ht them very good-looking young people, he
said, 'Yes, he would gladly engage them all.' So they became the twelve
royal huntsmen.

Now, the King had a most remarkable Lion, for it knew every hidden or
secret thing.

One evening the Lion said to the King: 'So you think you have got twelve
huntsmen, do you?'

'Yes, certainly,' said the King, 'they _are_ twelve huntsmen.'

'There you are mistaken,' said the Lion; 'they are twelve maidens.'

'That cannot possibly be,' replied the King; 'how do you mean to prove
that?'

'Just have a number of peas strewed over the floor of your
ante-chamber,' said the Lion, 'and you will soon see. Men have a strong,
firm tread, so that if they happen to walk over peas not one will stir,
but girls trip, and slip, and slide, so that the peas roll all about.'

The King was pleased with the Lion's advice, and ordered the peas to be
strewn in his ante-room.

Fortunately one of the King's servants had become very partial to the
young huntsmen, and hearing of the trial they were to be put to, he went
to them and said: 'The Lion wants to persuade the King that you are only
girls'; and then told them all the plot.

The King's daughter thanked him for the hint, and after he was gone she
said to her maidens: 'Now make every effort to tread firmly on the
peas.'

Next morning, when the King sent for his twelve huntsmen, and they
passed through the ante-room which was plentifully strewn with peas,
they trod so firmly and walked with such a steady, strong step that not
a single pea rolled away or even so much as stirred. After they were
gone the King said to the Lion: 'There now--you have been telling
lies--you see yourself they walk like men.'

'Because they knew they were being put to the test,' answered the Lion;
'and so they made an effort; but just have a dozen spinning-wheels
placed in the ante-room. When they pass through you'll see how pleased
they will be, quite unlike any man.'

[Illustration]

The King was pleased with the advice, and desired twelve
spinning-wheels to be placed in his ante-chamber.

But the good-natured servant went to the huntsmen and told them all
about this fresh plot. Then, as soon as the King's daughter was alone
with her maidens, she exclaimed: 'Now, pray make a great effort and
don't even _look_ at those spinning-wheels.'

When the King sent for his twelve huntsmen next morning they walked
through the ante-room without even casting a glance at the
sp