de our door. I hear the fish now."

Even as she spoke the prince heard the voice of the fish. It said such
terrible words that the prince was glad that the princess was in the
box with cotton in ears. "You get into the box with the princess," he
said to the _ama_. "I am a good swimmer and I am going to open the
door and swim out. The box is made of wood that will float; so, inside
of it, you and the princess will float out to safety."

"How will you ever swim past this terrible fish?" asked the old _ama_.

"Do not fear," replied the prince. "I have with me a net which is so
strong that the biggest, fiercest fish in the world cannot break it. I
will catch the fish in it. Just wait and you will see. In the meantime
take the cotton out of the ears of the princess and tell her that I am
here. Quiet her fears and stay in the box for a few moments."

The old _ama_ got into the box as the prince had commanded. Then he
unbarred the great door. The fish swam at him fiercely, but the prince
quickly entangled him in his strong net. Holding him fast in the net,
the prince swam up to the surface of the water and was soon on the
bank of the raging river. Then he killed the fish and scaled it and
put the scales in his pocket.

The box had floated up to the surface of the water as the prince had
said it would. The prince threw his net over it and drew it to land.
The _ama_ and the beautiful princess stepped out. The princess was so
lovely that the prince fell upon his knees before her. The sight of
her great beauty almost blinded his eyes.

"I knew all the time that you would come back again," said the
princess. "I knew that you would deliver me from my troubles, but you
have been a long time getting here."

The prince told the princess all that had happened to him. "You saved
my life from the giant," said he. "I am very glad to have had an
opportunity to save your life for you. Now I must ask you to again
save my life." Then he told about the _festa_ at which he must display
the most beautiful princess in the world or forfeit his life.

"I'll gladly go to the _festa_ with you," said the princess. "It is
fortunate that it is held at night."

The Princess and her _ama_ travelled quickly with the prince to the
kingdom which claimed to possess the most beautiful princess in the
world. It was already the night of the appointed _festa_ when they
arrived. The king's army was drawn up to slay the prince. No one
dreamed that the poor