e insinuations, so that she was quite astonished; he must be the
wisest man in the whole world! she felt such respect for what he knew!
So that when they again danced together she fell in love with him; and
that the shadow could remark, for she almost pierced him through with
her eyes. So they danced once more together; and she was about to
declare herself, but she was discreet; she thought of her country and
kingdom, and of the many persons she would have to reign over.

"He is a wise man," said she to herself--"It is well; and he dances
delightfully--that is also good; but has he solid knowledge?--that is
just as important!--he must be examined."

So she began, by degrees, to question him about the most difficult
things she could think of, and which she herself could not have
answered; so that the shadow made a strange face.

"You cannot answer these questions?" said the princess.

"They belong to my childhood's learning," said the shadow. "I really
believe my shadow, by the door there, can answer them!"

"Your shadow!" said the princess; "that would indeed be marvellous!"

"I will not say for a certainty that he can," said the shadow, "but I
think so; he has now followed me for so many years, and listened to my
conversation--I should think it possible. But your royal highness will
permit me to observe, that he is so proud of passing himself off for a
man, that when he is to be in a proper humor--and he must be so to
answer well--he must be treated quite like a man."

"Oh! I like that!" said the princess.

So she went to the learned man by the door, and she spoke to him about
the sun and the moon, and about persons out of and in the world, and
he answered with wisdom and prudence.

"What a man that must be who has so wise a shadow!" thought she; "It
will be a real blessing to my people and kingdom if I choose him for
my consort--I will do it!"

They were soon agreed, both the princess and the shadow; but no one
was to know about it before she arrived in her own kingdom.

"No one--not even my shadow!" said the shadow, and he had his own
thoughts about it!

Now they were in the country where the princess reigned when she was
at home.

"Listen, my good friend," said the shadow to the learned man. "I have
now become as happy and mighty as any one can be; I will, therefore,
do something particular for thee! Thou shalt always live with me in
the palace, drive with me in my royal carriage, and have ten thousan