the
Princess expressed a wish to have Mousta brought to her, and, when the
Prince sent for him, she was so delighted with his courtly manners and
his marvellous intelligence that she entreated Mannikin to give him to
her for her own. The Prince consented with alacrity, not only out of
politeness, but because he foresaw that to have a faithful friend always
near the Princess might some day be of great service to him. All these
events made Prince Mannikin a person of much more consequence at the
Court. Very soon after, there arrived upon the frontier the Ambassador
of a very powerful King, who sent to Farda-Kinbras the following letter,
at the same time demanding permission to enter the capital in state to
receive the answer:

'I, Brandatimor, to Farda-Kinbras send greeting. If I had before this
time seen the portrait of your beautiful daughter Sabella I should not
have permitted all these adventurers and petty Princes to be dancing
attendance and getting themselves frozen with the absurd idea of
meriting her hand. For myself I am not afraid of any rivals, and, now I
have declared my intention of marrying your daughter, no doubt they will
at once withdraw their pretensions. My Ambassador has orders, therefore,
to make arrangements for the Princess to come and be married to me
without delay--for I attach no importance at all to the farrago of
nonsense which you have caused to be published all over the world about
this Ice Mountain. If the Princess really has no heart, be assured that
I shall not concern myself about it, since, if anybody can help her to
discover one, it is myself. My worthy father-in-law, farewell!'

The reading of this letter embarrassed and displeased Farda-Kinbras and
Birbantine immensely, while the Princess was furious at the insolence of
the demand. They all three resolved that its contents must be kept a
profound secret until they could decide what reply should be sent, but
Mousta contrived to send word of all that had passed to Prince Mannikin.
He was naturally alarmed and indignant, and, after thinking it over a
little, he begged an audience of the Princess, and led the conversation
so cunningly up to the subject that was uppermost in her thoughts, as
well as his own, that she presently told him all about the matter and
asked his advice as to what it would be best to do. This was exactly
what he had not been able to decide for himself; however, he replied
that he should advise her to gain a littl