Page:Fairy tales and stories (Andersen, Tegner).djvu/213

Rh could also play "Oh, thou darling Augustiu "; it was the only tune she could play, and that she played with one Hnger.

"Why, that 's the one I play!" she said. "This must he a well hrought up swineherd. Just go and ask hiin the price of the instru- nient."

And so one ot the maids of honor had to run in, hut first she put on her wooden clogs.

" What will you take for that caldron ?" asked the maid ot honor.

" I want ten kisses from the princess for it ! " said the swineherd.

"Gracious goodness!" said the maid of honor.

" Well, I sha'n't take less! " said the swineherd.

"Well, what does he say?" said the princess.

" I really cannot tell vou," said the maid of honor, " it is too dreadful ! "

"Then you may whisper it!" said the princess, and the maid of honor whispered it.

" He is very rude!" said the princess, and walked away at once. But when she had gone some distance the hells rang again so prettily :

"Oh, thou darling Augustin,

All 's lost and gonr I "

" Listen!" said the princess; "just ask him if he will take ten kisses from mv maids of honor."

"No, thank you," replied the swineherd; "ten kisses from the princess, or I keep my caldron."

" How tiresome! " said the princess; "hut you ladies will have to stand in front of me, so that nobody can see me."

And the maids of honor stood round her and spread out their skirts, and so the swineherd got the ten kisses and she got the caldron.

Well, now they had a merry time of it ! The pot was kept boiling the whole evening and all day long ; there was not a kitchen in the whole town hut what they knew what was being cooked there, at the chamber- lain's as well as at the shoemaker's.

The maids of honor danced about and clapped their hands.

" We know who is going to have sweet soup and pancakes. We know who is going to have porridge and cutlets. How interesting it is ! "

" Highly interesting !" said the first lady of honor.

"Yes, yes, but hold your tongues, for I am the emperor's daughter!"

" Gracious goodness!" said all of them.

The swineherd, that is to say the prince — but of course they did not know he was anything but a real swineherd— did not let a day pass without doing something, and so he made a rattle, which, on being swung round.