but the king was not willing for him to marry the princess yet ; no ! no ! boots must not go so fast . there was more to be done yet . if he would come to - morrow morning he might have the princess and welcome , but he would have to pick her out from among fourscore other maids just like her ; did he think that he could do that ? oh , yes ! boots thought that that might be easy enough to do . so , good ! then come to - morrow ; but he must understand that if he failed he should have a good whipping , and be sent packing from the town . so off went boots , and the king thought that he was rid of him now , for he had never seen the princess , and how could he pick her out from among eighty others ? but boots was not going to give up so easily as all that ! no , not he ! he made a little box , and then he hunted up and down until he had caught a live mouse to put into it . when the next morning came he started away to the king 's house , taking his mouse along with him in the box .
his mouse in his box .
what did boots bring with him to the king's house the next morning ?
what did boots bring with him to the king's house the next morning ?