t
among the Crown jewels, and had such a small eye that everybody saw at
once that it was impossible that the muslin should pass through it. The
Princes were angry, and were beginning to complain that it was a trick,
when suddenly the trumpets sounded and the youngest Prince came in. His
father and brothers were quite astonished at his magnificence, and after
he had greeted them he took the walnut from his pocket and opened it,
fully expecting to find the piece of muslin, but instead there was only
a hazel-nut. He cracked it, and there lay a cherry-stone. Everybody was
looking on, and the King was chuckling to himself at the idea of finding
the piece of muslin in a nutshell.

However, the Prince cracked the cherry-stone, but everyone laughed when
he saw it contained only its own kernel. He opened that and found a
grain of wheat, and in that was a millet seed. Then he himself began to
wonder, and muttered softly:

"White Cat, White Cat, are you making fun of me?"

In an instant he felt a cat's claw give his hand quite a sharp scratch,
and hoping that it was meant as an encouragement he opened the millet
seed, and drew out of it a piece of muslin four hundred ells long, woven
with the loveliest colors and most wonderful patterns; and when the
needle was brought it went through the eye six times with the greatest
ease! The King turned pale, and the other Princes stood silent and
sorrowful, for nobody could deny that this was the most marvelous piece
of muslin that was to be found in the world.

Presently the King turned to his sons, and said, with a deep sigh:

"Nothing could console me more in my old age than to realize your
willingness to gratify my wishes. Go then once more, and whoever at the
end of a year can bring back the loveliest princess shall be married
to her, and shall, without further delay, receive the crown, for my
successor must certainly be married." The Prince considered that he had
earned the kingdom fairly twice over but still he was too well bred
to argue about it, so he just went back to his gorgeous chariot, and,
surrounded by his escort, returned to the White Cat faster than he had
come. This time she was expecting him, the path was strewn with flowers,
and a thousand braziers were burning scented woods which perfumed the
air. Seated in a gallery from which she could see his arrival, the White
Cat waited for him. "Well, King's son," she said, "here you are once
more, without a crown." "Madam,"