w degrees, and then at once taking to her
heels. But no sooner was she over the threshold than the shepherdess
said to the dog, "Watch her;" and out shot Prince.
The moment she saw him, Rosamond threw herself on her face, trembling
from head to foot. But the dog had no quarrel with her, and of the
violence against which he always felt bound to protest in dog fashion,
there was no sign in the prostrate shape before him; so he poked his
nose under her, turned her over, and began licking her face and hands.
When she saw that he meant to be friendly, her love for animals, which
had had no indulgence for a long time now, came wide awake, and in a
little while they were romping and rushing about, the best friends in
the world.
Having thus seen one enemy, as she thought, changed to a friend, she
began to resume her former plan, and crept cunningly farther and
farther. At length she came to a little hollow, and instantly rolled
down into it. Finding then that she was out of sight of the cottage,
she ran off at full speed.
But she had not gone more than a dozen paces, when she heard a growling
rush behind her, and the next instant was on the ground, with the dog
standing over her, showing his teeth, and flaming at her with his eyes.
She threw her arms round his neck, and immediately he licked her face,
and let her get up. But the moment she would have moved a step farther
from the cottage, there he was it front of her, growling, and showing
his teeth. She saw it was of no use, and went back with him.
Thus was the princess provided with a dog for a private tutor--just the
right sort for her.
Presently the shepherdess appeared at the door and called her. She
would have disregarded the summons, but Prince did his best to let her
know that, until she could obey herself, she must obey him. So she went
into the cottage, and there the shepherdess ordered her to peel the
potatoes for dinner. She sulked and refused. Here Prince could do
nothing to help his mistress, but she had not to go far to find another
ally.
"Very well, Miss Princess!" she said; "we shall soon see how you like
to go without when dinner-time comes."
Now the princess had very little foresight, and the idea of future
hunger would have moved her little; but happily, from her game of romps
with Prince, she had begun to be hungry already, and so the threat had
force. She took the knife and began to peel the potatoes.
By slow degrees the princess improved
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