indow, the sound of a gentle _coo! coo!_ and there
was the Pigeon ready to be loved and caressed.

"You beautiful creature!" the Princess cried, kissing its coral beak and
smoothing its neck with her lips, "how I love you! And see, I have
brought you the bowl of milk that you asked for!"

The bird flew over to the bowl, poised for a moment on its brim, then
splashed into the milk as though to take a bath.

The Princess laughed and clapped her hands and then, as she looked, she
saw a strange thing happen. The bird's feathers opened like a shirt and
out of the feather shirt stepped a handsome youth.

(You remember I told you how surprised the Princess was going to be.
And you're surprised, too, aren't you?)

He was so handsome that all the Princess could say was, "Oh!"

He came slowly towards her and knelt before her.

"Dear Princess," he said, "do not be frightened. If it had not been for
your sweet words yesterday when you said you loved me I should never
have been able to leave this feather shirt. Do not turn from me now
because I am a man and not a pigeon. Love me still if you can, for I
love you. It was because I fell in love with you yesterday when I saw
you working at your embroidery that I flew in by the open window and let
you caress me."

For a long time the Princess could only stare at the kneeling youth, too
amazed to speak. He was so handsome that she forgot all about the pigeon
he used to be, she forgot her embroidery, she forgot everything. She
hadn't supposed that any young man in the whole world could be so
handsome! Why, just looking at him, she could be happy forever and ever
and ever!

"Would you rather I were still a pigeon?" the young man asked.

"No! No! No!" the Princess cried. "I like you ever so much better this
way!"

The young man gravely bowed his head and kissed her hand and the
Princess blushed and trembled and wished he would do it again. She had
never imagined that any kiss could be so wonderful!

They passed the afternoon together and it seemed to the Princess it was
the happiest afternoon of all her life. As the sun was sinking the youth
said:

"Now I must leave you and become a pigeon again."

"But you'll come back, won't you?" the Princess begged.

"Yes, I'll come back to-morrow but on one condition: that you don't tell
any one about me. I'll come back every day at the same hour but if ever
you tell about me then I won't be able to come back any more."

"I'll never