' said the Princess
meekly.

'Then you know the original,' cried the Prince, throwing himself on his
knees beside her. 'Pray tell me at once who it is, and don't keep me in
suspense!'

'Oh! don't you see that it is meant for me?' cried Celandine.

The Prince sprang to his feet, hardly able to refrain from telling her
that she must be blinded by vanity to suppose she resembled the lovely
portrait even in the slightest degree; and after gazing at her for an
instant with icy surprise, turned and left her without another word, and
in a few hours quitted the Leafy Palace altogether.

Now the Princess was indeed unhappy, and could no longer bear to stay
in a place where she had been so cruelly disdained. So, without even
bidding farewell to the King and Queen, she left the valley behind her,
and wandered sadly away, not caring whither. After walking until she
was weary, she saw before her a tiny house, and turned her slow steps
towards it. The nearer she approached the more miserable it appeared,
and at length she saw a little old woman sitting upon the door-step, who
said grimly:

'Here comes one of these fine beggars who are too idle to do anything
but run about the country!'

'Alas! madam,' said Celandine, with tears in her pretty eyes, 'a sad
fate forces me to ask you for shelter.'

'Didn't I tell you what it would be?' growled the old hag. 'From shelter
we shall proceed to demand supper, and from supper money to take us on
our way. Upon my word, if I could be sure of finding some one every
day whose head was as soft as his heart, I wouldn't wish for a more
agreeable life myself! But I have worked hard to build my house and
secure a morsel to eat, and I suppose you think that I am to give away
everything to the first passer-by who chooses to ask for it. Not at all!
I wager that a fine lady like you has more money than I have. I must
search her, and see if it is not so,' she added, hobbling towards
Celandine with the aid of her stick.

'Alas! madam,' replied the Princess, 'I only wish I had. I would give it
to you with all the pleasure in life.'

'But you are very smartly dressed for the kind of life you lead,'
continued the old woman.

'What!' cried the Princess, 'do you think I am come to beg of you?'

'I don't know about that,' answered she; 'but at any rate you don't
seem to have come to bring me anything. But what is it that you do want?
Shelter? Well, that does not cost much; but after that comes supper