ed, so there were general
rejoicings. He had waited a whole year for his bride, and at last she
had arrived. She was a Russian Princess, and had driven all the way from
Finland in a sledge drawn by six reindeer. The sledge was shaped like a
great golden swan, and between the swan's wings lay the little Princess
herself. Her long ermine cloak reached right down to her feet, on her
head was a tiny cap of silver tissue, and she was as pale as the Snow
Palace in which she had always lived. So pale was she that as she drove
through the streets all the people wondered. "She is like a white rose!"
they cried, and they threw down flowers on her from the balconies.

At the gate of the Castle the Prince was waiting to receive her. He had
dreamy violet eyes, and his hair was like fine gold. When he saw her he
sank upon one knee, and kissed her hand.

"Your picture was beautiful," he murmured, "but you are more beautiful
than your picture;" and the little Princess blushed.

"She was like a white rose before," said a young page to his neighbour,
"but she is like a red rose now;" and the whole Court was delighted.

[Illustration: THE RUSSIAN PRINCESS]

For the next three days everybody went about saying, "White rose, Red
rose, Red rose, White rose;" and the King gave orders that the Page's
salary was to be doubled. As he received no salary at all this was not
of much use to him, but it was considered a great honour, and was duly
published in the Court Gazette.

When the three days were over the marriage was celebrated. It was a
magnificent ceremony, and the bride and bridegroom walked hand in hand
under a canopy of purple velvet embroidered with little pearls. Then
there was a State Banquet, which lasted for five hours. The Prince and
Princess sat at the top of the Great Hall and drank out of a cup of
clear crystal. Only true lovers could drink out of this cup, for if
false lips touched it, it grew grey and dull and cloudy.

"It is quite clear that they love each other," said the little Page,
"as clear as crystal!" and the King doubled his salary a second time.

"What an honour!" cried all the courtiers.

After the banquet there was to be a Ball. The bride and bridegroom were
to dance the Rose-dance together, and the King had promised to play the
flute. He played very badly, but no one had ever dared to tell him so,
because he was the King. Indeed, he knew only two airs, and was never
quite certain which one he was playing