Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-18
THE ORIGIN OF PHILOPGNA.

And very full of crosses.
THE ORIGIN OF PHILOPGNA
There was once a beautiful princess who had
sgreat fOndness for almonds. and ate them con-
Stantly, but nothing wOuld induce her TO marry,
and inOrder TO rid herselfo of her suitors, of whom
there were great number, she invented the
following device: To every prince who sought
her hand, she presented the half of a double al
IlOnd, while she ate the other half, and said:
g IL your lOTiship can succeed in getting me to
take anything from your hand before say the
word RENE mber,' then | am ready to become
your bride. But IL, on the contrary, You receive
anything from me, without thinking to speak
these words then you must agree to have your
hair shaTen entirely on your head and leave the
kingdom"
This. however. was an artful stratagem, for,
according to the court custom, no one dared to
hand anything directly to the princess, but first
% the court lady, who then offered IL to her.
But AZ, on the ether hand, the princess should
desire tn give or take anything-who could re-
fuse her" So IL was useless for her suitors to
make the trial, for when they seemed likely to
lie successful, and had diverted the princess SO
that she was about to take something from them,
the court lady always stepped between, and
spoiled the best laid plan.
When the princess wished to dispose of one of
them, she would appear so charming and en-
couragiIg to him. that he would he entirely fasci-
mated, ami when he sat at her feet, overcome
with joy, tsen she would seize upon anything
near her, as though by accident: Take this rs
remembrance OF me, and when he had il i'm
his hands, before he could think or speak the
necessary words, there would spring out at him,
fIOm IL, perhaps frog or a hornet, or a bat, and
so startle him that he would forget the words.
Then, upon the spot, he was shayeD, 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
that time.
Finally it happened that a foreign prince came
upon some peculiar business, and by accident
saw the almond princess He thought her very
beautiful. and at once perceived the stratagem.
A friendly little gray man had given him ap-
pie that once year he Was privileged to smell,
and then there came in his mind a very wise
idea, and he had become much renowned on ac-
count of his deep wisdom. Now, il was exactly
time for him 20 make use OF his apple. So, with
the scent from IL came this warming:
eli thou wouldst win in the game of giving
and taking, under no circumstances must thou
either give or take anything"
So he had his hands bound in his belt and
vent with his marshal to the palace. and asked
10 be allowed TO eat his almond. The princess
vas secretly much pleased with him, and imme-
diately handed him an almond, which his mar
shall took and placed i'm his mouth. The princess
inquired what this meant, and, moreover. WHY
he constantly carried his hands in his girtlle
He replied that at his court the custom
even more strongly enforced than at hers. aud
he dared not give take anything with his
lands, at the most, only with his head and feet.
Then the princess laug he'd and said:
In this case we viii never he able to hayeour
little game together"
He sighed and answered.
Not unless YOU will be pleased to take some
thing from my boots"
THAT can never happen.' exclaimed the
..Why have Won come hither?-' asked the
customs"
because YOU are 80 beautiful" replied the
prince. ''AHd ii i cannot win you, may at
least have the pleasure of seeing you.'
ION the other hand, have no similar graft
tcatiOn. said she.
So the prince remained at the palace, and he
pleased her more and more, but when the humor
seized her. she tIie'l in every manner to per-
suade him tn take his hands from his girile. AMI
receive some hing sfTOm her. She also enter
tanned him charmingv, and frequently offered
him flowers, bonbons and trinkets, and finally
her bracelet, but not once did he forget and
stretch out his hand to take them, for the press
IRE of the girdle reminded him in time. So he
would nod to his marshal, and he receiving
them, saying. 1--WE remember"
Then the princess would become impatient,
and would exclaim: My handkerchief has
talent Can your lordship pick it up for me?''
NhereupOn the prince would fasten his spur
into il. and wave il careessly, while the princess
would have to bend and remove il from his foot,
angrily saying: 81 remember"
Thus year passed away, and the princess said
to herself:
'.This cannot remain so. 1t must be settled in
one way OF the other"
She said to the prince:
81 have one of the finest gardens in the world.
will show your ioriship over it to-day
The prince smelt Of his apple, and a. they en-
tered the garden, said:
ut is very beautiful here and in order that
we may walk near each other in peace, and not
be disturbed by the desire To try our game.
beg you. my lady, that for this one hour you will
take upon you the custom Of nv court, and let
your hands also be fastened. Then we will be
sa;e from each others art, and there will be
nothing to annoy u.s.
The princess did not feel very safe about this
arrangement. but he begged 10 strongly that she
could not refuse him this email favor. So they
went on alone together, with their hands fast
tned in their girdles. The birds sang, the sun
shone warmly, and from the trees the red cher
Iies hung ~ low that they brushed their cheeks
as they passed The princess saw them and ex-
claimed:
What pity that your lordship is not able to
Pick few for me,''
Necessity knows law" said the prince,
and he broke one OF the cherries with his teeth
from a branch, and offered it to the princess
from his mouth.
The princess could not do otherwise than re-
ceiye il from his mouth, and 80 her face was
brought close 20 his. So when she had the cherry
between her lips, and kiss from him besides,
she was not able to say that instant, IL remem-
btr.n
Then he cried jovfullv, s.Gcod morning much
loved one, and drew his hands from his girdle
and embraced her. And they spent the rest of
their lives together in perfect peace and quiet
hess.-FsOEs tbe German If GHstdr Freytog.