the sight of a handful of gold pieces somewhat mollified her , however , and after making them both promise faithfully that on no consideration would they ask for the gold back again , she took the princess into the house and grudgingly doled out to her just enough of her gay attire to make her presentable , while the rest she pretended to have lost . after this they found that they were very hungry , for one can not live on love , any more than on air , and then the old woman 's lamentations were louder than before . ' what ! ' she cried , ' feed people who were as happy as all that ! why , it was simply ruinous ! ' but as the prince began to look angry , she , with many sighs and mutterings , brought out a morsel of bread , a bowl of milk , and six plums , with which the lovers were well content : for as long as they could look at one another they really did not know what they were eating . it seemed as if they would go on for ever with their reminiscences , the prince telling how he had wandered all over the world from beauty to beauty , always to be disappointed when he found that no one resembled the portrait ; the princess wondering how it was he could have been so long with her and yet never have recognised her , and over and over again pardoning him for his cold and haughty behaviour to her .
as long as they could look at one another they really did not know what they were eating .
why did the old woman bring out so much food for the couple ?
why did the old woman bring out so much food for the couple ?