Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/53

 Rh else whatever; she could only see hands. When night set in she laid down; and, very early in the morning, she saw a rabbit enter from the garden. The rabbit went and bathed in a tub, and became transformed into a handsome prince; he went to the looking-glass and began combing himself, and repeated:

He then again bathed himself in the tub, and once more became changed into the rabbit, and it departed.

The old woman then had her breakfast, and, when she saw that the ass with the golden panniers was going out, she held on by them and went out with the ass also. When she found herself in the high road she walked on to the palace of the princess, and on arriving there she said that she wished to see the princess, to relate a story to her which she was sure would amuse her. The princess was reposing on a couch, and when she saw the old woman she turned towards the wall. The old woman paid no heed to that, but began her story. The princess had scarcely commenced to hear the story about the rabbit than she instantly sat up, asked for some broth to take, and told the old woman to continue. When the story was finished, the princess said to the old woman that she would go with her to see the palace and the rabbit she had seen. Her health then began to improve, and one day, when she had perfectly recovered from her attack, she went with the maid of honour and the old woman to where the milestone was, and waited there to see if the ass with the golden panniers would come forth from whence the old woman had sat before. Shortly after this the ass made its appearance; they all three held on to the donkey, and down they went descending, whilst the princess was greatly astonished to find and behold so much splendour, and to see the hands busy doing all the work