Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/122

 100 went to the palace, nevertheless; and the sentinels, seeing her so shabbily dressed, would not let her pass; but the king, who just happened to be at the window, ordered them to let her enter. He had hardly given her the tiny slipper to try on when his majesty remained struck with wonder to see how soon she drew it on, and how beautifully the slipper fitted her, and he that moment told her that he would make her his queen. The maiden, however, very respectfully signified to him that it could not be, as she was already engaged to be the bride of his majesty's son, the prince who had been spell-bound so long. The king, on hearing her, could scarcely contain his delight to think that he would soon see his son again, disenchanted as he was now. He immediately sent a retinue of the grandees of the realm to bring his son out of the well, and he married him to the beautiful maiden. There were great rejoicings and much feasting in honour of the occasion; and the sisters of the "Hearth-Cat," filled with jealousy and bitterness at the sudden turn of affairs, were punished, and commenced to throw all manner of filth out of their mouths. The "Hearth-Cat" remained in the palace the bride of the prince, who afterwards succeeded to the throne, and became king.

XXV.—.

There lived a man in a certain country who was a fisherman, and as he went fishing on one occasion he caught a beautiful fish. The poor fish finding itself caught and on dry land begged the fisherman to throw it back again into the sea, promising the man if he did so he would have a great catch of fish next time he went fishing. The fish added, however, that should the