The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-07-15
prince did not seem much troubled at
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prince did not seem much troubled al
what he heard.
| "There's no great harm done vet," said
he, Z" but It's time to be doing. Give me a
horse and let me set off, and mind you tell
no one what has happened; but if l do
not come back within year, then be sure
that am no longer alive"
| SO Prince John got ready for his jour
ney, and babe every one good-by. The
| king gave him a suit of golden armor, a
sharp sword and raven black horse and
away he went merrily enough. For three
days he travelled onward, and on the even
| ing of the fourth he came to a broad,
smooth lake, the clesr water of which
| mirrored the green banks that overhung
| it. In the lake were swimming thirty
white ducks, and on the grass lay thirty
white dresses. The prince leaped from
his horse, and, creeping softly to the bank,
snatched up one Of the dresses and hid
himself behind thick bush Meanwhile
the ducks went on swimming and diving
and FLASHING about in the cool,
clear water, till at last they all swan
up to the bank in row. Twenty
nine of them came out upon the grass,
and hurrying up to the dresses
put them on when they suddenly changed
| into pretty girls, and vanished. But the
thirtieth duck remained in the water,
| tapping about the edge of the lake and
| crying out piteously, as if in search of some
thing which it had lost. When the prince
| saw this he was sorry for the trick he had
played, and came out of his hiding place.
| The duck lifted its head and said to him,
with human voice, prince John, give
me back my dress, and will be of service
| to you and he had no sooner obeyed,
| when 10 ! on the bank beside him stood q
beautiful young lady, robed in pure white,
aud with long dark hair flowing over
her shoulders. She gave him her hand,
and said 10 him. " 1t is well for you, Prince
John, that you have obeyed me; and you
shall not find me ungrateful. Know that
am Princess Mary, one of the thirty
daughters of the Underground King My
father has already waited long time for
you, and is very angry; but you need not
be afraid of him, only mind what l tell
you. AS soon as you come into his
presence, down on your knees and crawl
right up to him. He will begin to scold
and make great to do; but never mind
him, keep on crawling, and you will see
what will happen then"
Princess Mary stamped on the ground,
and suddenly the mouth of cavern
yawned before them, and they descended
together into the Underground Kingdom,
and stopped in front of palace, which
was al built of red garnets, and sparkled
brilliantly.
1.-THE THREE TASKS.
Prince John went boldly into the palace
and saw the Underground King sitting
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instead of fingers, and small green eyes
that glittered like emeralds. Down went
the prince on his knees forthwith. The
king stamped, and screamed, and scolded
at him; but he, remembering the counsel
of Princess Mary, kept crawling on all
fours The Underground King made a
terrible uproar, but Prince John still
crawled and crawled; till a. last the king
himself was so tickled at the sight that
| he fairly burst out laughing.
"It's lucky for you that you've managed
to make me laugh said he, " for now I'm
| turn for the disobedience of your father
who was so long in sending you here, you
must perform three tasks. Be so good as
to build me, this very night, palace with
marble walls, golden roof, and windows
of crystal there must be garden all
round it, and ponds in the garden, and in
the ponds, minnows. If you can do it, I'll
| give you my best thanks but if you can't
I'll cut your head off. Now be off with
you, and goodnight; it's already late"
"Ah! the old wretch!" thought Prince
John; "see what plan ne has hit upon y
and he went into the room which they
had given him in the palace, and sat dOw'I
very dismally, not knowing what to do
Suddenly bee flew up to the window
beat against the pane. and said, Let mt
in!" Prince John did SO; but instead o
the bee, in fioated Princess Mary.
"Why, Prince John, what are you look
| ing so grave abouts" asked she.
ATS not my fault if 1 am grave" saic
he; do you see what a piece OF worl
| your father has set me. And what i
more, if can't do it, he's going to cut my
head Off"
| "Don't put yourself out about that, ny
dear prince" said the young lady; "jus
go to sleep, and the palace shall he bull
all right. All you have to do is t.
get up pretty early, and give tap on tn,
| wall with this little hammer"
And sure enough everything happened
| lust as she had said At the first tap O
the hammer there stood the new palac,
all complete and the Underground King
| when he came back and saw it, was not ,
little sstonished.
"Well, you're clever fellow, withou
| Joking" said he "Now let us see whethe
you are as sharp at guessing as you ar
skillful at work. Tomorrow I'll rang,
| my thirty daughters in row, and yOl
must walk past them three times, and tht
| third time point out nv Youngest daughter
| Princess Mary. If you can't do it, of
goes your head"
Prince John went to his room, and ga
down to think. "Come," said he. 9th,
old scare crow has outwitted himself thi,
timel what difficulty can there be il
pointing her out ?" Then in futtered tn,
princess again, and said, "Just this diff
Guilty, that the whole thirty of US are ex
actly alike; my father himself can only
tell us by our dresses. and tomorrow W,
shall be all dressed alike"
"And what am l to do, then?" asked
Prince John, dolefully.
| "Tll tell you; shall be that one OF
whose cheek You see a small fly. Good
night-Gu reUof."
The next day, when Prince John wa
sent for, there stood the thirty pripcesse
| in row, all dressed exactly alike. Nov
| my clever friend" cried the king, abe 81
good as TO walk past these young ladie
three times, and then pick me out Princes
Mary"
The prince stepped forward, and passe'
bv them the first time; q curious prone
made, upon my word but no fly. He wen
by a second time-still no fyl Primo
4 e. l1D,