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Page 7
"I cannot sell it for less," rejoined the swineherd.
"He is an impudent fellow!" said the Princess, and she walked on; but when she
had gone a little way, the bells tinkled so prettily
"Ach! du lieber Augustin,
Alles ist weg, weg, weg!"
"Stay," said the Princess. "Ask him if he will have ten kisses from the ladies
of my court."
"No, thank you!" said the swineherd. "Ten kisses from the Princess, or I keep
the kitchen-pot myself."
"That must not be, either!" said the Princess. "But do you all stand before me
that no one may see us."
And the court-ladies placed themselves in front of her, and spread out their
dresses--the swineherd got ten kisses, and the Princess--the kitchen-pot.
That was delightful! The pot was boiling the whole evening, and the whole of
the following day. They knew perfectly well what was cooking at every fire
throughout the city, from the chamberlain's to the cobbler's; the court-ladies
danced and clapped their hands.
"We know who has soup, and who has pancakes for dinner to-day, who has
cutlets, and who has eggs. How interesting!"
"Yes, but keep my secret, for I am an Emperor's daughter."
The swineherd--that is to say--the Prince, for no one knew that he was other
than an ill-favored swineherd, let not a day pass without working at
something; he at last constructed a rattle, which, when it was swung round,
played all the waltzes and jig tunes, which have ever been heard since the
creation of the world.
"Ah, that is superbe!" said the Princess when she passed by. "I have never
heard prettier compositions! Go in and ask him the price of the instrument;
but mind, he shall have no more kisses!"
"He will have a hundred kisses from the Princess!" said the lady who had been
to ask.
"I think he is not in his right senses!" said the Princess, and walked on, but
when she had gone a little way, she stopped again. "One must encourage art,"
said she, "I am the Emperor's daughter. Tell him he shall, as on yesterday,
have ten kisses from me, and may take the rest from the ladies of the court."
"Oh--but we should not like that at all!" said they. "What are you muttering?"
asked the Princess. "If I can kiss him, surely you can. Remember that you owe
everything to me." So the ladies were obliged to go to him again.
"A hundred kisses from the Princess," said he, "or else let everyone keep his
own!"
"Stand round!" said she; and all the ladies stood round her whilst the
kissing was going on.
"What can be the reason for such a crowd close by the pigsty?" said the
Emperor, who happened just then to step out on the balcony; he rubbed his
eyes, and put on his spectacles. "They are the ladies of the court; I must go
down and see what they are about!" So he pulled up his slippers at the heel,
for he had trodden them down.
As soon as he had got into the court-yard, he moved very softly, and the
ladies were so much engrossed with counting the kisses, that all might go on
fairly, that they did not perceive the Emperor. He rose on his tiptoes.
"What is all this?" said he, when he saw what was going on, and he boxed the
Princess's ears with his slipper, just as the swineherd was taking the
eighty-sixth kiss.
"March out!" said the Emperor, for he was very angry; and both Princess and
swineherd were thrust out of the city.
The Princess now stood and wept, the swineherd scolded, and the rain poured
down.
"Alas! Unhappy creature that I am!" said the Princess. "If I had but married
the handsome young Prince! Ah! how unfortunate I am!"
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