Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-02

stick at him. when I couldn't wash 1t
off myself I'm very sure you couldn't tell
me how"
At the end of the two days the prince re-
turned and demanded the keys.
Il trust you haven't gone into the room
I forbade you OFF, he said. "Show me
your feet
She tried to hide the bloody foot from
him, but it was of no use, for he insisted
on seeirg it: and. finding the blood upon 1t,
he knew she had been in the secret room,
and he Immediately killed her and hung
up her body beside her sisters.
About a week after the second sister s
disappearance the queen and her only
daughter, the youngest, sat in great grle1
by the window on morning, endeavorlng
to console each other for their great loss.
when once more the black bull appeared
in the garden, roofing up their flowers as
before. The young princess said she would
go out and drive him off. Her mother en-
deavored to persuade her not to attempt It.
but she insisted and Selling very long
pole-in order to keep further from MN
than her elder sisters. AS she went she
rushed into the garden and struck the pun
with it. But the pole stuck to the bull and
her hand stuck to the pole; and the Dull
went off. and she went off, over high nils,
low hills, gray mountains and green plans
running on and on, without once stopping
for three days and three nights till at
length she saw a great red castle. painted
all over with blood. Here the bull stopped
ard changed his shape into that or man
tiers had some time before refused their
hands in marriage
Now, fair young princess, SAID me-
when you refused me and L qultteo your
mothers castle, / said that the next time
l went for you you might come without
asking. Has not my word been fulflled?'
Then he told her that he would make her
the mistress Of that great castle, and that
she would want for nothing to make her
happiness perfect Only, he told her, she
would have to obey him in all things: 9TH
erwise, the fate of those whose blood had
painted his castle would also be hers.
On the next morning the prince told her
he was going away, to remain for three
days. and he gave her great bunch OF
keys which opened every room in the
castle, and told her whilst he would be alb
sent to amuse herself as best she could
going through them. seeing their richness
and beauty. But he showed her one key
and told her on no account should she dare
to enter or open the room Of which that
was the key.
The prince babe her goodbye and de-
parted, and the princess taking the great
bunch of keys, went through the castle
gazing at the beauty of the many rooms in
amaZement and wonder until she had seen
them all but the one he had ordered her
not to open. She stood long time before
the door of this room, wondering why 1t
was he had forbidden her to enter it, and
what secret could 1t contain that he was
so anxious to keep from her. AT length
she resolved to open it and peep in, any
she had disobeyed him or not. So she
opened the door. and seeing the floor
covered with something red she put her
foot to it 10 find what it was, and discov-
cred 1t was blood Then she a very
great number of bodies of beautiful ladies
who had been murdered and hung by their
long hair from hooks round the walls. Hor-
rifed by this, she hastily closed the door
and locked it. But she found her foot was
covered with blood, and she went at once
10 the stream that flowed by the castle for
the purpose of washing it. Yet, though
she washed and washed, and scrubbed and
rubbed for hours together, she was unable
to take single trace of the blood off the
foot Then she left. saying to herself that
she would be able to conceal il from tbe
prince anyhow.
In the evening, as she ate her bread and
drank her milk for supper, under the trees
IN the garden, cat came creeping I'd to
basin.
Oh poor pussi' said She you're dry.
and that's not much milk for you. Here
said She giving the half-finished basin to
the creature Here Is a drop for you. for
you're drier than me, and l can easily do
without it,
When the cat had finished the milk.
Mlaow! Miaow"' it said, put out your
off it,
There 1t is. good cat" said she, putting
1t out but when l couldn't wash it off
myself l fear you won't be able"
out III a ie" HioiitlltS the cat l1cke0 Off
half the blood. She thanked it very much
and 1t went away, leaving her eating her
bread.
Soon the robin redbreast came hopping
up to pick the crumbs that fell from her
Poor robin" she said, you are hungry
and more in need of this bread than me
for l can easily do without it," and she
laid down her bread till the robin had
Decked to satisfaction of it.
"Toowhit! toowhitp' said the robin then
Il can tell you, kind lady, how to take
the other half of the blood off your foot,
If you do it,
VERY well, then. good robin" she said.
''Ill try. But when 1 wasn't able to wash
it off myself 1 fear you won't be able to
help me-
PLUCK ten leaves of the yarrow tonight
at midnight said the robin. Throw the
tenth away and boil the other nine. Then
wash your foot in the boiled juice and the
blood will wash off"
She thanked the little robin, who flew
away. and at midnight she went into the
garden and plucked ten leaves of the var
row, throwing the tenth away, and boiling
the other nine. In the juice she washed
her foot, and every trace of the blood was
gone.
When, at the end of the three DAYS, the
prince returned he demanded the keys.
II hope" said he, you haven't disobeyed
me, and opened the forbidden room. Show
me your feet"
She showed him her feet, which would
shame snow in wilderness.
Il see you have not dfSobeyed me, he said,
land l am glad, for 1 would not like to kill
SO beautiful lady. Your two sisters whom
l took away, and many other beautiful
ladies before that, when put to the test, dis
obeyed me, and l killed them and hung
them up by the hair in that very room.
You have not disobeyed me, and 1 will
make you my wife, for you have nothing
more to fear now that I have found you
are without that curiosity which is the
great blemish most women. Here" he
said. handing her a white rod, "is a wand.
Go to the secret room, open it, and going
| in, strike the bodies of your sisters with it, -
She did this, and 10! her sisters came to
life once more. The prince then allowed
her to bring to life in the SAME way all the
other young ladies who had been killed and
hung up In the room. and they were sent to
their homes again.
The young princess found herself very
much in love with the prince. for he was a
most handsome man: and she now gladly
agreed to become his wife. Her mother
was soon made acquainted with what had
happened. and her joy was great at finding
her beautiful daughters still alive She
came to the marriage as did all the other
nobility; and 1t was allowed on all hands
that a more beautiful a happier pair had
never before been united. The marriage