; "she is inside my helmet.
I'll bring her, too. You see, she being small and I being large, it is
the only way we can discourse together."

"Ha! ha!" laughed the nobleman; "an original idea. By all means let me
have the honour of entertaining my princess."

Hans was charmed at the affable manners of the nobleman, and arrived at
the mansion, took a seat at the lord's table, where he was introduced to
other men of high rank, who all congratulated him on his prowess, and
expressed their delight at having made his acquaintance.

A meal was speedily prepared, and wine handed round.

"Drink not," whispered the princess. But Hans, deaf to all counsel in
the presence of so many genial companions, accepted glass after glass,
until he was in a state bordering on intoxication. Now, Hans was a good
man, and a true, but he had one small failing, which was an inclination
to tipple.

He could never refuse a good glass of wine when he was among boon
companions. He had also a most ravenous appetite, and afforded the other
guests much amusement by the clownish manner in which he devoured his
food, as well as by his brutal stupidity and broad peasant's brogue.

When the wine had loosened his tongue a little he soon informed the
nobleman of his former condition, saying he was no knight of the court,
but a humble woodcutter, and would take no notice of the signs made to
him by the princess to keep quiet (who now, by the by, was seated on the
table before him, Hans having unbuckled his helmet) but went on eating
and drinking, and chatting and laughing, in a manner ill-suited to his
dignity as champion, to say nothing of husband to the princess.

The Princess Bertha was treated with the respect due to her rank, and
was pressed to partake of something, but she refused, pleading no
appetite.

When the host observed that the wine had got into Hans' head, he
motioned to some of the guests to engage the princess in conversation
while he administered the drug.

Then, taking a paper containing a powder from his pocket, he emptied it
into a goblet of wine which he offered to Hans.

But the princess, who observed this, said to the host, "May it please
your lordship to drink first this toast--'to the prosperity of our
kingdom.'"

The nobleman looked confused, and stammered out that he hoped that Her
Royal Highness would excuse him, as he, a humble individual, could not
think of tasting the cup before so illustrious a guest.

"Then you r