filment. And this too came to pass; for, as soon as
the prince and princess were eighteen years of age, the kings agreed
that it was time for the wedding; and the young prince journeyed away
to the neighbouring kingdom for his bride, and was there married to
her with great and renewed rejoicings.

Now, I must tell you that the old woman who had sold the king the
necklace had been called in by him to be the nurse of the young
prince; and although she loved her charge dearly, and was a most
faithful servant, she could not help talking just a little, and so,
by-and-by, it began to be rumoured that there was some magic about the
young prince's birth; and the rumour of course had come in due time to
the ears of the parents of the princess. So now that she was going to
be the wife of the prince, her mother (who was curious, as many other
people are) said to her daughter on the eve of the ceremony:

'Remember that the first thing you must do is to find out what this
story is about the prince. And in order to do it, you must not speak a
word to him whatever he says until he asks you why you are silent;
then you must ask him what the truth is about his magic birth; and
until he tells you, you must not speak to him again.'

And the princess promised that she would follow her mother's advice.

Therefore when they were married, and the prince spoke to his bride,
she did not answer him. He could not think what was the matter, but
even about her old home she would not utter a word. At last he asked
why she would not speak; and then she said:

'Tell me the secret of your birth.'

Then the prince was very sad and displeased, and although she pressed
him sorely he would not tell her, but always reply:

'If I tell you, you will repent that ever you asked me.'

For several months they lived together; and it was not such a happy
time for either as it ought to have been, for the secret was still a
secret, and lay between them like a cloud between the sun and the
earth, making what should be fair, dull and sad.

[Illustration: THE SNAKE PRINCE VISITS HIS WIFE]

At length the prince could bear it no longer; so he said to his wife
one day: 'At midnight I will tell you my secret if you still wish it;
but you will repent it all your life.' However, the princess was
overjoyed that she had succeeded, and paid no attention to his
warnings.

That night the prince ordered horses to be ready for the princess and
himself a little before