The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-02-27
PHILoPENA.


Its Origin-A Beautiful story.
There was once a beautiful princess
who had a great fondness for almonds,
and ate them constantly, but nothing
would induce her to marry, and IN or
der to rid herself of her suitors, of
whom there were a great number, she
invented the following device: To every
prince who songht her hand, she pre-
sented the half of a double almond,
while she ate the other half, and said:
g If your Iordship can succeed in get
ting me to take anything from your
hand before 1 say the word I re1hem-
Der, then am ready 10 become your
bride. But if, on the contrary, You re-
eeive anything from me, without think
ing to speak these words, then you must
agree to have your hair shaven entirely
off your head and leave the kingdom. -
This, however, was an artful strata
gem, for, according to the count custom,
no one dared to hand anything directly
to the princess, but first to- the court
lady who then offered it to her But
if, on the other hand, the princess
should desire to give or take anything
who could refuse her? So it was use
less for her suitors to make the trial,
for when they seemed likely to be sue
cessful, and had diverted the princess
so that she was about to take something
from them, the court lady always step
ped between, and spoiled the best laid
plan.
When the princess wishes to dispose
of one of them, she would appear so
charming and encouraging to him, that
he would be entirely fascinated, and
when he sat at her feet, overcome with
ioy, then she would seize upon anything
near her, as though by accident: ''Take
this as a remembrance of me, and
when he had it in his hands, before he
could think or speak the necessary
words, there would spring out at him,
from it, perhaps a frog or hornet, or
bat, and so startle him that he would
forget the words. Then, upon the spot,
he was shaven, and away with him,
This went ON for some years, and in all
the palaces of the other kingdoms the
princes wore wigs. Thus it came to be
the custom from tJlat time.
Finally it happened that foreign
prince came upon some peculiar busi-
ness. He thought her very beautiful,
and at once perceived the strategem. A
friendly little gray man had given him
an apple that once a year he was privi-
legged to smell, and then there. came in
/ his mind a very wise idea, and he had
become much renowned ON account of
his deep wisdom. Now, it was exactly
time for him to mako use of his apple
So, with the scent from it came this
warning.
eff thou wouldst win in the game of
giving and taking, under no circum-
stances must thou either give or take
anything.
So he had his hands bound in his
belt, and went with his marshal to the
palace, and asked to be allowed to eat
his almond. The princess was secretly
much pleased with him, and immediate
" handed him an almond, which his
marshal took and placed in his mouth.
The princess inquired what this meant,
and, moreover, why he constantly car
ried his hands in his girdle.
He replied that at his court the Gus
tom was even more strongly enforced
than at hers, and he dared not to give
or take anything with his hands, at the
most, with only his head and feet. Then
the princess laughed and said:
g In this case we viii never be able
to have our little game together. P"
He sighed and answered:
1" Not unless you will be pleased tC
take something from my boots. "
" That can never happen p exclaim
ed the whole court.
'sWhy have you come hither 2 asked
the princess angTily, +" when you hav'
such stupid customs -
g Because you are so beautiful = re
piled the prince. And if I cannot wiz
you I may at least have the pleasure o
seeing You.
! ''on the other hand. have NO simi
lar qualification, said she
So the prince remained at the palace
and he pleased her more and more, bu
when the humor seized her, she tried i
every manner to persuade him to TAX
his hands from his girdle. aud reeeiv
something from her. She also enter
tanned him charmiAgly, and frequentl
. offered him flowers, bonbons and trinl
cts. and. finally her bracelet. but nc
once did he forget and stretch ont hi
hand to take them, for the pressure {
! ! the girdle reminded him in time. S
{ he would nod to bis marshal, and he II
= eeiving them, saying: We remember
! Then the princess would become in
patient and would exclaim; 9 Ny han'
Z kerchief has falleni Can your lor,lshi
IS pick it mp for me?a Whereupon q
4 prince would fasten his spur into It an
= wave it carlessly, while the priEse
u would have 20 bend and remove is fro
his foot, angrily saying: remembe