d others with cats in leash. The dwarfs were all
dressed in purple silk liveries like the apes.

A moment later a beautiful young woman mounted on a tiger came in sight.
She passed close to the king, riding at full speed, without taking any
notice of him; but he was at once enchanted by her, and his heart was
gone in a moment.

[Illustration: The King sees Princess Mutinosa out hunting]

To his great joy he saw that one of the dwarfs had fallen behind the
rest, and at once began to question him.

The dwarf told him that the lady he had just seen was the Princess
Mutinosa, the daughter of the king in whose country they were at that
moment. He added that the princess was very fond of hunting, and that
she was now in pursuit of rabbits.

The king then asked the way to the court, and having been told it,
hurried off, and reached the capital in a couple of hours.

As soon as he arrived, he presented himself to the king and queen, and
on mentioning his own name and that of his country, was received with
open arms. Not long after, the princess returned, and hearing that the
hunt had been very successful, the king complimented her on it, but she
would not answer a word.

Her silence rather surprised him, but he was still more astonished when
he found that she never spoke once all through supper-time. Sometimes
she seemed about to speak, but whenever this was the case her father or
mother at once took up the conversation. However, this silence did not
cool the king's affection, and when he retired to his rooms at night he
confided his feelings to his faithful equerry. But the equerry was by no
means delighted at his king's love affair, and took no pains to hide his
disappointment.

'But why are you vexed?' asked the king. 'Surely the princess is
beautiful enough to please anyone?'

'She is certainly very handsome,' replied the equerry, 'but to be really
happy in love something more than beauty is required. To tell the truth,
sire,' he added, 'her expression seems to me hard.'

'That is pride and dignity,' said the king, 'and nothing can be more
becoming.'

'Pride or hardness, as you will,' said the equerry; 'but to my mind the
choice of so many fierce creatures for her amusements seems to tell of a
fierce nature, and I also think there is something suspicious in the
care taken to prevent her speaking.'

The equerry's remarks were full of good sense; but as opposition is only
apt to increase love in the hearts of m