n agreement with them all, that she
would induce him to speak within three days if they would only allow
her to stay with him, but if she did not succeed she would be hung.
This agreement was put in writing and shown to the magistrates for
their sanction. When the contract was concluded, the three days' trial
was arranged to begin the next morning.

The fisherman at first knew nothing about this agreement, though he
heard of it afterward, but the emperor's daughter never left his side.

"My beloved husband," she said, "you know I am to blame. I chose you
because I loved you; I swear that I will never commit such a blunder
again; have pity on me, speak one word to me, save me from the
disgrace that is killing me. I know you have a right to be angry, but
for the sake of my love, forgive me."

The fisherman turned his head toward her, shrugged his shoulders, and
pretended that he did not know her, and did not understand what she
was talking about. One day, two days passed, and he did not even say
boo. When the third came the princess was terribly frightened, and
wherever the dumb man went she followed, beseeching him to say one
word to her.

But the fisherman, feeling that she was softening him by her
entreaties, fled like a savage that she might not assail him with
tears, and pretended his heart was a lump of ice; but she did not
cease imploring him a thousand times, so tenderly that it would have
softened even a wild beast.

At last the third day also passed, and the fisherman had not even said
baa.

Every body wondered over these things. Nothing was talked of in the
whole city, except the mute servant at the tavern and the beautiful,
charming girl, who, it was supposed, had mistaken the dumb man for
some one else, and had now brought herself into trouble.

The next day the gallows was ready, and the whole population gathered
around it to witness the end of the affair.

The magistrates were summoned to the place, and, against their will,
compelled to execute what was in the agreement.

The executioner came, and called upon the princess to submit to the
penalty, since she had not succeeded in fulfilling the obligations she
had imposed upon herself; the girl turned once more to the fisherman,
and, sobbing bitterly, tried to soften his heart, but in vain. When
she saw and understood that no escape was possible, she loosed her
hair and let it fall over her shoulders, wailing so piteously that it
was enough to mak