Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/105

 Rh rock of gold, a spinning-wheel, and a reel, and took leave of her, wishing her good luck. The maid arrived at the palace gate with her shoes and garments all torn, and begged for alms, and when the princess saw her standing on a rock of gold she sent to ask her for it. The maid replied that if she gave her the rock of gold she must allow her to go into the prince's chamber and sleep there one night, The princess would not consent, but the prince's mother told her to allow her to sleep at the prince's feet, for there was no fear that he would be aware of it, as she would take care to give him a sleeping-draught. And so it happened the maid went into the chamber to sleep without the prince knowing it, and during the night as she awoke she began to say—

The prince made no reply to this, and as soon as the day dawned they sent her away; but the prince remained quite ignorant of her stay there. The maid, however, continued before the palace gate at her wheel spinning, and the princess seeing her sent to ask her for her spinning-wheel of gold. The maid replied that she would only give it to her on condition of her allowing her to remain and sleep in the prince's apartment another night. The princess consented, but made her promise to leave the chamber early in the morning. The maid entered and again settled herself to sleep at the prince's feet, and on awakening repeated her former appeal—