ting.

'The Princess has laughed at last,' they all cried with joy.

She stepped out of her carriage to look more closely at the wonderful
sight, and laughed again over the capers the poor captives cut. She
ordered her carriage to be turned round and drove slowly back into the
town, never taking her eyes off Peter and his procession.

When the King heard the news that his daughter had actually laughed, he
was more than delighted, and had Peter and his marvellous train brought
before him. He laughed himself when he saw them till the tears rolled
down his cheeks.

[Illustration]

'My good friend,' he said to Peter, 'do you know what I promised the
person who succeeded in making the Princess laugh?'

'No, I don't,' said Peter.

'Then I'll tell you,' answered the King; 'a thousand gold crowns or a
piece of land. Which will you choose?'

Peter decided in favour of the land. Then he touched the youth, the
girl, the sweep, the clown, the Mayor, and the Mayoress with his little
stick, and they were all free again, and ran away home as if a fire were
burning behind them; and their flight, as you may imagine, gave rise to
renewed merriment.

Then the Princess felt moved to stroke the swan, at the same time
admiring its plumage. The bird screamed.

'Swan, hold fast,' called out Peter, and so he won the Princess for his
bride. But the swan flew up into the air, and vanished in the blue
horizon. Peter now received a duchy as a present, and became a very
great man indeed; but he did not forget the little old woman who had
been the cause of all his good fortune, and appointed her as head
housekeeper to him and his royal bride in their magnificent castle.

Kletke.

_THE DIRTY SHEPHERDESS_

Once upon a time there lived a King who had two daughters, and he loved
them with all his heart. When they grew up, he was suddenly seized with
a wish to know if they, on their part, truly loved him, and he made up
his mind that he would give his kingdom to whichever best proved her
devotion.

So he called the elder Princess and said to her, 'How much do you love
me?'

'As the apple of my eye!' answered she.

'Ah!' exclaimed the King, kissing her tenderly as he spoke, 'you are
indeed a good daughter.'

Then he sent for the younger, and asked her how much she loved him.

'I look upon you, my father,' she answered, 'as I look upon salt in my
food.'

But the King did not like her words, and ordered her to quit the C