will
return. I will go and see what is the matter with this young girl and
then come back."

[Footnote H: The princess of the last story.]

She took leave of her half-sister and departed. When she arrived the
king went to meet her: "My daughter, if you cure this sick daughter of
mine, I will give you my crown!" "That makes two crowns!" she said to
herself. "I have a crown, your Majesty. Let us see what the matter is,
and never mind the crowns." She went and saw the princess all wasted
away. She turned to the king and said: "Your Majesty! have some broth
and substantial things made," and they were prepared at once. "I am
going to shut myself up with your daughter, and you must not open the
door, for in three days I will give her to you alive or dead. And listen
to what I say: even if I should knock you must not open." Everything was
arranged and the door was fastened with chains and padlocks, but they
forgot the tinder to light the candle with at night. In the evening
there was great confusion. The young girl did not wish to knock, and as
she looked out of the window she saw a light at a distance. So she
descended by a ladder of silk, taking with her a candle. When she drew
near the light she saw a large cauldron placed on some stones and a
furnace under it, and a Turk who was stirring it with a stick. "What are
you doing, Turk?" "My king wanted the daughter of the king, she did not
want him, he is bewitching her." "My poor little Turk! You are tired,
are you not? do you know what you must do? rest yourself a little while
I stir." "I will, by Mahomet!" He got down; she got up and began to stir
with the stick. "Am I doing it all right thus?" "Yes, by Mahomet." "Well
then, you take a nap, and I will stir." When he was asleep, she came
down, seized him, and threw him into the boiling cauldron, where he
died. When she saw that he was dead, she lighted her candle and returned
to the palace. She entered the room and found the invalid had fainted on
the floor. She brought her to with cologne water (_acqua d' oduri_) and
in three days she had recovered. Then she knocked at the door and the
king entered, beside himself at finding his daughter cured. "Ah! my
daughter," he said to the young girl who had healed her, "how much we
owe you! you must remain here with me." "It is impossible; you
threatened my father with war if he did not allow me to come; now my
father declares war with you if you do not let me return to him." She
rem