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The princess, who of course knew that there was no army in the neighborhood, and who moreover did not in the least care which way she went, assented to the Red Chiefs proposition, and taking the bag of sapphires, bowed her farewell to the grateful robbers, and followed their leader down a ferny path which led to the farther end of the forest. When they came to the open country, the robber chieftain took his leave of the princess, with profound bows and many protestations of devotion, and returned to his band, who were already preparing to plunge into the impenetrable thickets of the midforest.
The princess, meantime, with her two bags of gems on her shoulders, fared forward with a light heart, by dale and by down, through moss and through meadow. By-and-by she came to a fair high palace, built all of marble and shining jasper, with smooth lawns about it, and sunny gardens of roses and gillyflowers, from which the air blew so sweet that it was a pleasure to breathe it. The princess stood still for a moment, to taste the sweetness of this air, and to look her fill at so fair a spot; and as she stood there, it chanced that the palace-gates opened, and the young king rode out with his court, to go a-catching of nighthawks.
Now when the king saw a right fair princess standing alone at his palace-gate, her rich garments dusty and travel-stained, and two heavy sacks hung upon her shoulders, he was filled with amazement; and leaping from his steed, like the gallant knight that he was, he besought her to tell him whence she came and whither
she was going, and in what way he might be of service to her.
But the princess looked down at her little dusty shoes, and answered never a word; for she had seen at the first glance how fair and goodly a king this was, and she would not ask him the price of butter, nor whether his grandmother had sold her mangle yet. But she thought in her heart, Now, I have never, in all my life, seen a man to whom I would so willingly say, With all my heart! if he should ask me to marry him.
The king marvelled much at her silence, and presently repeated his questions, adding, And what do you carry so carefully in those two sacks, which seem over-heavy for your delicate shoulders?
Still holding her eyes downcast, the princess took a ruby from one bag, and a sapphire from the other, and in silence handed them to the king, for she willed that he should know she was no beggar, even though her shoes were dusty. Thereat all the nobles were filled with amazement, for no such gems had ever been seen in that country.
But the king looked steadfastly at the princess, and said, Rubies are fine, and sapphires are fair; but, maiden, if I could but see those eyes of yours, I warrant that the gems would look pale and dull beside them.
At that the princess raised her clear dark eyes, and looked at the king and smiled; and the glance of her eyes pierced straight to his heart, so that he fell on his knees and cried:
Ah! sweet princess, now do I know that thou art the love for whom I have waited so long, and whom I have sought through so many lands. Give me thy white hand, and tell me, either by word or by sign, that thou wilt be my queen and my bride!
And the princess, like a right royal maiden as she was, looked him straight in the eyes, and giving him her little white hand, answered bravely, With all my heart!
HOKEY POKEY
Will you be a butcher? asked his father.
No, said Hokey Pokey.
Will you be a baker?
No, again.
Will you make candlesticks?
Nor that either.
Then, said his father, this is the only fortune I can give you; and with that he took up his cudgel and gave the youth a stout beating. Now you cannot complain that I gave you nothing, said he.
That is true, said Hokey Pokey. But give me also the wooden mallet which lies on the shelf, and I will make my way through the world.
His father gave him the mallet, glad to be so easily rid of him, and Hokey Pokey went out into the world to seek his fortune. He walked all day, and at nightfall he came to a small village. Feeling hungry, he went into a bakers shop, intending to buy a loaf of bread for his supper. There was a great noise and confusion in the back part of the shop; and on going to see what was the matter, he found the baker on his knees beside a large box or chest, which he was trying with might and main to keep shut. But there was something inside the box which was trying just as hard to get out, and it screamed and kicked, and pushed the lid up as often as the baker shut it down.
What have you there in the box? asked Hokey Pokey.
I have my wife, replied the baker. She is so frightfully ill-tempered that whenever I am going to bake bread I am obliged to shut her up in this box, lest she push me into the oven and bake me with the bread, as she has often threatened to do. But to-day she has broken the lock of the box, and I know not how to keep her down.
That is easily managed, said Hokey Pokey. Do you but tell her, when she asks who I am, that I am a giant with three heads, and all will be well. So saying, he took his wooden mallet and dealt three tremendous blows on the box, saying in a loud voice,