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which　dwelt　the　king。　John　and　his　companion　would　not　go　into　the
town　immediately；　so　they　stopped　at　an　inn　outside　the　town；　to
change　their　clothes；　for　they　wished　to　appear　respectable　as　they
walked　through　the　streets。　The　landlord　told　them　that　the　king　was　a
very　good　man；　who　never　injured　any　one：　but　as　to　his　daughter；

〃Heaven　defend　us！〃

She　was　indeed　a　wicked　princess。　She　possessed　beauty　enough…
nobody　could　be　more　elegant　or　prettier　than　she　was；　but　what　of
that？　for　she　was　a　wicked　witch；　and　in　consequence　of　her　conduct
many　noble　young　princes　had　lost　their　lives。　Any　one　was　at
liberty　to　make　her　an　offer；　were　he　a　prince　or　a　beggar；　it
mattered　not　to　her。　She　would　ask　him　to　guess　three　things　which　she　had　just　thought　of；　and　if　he　succeed；　he　was　to　marry　her；　and　be　king　over　all　the　land　when　her　father　died；　but　if　he　could　not　guess　these　three　things；　then　she　ordered　him　to　be　hanged　or　to　have　his　head　cut　off。　The　old　king；　her　father；　was　very　much　grieved　at　her　conduct；　but　he　could　not　prevent　her　from　being　so　wicked；　because　he　once　said　he　would　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　her　lovers；　she　might　do　as　she　pleased。　Each　prince　who　came　and　tried　the　three　guesses；　so　that　he　might　marry　the　princess；　had　been　unable　to　find　them　out；　and　had　been　hanged　or　beheaded。　They　had　all　been　warned　in　time；　and　might　have　left　her　alone；　if　they　would。　The　old　king　became　at　last　so　distressed　at　all　these　dreadful
circumstances；　that　for　a　whole　day　every　year　he　and　his　soldiers
knelt　and　prayed　that　the　princess　might　become　good；　but　she
continued　as　wicked　as　ever。　The　old　women　who　drank　brandy　would　color　it　quite　black　before　they　drank　it；　to　show　how　they　mourned；　and　what　more　could　they　do？

〃What　a　horrible　princess！〃　said　John；　〃she　ought　to　be　well
flogged。　If　I　were　the　old　king；　I　would　have　her　punished　in　some
way。〃

Just　then　they　heard　the　people　outside　shouting；　〃Hurrah！〃　and；
looking　out；　they　saw　the　princess　passing　by；　and　she　was　really　so
beautiful　that　everybody　forgot　her　wickedness；　and　shouted
〃Hurrah！〃　Twelve　lovely　maidens　in　white　silk　dresses；　holding
golden　tulips　in　their　hands；　rode　by　her　side　on　coal…black　horses。
The　princess　herself　had　a　snow…white　steed；　decked　with　diamonds
and　rubies。　Her　dress　was　of　cloth　of　gold；　and　the　whip　she　held　in
her　hand　looked　like　a　sunbeam。　The　golden　crown　on　her　head　glittered　like　the　stars　of　heaven；　and　her　mantle　was　formed　of　thousands　of　butterflies'　wings　sewn　together。　Yet　she　herself　was　more　beautiful　than　all。

When　John　saw　her；　his　face　became　as　red　as　a　drop　of　blood；
and　he　could　scarcely　utter　a　word。　The　princess　looked　exactly　like
the　beautiful　lady　with　the　golden　crown；　of　whom　he　had　dreamed　on
the　night　his　father　died。　She　appeared　to　him　so　lovely　that　he　could
not　help　loving　her。

〃It　could　not　be　true；〃　he　thought；　〃that　she　was　really　a
wicked　witch；　who　ordered　people　to　be　hanged　or　beheaded；　if　they
could　not　guess　her　thoughts。　Every　one　has　permission　to　go　and　ask　her　hand；　even　the　poorest　beggar。　I　shall　pay　a　visit　to　the　palace；〃　he　said；　〃I　must　go；　for　I　cannot　help　myself。〃

Then　they　all　advised　him　not　to　attempt　it；　for　he　would　be
sure　to　share　the　same　fate　as　the　rest。　His　fellow…traveller　also
tried　to　persuade　him　against　it；　but　John　seemed　quite　sure　of
success。　He　brushed　his　shoes　and　his　coat；　washed　his　face　and　his
hands；　combed　his　soft　flaxen　hair；　and　then　went　out　alone　into　the
town；　and　walked　to　the　palace。

〃Come　in；〃　said　the　king；　as　John　knocked　at　the　door。　John　opened
it；　and　the　old　king；　in　a　dressing　gown　and　embroidered　slippers；
came　towards　him。　He　had　the　crown　on　his　head；　carried　his　sceptre　in　one　hand；　and　the　orb　in　the　other。　〃Wait　a　bit；〃　said　he；　and　he
placed　the　orb　under　his　arm；　so　that　he　could　offer　the　other　hand　to
John；　but　when　he　found　that　John　was　another　suitor；　he　began　to　weep　so　violently；　that　both　the　sceptre　and　the　orb　fell　to　the　floor；　and　he　was　obliged　to　wipe　his　eyes　with　his　dressing　gown。　Poor　old　king！

〃Let　her　alone；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　fare　as　badly　as　all　the　others。
Come；　I　will　show　you。〃　Then　he　led　him　out　into　the　princess's
pleasure　gardens；　and　there　he　saw　a　frightful　sight。　On　every　tree
hung　three　or　four　king's　sons　who　had　wooed　the　princess；　but　had　not　been　able　to　guess　the　riddles　she　gave　them。　Their　skeletons
rattled　in　every　breeze；　so　that　the　terrified　birds　never　dared　to
venture　into　the　garden。　All　the　flowers　were　supported　by　human　bones　instead　of　sticks；　and　human　skulls　in　the　flower…pots　grinned
horribly。　It　was　really　a　doleful　garden　for　a　princess。　〃Do　you　see
all　this？〃　said　the　old　king；　〃your　fate　will　be　the　same　as　those　who
are　here；　therefore　do　not　attempt　it。　You　really　make　me　very
unhappy；…　I　take　these　things　to　heart　so　very　much。〃

John　kissed　the　good　old　king's　hand；　and　said　he　was　sure　it
would　be　all　right；　for　he　was　quite　enchanted　with　the　beautiful
princess。　Then　the　princess　herself　came　riding　into　the　palace　yard
with　all　her　ladies；　and　he　wished　her　〃Good　morning。〃　She　looked
wonderfully　fair　and　lovely　when　she　offered　her　hand　to　John；　and
he　loved　her　more　than　ever。　How　could　she　be　a　wicked　witch；　as　all
the　people　asserted？　He　accompanied　her　into　the　hall；　and　the
little　pages　offered　them　gingerbread　nuts　and　sweetmeats；　but　the　old
king　was　so　unhappy　he　could　eat　nothing；　and　besides；　gingerbread
nuts　were　too　hard　for　him。　It　was　decided　that　John　should　come　to
the　palace　the　next　day；　when　the　judges　and　the　whole　of　the
counsellors　would　be　present；　to　try　if　he　could　guess　the　first
riddle。　If　he　succeeded；　he　would　have　to　come　a　second　time；　but　if
not；　he　would　lose　his　life；…　and　no　one　had　ever　been　able　to　guess
even　one。　However；　John　was　not　at　all　anxious　about　the　result　of　his
trial；　on　the　contrary；　he　was　very　merry。　He　thought　only　of　the
beautiful　princess；　and　believed　that　in　some　way　he　should　have　help；
but　how　he　knew　not；　and　did　not　like　to　think　about　it；　so　he
danced　along　the　high…road　as　he　went　back　to　the　inn；　where　he　had
left　his　fellow…traveller　waiting　for　him。　John　could　not　refrain　from
telling　him　how　gracious　the　princess　had　been；　and　how　beautiful
she　looked。　He　longed　for　the　next　day　so　much；　that　he　might　go　to
the　palace　and　try　his　luck　at　guessing　the　riddles。　But　his　comrade
shook　his　head；　and　looked　very　mournful。　〃I　do　so　wish　you　to　do
well；〃　said　he；　〃we　might　have　continued　together　much　longer；　and　now　I　am　likely　to　lose　you；　you　poor　dear　John！　I　could　shed　tears；　but　I　will　not　make　you　unhappy　on　the　last　night　we　may　be　together。　We　will　be　merry；　really　merry　this　evening；　to…morrow；　after　you　are
gone；　shall　be　able　to　weep　undisturbed。〃

It　was　very　quickly　known　among　the　inhabitants　of　the　town　that
another　suitor　had　arrived　for　the　princess；　and　there　was　great
sorrow　in　consequence。　The　theatre　remained　closed；　the　women　who　sold　sweetmeats　tied　crape　round　the　sugar…sticks；　and　the　king　and　the　priests　were　on　their　knees　in　the　church。　There　was　a　great
lamentation；　for　no　one　expected　John　to　succeed　better　than　those　who　had　been　suitors　before。

In　the　evening　John's　comrade　prepared　a　large　bowl　of　punch；
and　said；　〃Now　let　us　be　merry；　and　drink　to　the　health　of　the
princess。〃　But　after　drinking　two　glasses；　John　became　so　sleepy；　that
he　could　not　keep　his　eyes　open；　and　fell　fast　asleep。　Then　his
fellow…traveller　lifted　him　gently　out　of　his　chair；　and　laid　him　on
the　bed；　and　as　soon　as　it　was　quite　dark；　he　took　the　two　large　wings
which　he　had　cut　from　the　dead　swan；　and　tied　them　firmly　to　his　own
shoulders。　Then　he　put　into　his　pocket　the　largest　of　the　three　rods
which　he　had　obtained　from　the　old　woman　who　had　fallen　and　broken　her　leg。　After　this　he　opened　the　window；　and　flew　away　over　the　town；　straight　towards　the　palace；　and　seated　himself　in　a　corner；　under　the　window　which　looked　into　the　bedroom　of　the　princess。

The　town　was　perfectly　still　when　the　clocks　struck　a　quarter　to
twelve。　Presently　the　window　opened；　and　the　princess；　who　had　large　black　wings　to　her　shoulders；　and　a　long　white　mantle；　flew　away　over　the　city　towards　a　high　mountain。　The　fellow…traveller；　who　had　made　himself　invisible；　so　that　she　could　not　possibly　see　him；　flew　after　her　through　the　air；　and　whipped　the　princess　with　his　rod；　so　that　the　blood　came　whenever　he　struck　her。　Ah；　it　was　a　strange
flight　through　the　air！　The　wind　caught　her　mantle；　so　that　it
spread　out　on　all　sides；　like　the　large　sail　of　a　ship；　and　the　moon
shone　through　it。　〃How　it　hails；　to　be　sure！〃　said　the　princess；　at
each　blow　she　received　from　the　rod；　and　it　served　her　right　to　be
whipped。

At　last　she　reached　the　side　of　the　mountain；　and　knocked。　The
mountain　opened　with　a　noise　like　the　roll　of　thunder；　and　the
princess　went　in。　The　traveller　followed　her；　no　one　could　see　him；　as
he　had　made　himself　invisible。　They　went　through　a　long；　wide　passage。

A　thousand　gleaming　spiders　ran　here　and　there　on　the　walls；　causing
them　to　glitter　as　if　they　were　il