had anon been so highly extolled, were no more thought

of, and every one owned that the Grave Prince had won the trial.

The king declared it was too late for any more business that night,

the proclamation of the new sovereign would be made the next morning;

and in the meantime they all retired to rest, the Grave Prince with

some new sensations of satisfaction and hope, and the queen assured

of the triumph of her son.

But in the silent night, when all were wrapt in slumber, and the king

could not sleep for the anxiety and perplexity which beset him as to

his successor, the two young brothers came to him and complained that

they had been circumvented. The Grave Prince had always shown himself

so gloomy and unenergetic, it was impossible they could conceive he

was going to distinguish himself, so they had taken no trouble to

beat him; but if their father would but allow another trial, they

would undertake he should not have the advantage of them again.

So the next day, instead of proclaiming the new sovereign, the king

announced that he had determined there should be a fresh trial

of skill; and whichever of the princes should bring him the best

hunting-whip, that day year, should have the crown.

The princes set off next day on their travels once more, the eldest

son of course directing his towards the castle of the Beneficent Cat.

This time he had not to traverse a file of deserted halls before

meeting her; she sat looking out for him on the coping of the wall

where he had left her mewing so piteously when he last parted from her.

"I told you it would not be long before you would have to come back

to me," she said, as he approached. "What can I do for you this time?"

"My brothers are discontented at being beaten with your beautiful

beaker," replied the prince, gallantly, "and they have demanded another

trial: this time my father sends us in quest of a hunting-whip."

"A hunting-whip?" echoed the Cat; "that is lucky, for I can suit you

with one neither they nor any one else on this earth can surpass!" and

she frisked merrily along the path before him till they came to the

stables; then she took him into a room where all manner of saddles,

and horse-gear, and hunting-horns were stored. But on a high ledge,

at the very top of the room, was a dusty hunting-whip of the most

unpretending appearance. With one of her bold springs she reached

the ledge, and jumped down again with this whip in her mouth.

"It is not much to look at, I own," she said, as she observed the

perplexed look with which the prince surveyed the present; "but

its excellent qualities are its recommendation. You have but to

crack this whip, and your horse will take any thing you put him at,

be it a river half a mile wide, or a tree fifty feet high. There

are plenty of horses in the stable, saddle any of them you like,

and make experience of it for yourself."

The prince did as she bid him; and at sound of the enchanted whip

his mount leapt with equal ease over hills and valleys.

"This is a whip indeed!" exclaimed the prince, his face flushed with

the unwonted exercise, and his heart beating high at the idea of

being the bearer of such a prize.

"Ah, that's how I like to see you!" said the friendly puss; "I like

to see you like that. Now you are handsome indeed!" and she scampered

away, as if coyly ashamed of what she had said.

It was not long before she returned; and then she invited the prince

into the next room, where an elegant dinner was laid out, of which

the Cat did the honours very demurely. A high divan was arranged

at the top of the table, on which she reclined, and ate and lapped

alternately out of the plates ready before her, while invisible

attendants served the viands and filled the glasses.

When they had finished their meal, they went out to repose in the

flowery bowers; and when the heat of the day was past, the Beneficent

Cat reminded her guest that he must be thinking of going home, if he

would not that his brothers should supplant him.

"Must I go so soon, sweet Lady Purrer?" replied the prince. "I know

not how to part from you; it seems I should be happy if I were always

with you. I have never felt so happy any where before!"

"You are very gallant, prince," responded the Cat, "and you have no

idea how well it becomes you to look as you do now; but the affairs

of your kingdom must be your first thought. You must first secure

your succession--and then we must look out for the nice little wife

we talked of last time."

"Ah," sighed the Grave Prince, "don't talk of that--that is not

for me! No one beautiful enough for me to care about will ever care

for me!"

"Not if you look desponding and gloomy, like that," replied the

Cat. "Do you know, you look quite like another being when you look

so gloomy; and yet you can be so handsome when you look bright and

hopeful! But now," she proceeded, laying her soft paw on his arm

to arrest the futile justification which rose to his lips, "before

you go, I have something very important to tell you. You will now go

back, and with the hunting-whip I have given you, you are safe to win

the trial which is to establish your right to the kingdom. But there

will be yet another trial exacted of you, and you will have to come

back again to me. What you are to do then, I must tell you now, for

it requires great prudence and courage, and one principal thing is,

that you don't say a word to me all the time. Can you promise that?"

"Well, that is hard indeed," said the prince; "but still, if you

command it, I think I can promise to obey, for the sake of pleasing

you."

"Then the next thing is harder. Do you think you can do whatever

I command?"

"Oh yes, I am sure I can promise that!" replied the prince, warmly.

"Mind, whatever I command, then--however hard, or however dreadful

it may be?"

"Yes, any thing--however hard, or however dreadful!"

"But will you swear it?"

"I see you doubt my courage," said the prince, half offended. "You

take me for a fool, like the rest. But no wonder; I know I look like

a fool!"

"Now don't look gloomy again! you were so handsome just now when

you said so firmly you would do 'any thing.' Will you gratify me

by swearing?"

"You doubt my courage."

"No; I don't doubt your courage. But I know how terrible a thing I

have to command you; and I know how many others have failed before

you. Now will you not swear, but to please me?"

"Yes; I swear," said the prince, energetically, "to do whatever it

may be that you tell me to do."

"Now, remember, you have undertaken it solemnly. This is what you

must do. When you come in, you will find me sitting on the kitchen

stove; you must then seize me by my two hind-paws, and dash me upon

the hearthstone till there is nothing left of me in your hands,

but the fur!"

"Oh dear! I can never do that!" exclaimed the prince, in great

embarrassment.

"But you have sworn to do whatever I told you!" replied the Cat.

"Well, but I thought you were going to order me to do something

rational, something noble and manly, requiring courage and

strength--not a horrible act like this."

"If it is the thing that has to be done, it does not matter what it

is. Besides, it does require courage, great courage; and that is why

I would not tell you first what it was, because others have failed

when they knew what it was."

"And you expect me to have less feeling and affection for you than

they?"

"No; but I expect more sense and judgment of you. I expect you to

understand and believe that if I say it has to be done, it is really

for the best, and that you will trust to me that it is right. And I

expect that you will respect your promise, which was made without

limit or exception. But now, go; you have no time to lose, if you

want to reach home with the hunting-whip in time for the trial."

He rose to leave; and she followed him down the path, purring by

his side. And after she had taken leave of him at the boundary-wall,

he heard her mewing sad adieus as he went on for many a weary mile.

When the prince reached the council-hall, he found, as before,

that his brothers were there first, and that every one seemed to

have decided that they had won the day--in fact no one showed any

curiosity to know what he would bring. As he had beaten them by his

lustrous jewels before, they had fancied he would bring something of

the same sort again; so, to conquer him on his own ground, they had

sought out and found two handles of hunting-whips mounted with jewels

as sparkling as those of his drinking-horn. When they saw him come

in with the shabby old whip the Beneficent Cat had given him, they

laughed outright in his face; and the king, in a fit of indignation,

ordered him to leave the hall for venturing to insult him by bringing

such a present. Some laughed him to scorn, and some abused him; but no

one would listen to a word he had to say. At last the tumult was so

great that it reached the queen's ears; and when she had learnt what

was the matter, she insisted that he should have a hearing allowed

him. When silence had been proclaimed the Grave Prince said,--

"It is true, my whip is not so splendid as that of my brothers, but

jewels are out of place on a hunting-whip, it seems to me; the handle

is wanted to be smooth, so that the hand may take a firm grip of it,

rather than to be covered with those points and unevennesses. The

merit of my whip is not in the handle, it is in the lash, which has

such excellent qualities, that you have but to crack it, and your

horse will immediately take you over any obstruction there may be in

your way--be it a house or a mountain, or what you will. If you will

allow me, I will give you proof of its powers."

Then they all adjourned to the terrace in front of the council-hall,

where was a fine avenue of lofty cypresses; and the queen ordered

a horse to be brought round from the stables. The people had never

seen the prince on horseback before; and when they saw him looking so

gallant, and noble, and determined, they could not forbear cheering

him, till his younger brothers began to fear that his real worth

would soon be found out, and their malice exposed.

Then the prince cracked his whip--and away went the horse over the tops

of the high trees, seeming to scrape the clouds as he passed. All

the people were lost in admiration, no one had ever seen such a

sight before; and while they were wondering whether it was possible

he could have reached the ground in safety from such a height, there

was a murmur in the air, and they saw him coming back again over the

tree-tops. With no more apparent effort than if he had merely taken

a hedge, he came softly to the ground; and then, kneeling gracefully

before his father on one knee, without a word of boasting or reproach,

he laid the clever whip at his feet.

The king raised him up, and said, aloud to the people, none could deny

that it was this whip that had won the trial, but that as it was now

late, he must leave the ceremony of proclaiming his successor till

the morrow.

All went home for the night, and the old king also went to bed; but he

could not sleep for anxiety, thinking of the anger and dissatisfaction

of his younger sons. And presently, in the silent hour, they came

to him, and said that he must allow them another trial; that it

was impossible they could conceive he meant them to bring him a

fantastical whip of that sort, or of course they would have brought

one which could do much better things. They thought it was the beauty

of the workmanship they had to look to, and so they had provided for

nothing else. They urged their suit so persistently, that the king,

who was now very old and weak, agreed to let them have their way.

Accordingly, next morning he had it proclaimed that the three princes

were to make one trial more; and that whichever brought back the most

beautiful and virtuous princess for his wife should have the crown.

The three princes set out again early the next morning; the two younger

ones providing themselves with jewels and riches, and many precious

things for presents; the eldest taking nothing, but walking off alone

towards the enchanted castle with a heavy heart. "It is all up with

me now," he said to himself, "after all! Why couldn't my father have

been satisfied when I had beaten them twice? Now I have to kill the

Beneficent Cat--the only being that ever assisted me; and then I shall

have no one to help me at all! They will come back with two beautiful

princesses, and I shall come back looking like a fool, because no

princess will ever come with me--and they will take my kingdom, and

laugh at me into the bargain! If it was not for my mother, I would

never come back at all; but it would break her heart if I stayed away,

and she is the only one of them who understands me and cares for me."

As he got nearer the castle, he grew more and more sad. "Why did she

make me swear? If it hadn't been for that, I could still have escaped

doing it; but now I cannot break my oath;" and he trudged on.

The gardens looked more lovely than ever. The scent of the flowers

seemed sweeter, and the melody of the birds more soothing. All was

full of harmony--and he who had never harmed a fly must cruelly use

the soft and beautiful Cat who had so befriended him!

He passed through the apartments where puss had purred round him so

happily--the dining-room where they had had their pleasant repast

together--the boudoir where she had given him such wise counsel.

At last he came to the kitchen; and there, sure enough, was the Cat

cosily curled round, her soft grey head buried in her long grey fur.

An energy and daring he had never known before seemed suddenly to

possess him. He took care not to speak, for she had particularly

recommended silence; but, approaching her on tiptoe, seized her rapidly

by her hind-paws before she had time to wake from her pleasant slumber,

and dashed her several times upon the hearth, scarcely knowing what

he did in his horror, till he perceived that he had nothing left in

his hand but the soft, limp, grey fur.

He sank upon the ground in tears, and commenced laying it out tenderly

before him, when he was woken from his reverie by a mellow ringing

laugh, which made him look up--and there before him stood the most

beautiful, fairy-like princess that ever was seen on this earth!

"Well done, kind prince! you have nobly kept your word. And see what

I have gained thereby--instead of that grey fur, I now have a form

which will perhaps make me meet to fulfil the condition your father

has imposed on you for obtaining your throne!"

Her voice, and the glance of her soft eyes, seemed quite familiar

to him--it was the voice which had first inspired him with hope and

enterprise, and the mild light which had beamed on him when he said he

could be happy to be always near her in her bower. How much more now,

when she appeared in such matchless guise!

He remained kneeling at her feet, and asked her if it was indeed true

that she could love him and be with him always as his wife.

"Nay," she replied, raising him up; "it is I who ought to be

astonished. I have nothing to refuse, for I owe you all; and as,

but for you, I should still be nothing but a poor grey Cat, I belong

to you, and am absolutely yours. It is I who have to be astonished,

and to ask you if it is possible you who have known me as a Cat can

really love me and regard me as worthy to be indeed your wife."

"You are mocking me again, I see," he replied; "but you do not

really think me so insensible as not to appreciate your beauty,

and the prudence and generosity of which you have given me such

abundant proof? No; if you will come with me, I have no fear but that

I shall win the trial this time beyond all possibility of demanding

another." He spoke warmly, and his face beamed with joy. The princess

was leaning on his arm, and looked up in his face as he spoke.

"Ah, now you do look!--No, I suppose I mustn't say it now I have

no longer my cat-disguise to hide my blushes," she said, archly;

and they passed on into the reception-hall.

The attendants were no longer invisible. Together with their mistress

they had received their forms and original life; and the corridors

and apartments were filled with her people bustling to serve her. A

banquet was prepared in the dining-hall; and when they had partaken

of it, and had regaled themselves in the bower with happy talk, the

princess reminded the prince--now no longer grave--that it was time

for them to be going back to his father. A great train of carriages

and horses were brought round, with mounted guards and running-footmen,

and all the retinue which became a noble princess.

The princess was carried in a litter by six men in embroidered

liveries, and her ladies with her; and the prince rode on horseback,

close by her side.

This time, though it was near the close of the last day, his brothers

had not appeared when he reached the council-hall. The king and the

queen received the Beneficent Princess with smiles and admiration,

and all the people praised her beauty; and the queen said,--

"There is no fear, my son, that your brothers can demand another

trial this time."

Before she had done speaking, a messenger was hastily ushered into

the hall, covered with dust and stains of travel. He came from the

two younger princes, and had a sorrowful tale to tell.

They had striven to obtain the hands of the princesses of the

neighbouring kingdom; but the king was a prudent sovereign, and

discerned their envious, selfish character. When they found he repulsed

their advances, they had endeavoured to carry off the princesses by

force; but the king had surprised them in the midst of their design,

and had had them shut up as midnight robbers.

The old king was in great distress when he heard the news, for

his sons had manifestly been taken in the midst of wrong-doing,

and he could not defend their acts nor avenge their shame. But the

eldest son took on himself the mission of pacifying the neighbouring

sovereign and delivering his brothers. Having accomplished which, they

were fain to acknowledge that he was not only victor in the trials,

but their deliverer also; and they swore to maintain peace with him,

and obey him as his faithful subjects.

So the old king proclaimed the Grave Prince for his successor, and

married him to the Beneficent Princess, amid great rejoicing of all

the people; and the queen had the happiness of seeing her eldest son

acknowledged as the most prudent prince, and the ruler of the people,

and gifted with a beautiful and devoted wife.