Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/91

 Rh robe the colour of wild flowers, and went about driving the ducks, saying as before:—

After which she killed another duck. Next day she did as the day before, put on the robe of many colours, and killed another duck. In the evening when she went indoors, the king said to her: "I do not wish you to take care of the ducks any longer, for every day we find a duck has been killed! Now you shall remain locked up in the house. We are to have a feast which will last three days, but I promise you that you shall not enjoy it, for I shall not allow you to go to it." To this she said to the king: "Oh! my liege, do let me go." But the king replied, "No, indeed, you shall not go." On the first day of the feast she again begged of the king to allow her to repair to it, and his majesty replied: "God, preserve me! What would be the consequences of taking Maria do Pau to the feast!" The king put on his gala robes and then sent for her to his chamber, asked her what dress she would like to put on, and the princess replied by asking him to give her a pair of boots, which the king threw at her and took his departure for the feast. She then repaired to her chamber and removed from inside the dress made of wool a wand she had, which the little old woman, who was a fairy, had given her, and holding it up she said: "Oh! divining rod, by the virtue that God gave you, send me here the best royal carriage, which is the very one that took the king to the feast." The carriage was instantly in sight, and entering it she made her appearance at the feast, in the robe of the colour of the stars. The king, who had his eyes continually fixed upon her, went out to the guards and told them not to allow the maiden to pass. But when she wished to get out she threw them a bag of money, and the guards allowed her to pass,