gs that I
don't often trouble my head about, as I never had one come true in my
life. Many is the time I've dreamed I had my pocket full of gold, and
waking in the morning, devil a groat have I found within it; but maybe
it is not so with you princesses, who are a different sort of grain to
us poor beggars; and perhaps fairies appear to you in dreams and tell
the truth; but whether that is or is not, I know not, being no scholar."

"Well, Hans," said the princess, "thou art not far wrong in not trusting
to every dream, or in believing there are certain privileged individuals
to whom dreams are given as a warning, as consolation, or as prediction
of good fortune; but thou oughtest no longer to doubt, after what thou
hast seen and gone through; that thou thyself since thy nuptials hast
been under the protection of the good fairies.

"Has not everything gone right so long as thou didst hearken to my
voice; and did not thy good luck desert thee solely when thou didst
refuse to listen to my warning?"

"Well, wife," said Hans, "I believe thou art about right; d---- me if
I'll ever be such a fool again."

"Hush, sir!" said his spouse. "No oaths in the presence of royalty, if
you please. Such language befits not the mouth of a king."

"Well, well, have it thine own way," said Hans. "I'll try to improve,
only let me have a little sleep now--I am tired."

"That's right, husband mine," said the princess, seeing that her husband
was more docile; "I do not quite despair of thee yet. Thou mayest be the
right man after all. The fairies know better than I. Sleep, and arise
to-morrow a wiser man. Yet another thing thou must bear in mind,
however, thou must try to unlearn that horrid peasant's brogue of thine.
Dost hear?"

"Ay, that will I, royal spouse," replied Hans, in a brogue as broad as
before. Then, turning on his side, was soon fast asleep. The princess,
however, slept not a wink that night; the excitement of the day and the
thoughts of what might possibly occur on the morrow kept her wide awake,
and thus she remained until the morning, when she was suddenly alarmed
by the sound of footsteps, and four men entered.

Bertha instantly made herself invisible again. The foremost of these men
advancing, and shaking Hans roughly out of his sleep, informed him that
it was the pleasure of the princesses that he should be brought
instantly before them. Hans started up, and would have been violent, but
his chains prevented him.