ever to have it; but the
kitchen-maid would only give it to her on condition that she might
sleep, for the third time, on the mat at the bridegroom's door. But
this time the prince was cautious, and left the sleeping-draught
untouched. Now, when she began to weep, and to call out, "Dearest
treasure, I have released you out of the horrible wild wood, and out
of an Iron Stove," the king's son sprang up, crying out: "This is my
right true love--she is mine, and I am hers." Then he declared he
would not marry the other bride, whom he did not love; and so, still
in the middle of the night, he got into a carriage with the
kitchen-maid, and drove away.

When they came to the great lake, they sailed over; and at the three
sharp swords, they seated themselves on the plough-wheel; and at the
glass mountain, they found the three needles, and stuck them in step
by step. So they came at last to the little old house; but, as they
went in, lo! it changed to a great castle; the frogs turned to
princes and princesses, all kings' children, and received them both
with great joy. There the wedding was celebrated, and they remained in
the castle, which was much larger than that which belonged to the
princess's father. But as the old man lamented very much his
daughter's loss, and his own loneliness, they soon went and fetched
him home to themselves. So they had two kingdoms, instead of one, and
lived happily together all their days.

THE INVISIBLE PRINCE.

There was a king and queen who were dotingly fond of their only son,
notwithstanding that he was equally deformed in mind and person. The
king was quite sensible of the evil disposition of his son, but the
queen, in her excessive fondness, saw no fault whatever in her dear
Furibon, as he was named. The surest way to win her favour was to
praise Furibon for charms he did not possess. When he came of age to
have a governor, the king made choice of a prince who had an ancient
right to the crown, but was not able to support it. This prince had a
son, named Leander, handsome, accomplished, amiable--in every respect
the opposite of Prince Furibon. The two were frequently together,
which only made the deformed prince more repulsive.

One day, certain ambassadors having arrived from a far country, the
princes stood in a gallery to see them; when, taking Leander for the
king's son, they made their obeisance to him, treating Furibon as a
mere dwarf, at which the latter was so offended