y
constantly saw being inflicted on the others, were waiting their turn
to compete. Among these latter were Count Fritz and Burgomaster Franz.
These two met very often in the streets of the city, but they could
never forget their quarrel over the sparkling golden water and when
they met they always looked in opposite directions. Now, Fritz and
Franz had made themselves hated by all with whom they had to deal;
Fritz by his tyranny over the poor in the district in which his
property lay, and Franz by his injustice as Burgomaster. The former
used to grind down his people so as to extract the last penny from
them; the latter used to make his judgments depend on the amount of
bribe he received from the suitors. Everybody, therefore, hoped that
both Fritz and Franz would fail to tell the Princess her dreams, and
would have to pay the penalty.

Hans and his mother arrived at the city of White Towers on the evening
before the day on which Fritz was to try his fortune. They heard on
all sides that the "One-armed Count," as he was called, was to be the
next competitor; but, of course, they had no idea that this "One-armed
Count" was Fritz. The consequence was that, when they found themselves
next day in the great square, where the whole population of the city
assembled to see the trial, they were amazed beyond measure to see
Fritz, marching jauntily along, quite confident of success, dressed in
his very smartest clothes, to the platform on which the Princess and
her ladies and her courtiers were assembled, Fritz felt sure that he
would win, for this reason: There was an old woman living in a cottage
near his castle, who was said to be a witch. Fritz had ordered her to
be seized and put to the most cruel tortures, in order to force her to
say what the Princess was going to dream on the night before the day
fixed for his trial. This was very silly of him, as the old woman
might be a witch ten times over, and yet not be able to tell him that.
But cruel, wicked people often are silly. This poor old woman screamed
out some nonsense in her agony which Fritz took to be the answer he
required. He smiled, therefore, in a self-confident fashion as he
bowed low before the princess and awaited her question. She asked it
in a clear bell-like voice, which somehow caused Hans's heart, when he
heard it, to beat a good deal quicker than before.

"Sir Count, what did I dream last night?"

"Your Highness dreamed," was the reply, "that the moon c