be ready as soon as you wish; but you must first promise me
something."
"Ask anything you like, little princess," said Trencoss.
"Well, then," said Eileen, "before I marry you, you must make your
dwarfs wind three balls as big as these from the fairy dew that lies on
the bushes on a misty morning in summer."
"Is that all?" said Trencoss, laughing. "I shall give the dwarfs orders
at once, and by this time to-morrow the balls will be wound, and our
wedding can take place in the evening."
"And will you leave me to myself until then?"
"I will," said Trencoss.
"On your honor as a giant?" said Eileen.
"On my honor as a giant," replied Trencoss.
The princess returned to her rooms, and the giant summoned all his
dwarfs, and he ordered them to go forth in the dawning of the morn
and to gather all the fairy dew lying on the bushes, and to wind three
balls--one yellow, one red, and one blue. The next morning, and the
next, and the next, the dwarfs went out into the fields and searched
all the hedgerows, but they could gather only as much fairy dew as would
make a thread as long as a wee girl's eyelash; and so they had to go out
morning after morning, and the giant fumed and threatened, but all to
no purpose. He was very angry with the princess, and he was vexed with
himself that she was so much cleverer than he was, and, moreover, he saw
now that the wedding could not take place as soon as he expected.
When the little white cat went away from the castle he ran as fast as
he could up hill and down dale, and never stopped until he came to the
Prince of the Silver River. The prince was alone, and very sad and
sorrowful he was, for he was thinking of the Princess Eileen, and
wondering where she could be.
"Mew," said the cat, as he sprang softly into the room; but the prince
did not heed him. "Mew," again said the cat; but again the prince did
not heed him. "Mew," said the cat the third time, and he jumped up on
the prince's knee.
"Where do you come from, and what do you want?" asked the prince.
"I come from where you would like to be," said the cat.
"And where is that?" said the prince.
"Oh, where is that, indeed! as if I didn't know what you are thinking
of, and of whom you are thinking," said the cat; "and it would be far
better for you to try and save her."
"I would give my life a thousand times over for her," said the prince.
"For whom?" said the cat, with a wink. "I named no name, your highness,
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