Year: 1873

THE ORIGIN OF PHILAPENA.
There was once . beautiful prin-
co.'s who had . great .fondness for
almonds, and ate them constantly,
but nothing would induce her to
marry, and, in order to rid herself
of her sritors, of whom there were
q great number, she invented the
following device: To every prince
who sought her hand, she present
ed the half of double almond,
while abe ate the other half and
said: "H your lordship can sue
ceed in getting me to take anything
from your hand before I say the
word i remember, then lam ready
to become your bride. Buti, on
the contrary, you receive anything
from me, without thinking to speak
these words, then you must agree
to have your hair shaven entirely
off your head and leave the king.
dom" msiai4e s3a
This, however, was an artful
strategem, for, according to the
court 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
should refuse her? So it was use
less for the suitors to make the trial.
for when they seemed likely to be
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 dis
pose of one of them, she would ap-
pear SO charming and encouraging
to him, that he would be entirely
fascinated, and when he sat at her
feet, overcome with JOY, then she
would seize upon anything near her,
as though by accident: 50 Take
this as q remembrance Of me, and
when he had it in his hands, before
he could think or speak the neces-
sary words, there would spring out
at him, from it, perhaps a frog, or
q 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 pal
aces of the other kingdoms the
princes wore wigs. Thus it came
to be the custom from that time


Finally, it happened that for
! eign prince came upon some pecu-
liar business, and by accident saw
the almond princess. He thought
her very beautiful, and at once per-
ceived the strategem. A friendly
little gray man had given him an
apple that once a year he was per
mitted 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, il was exactly time for him to
make use Of his apple. So, with
the scent from it came this warming;


eff thou wouldst win in the game
Z of giving and taking, under no cir.
cumstances must thou either give
or take anything


So he had his hands bound il
his belt, and went with his marsha
to the palace, and asked to be al
lowed to eat his almond. The prin
cess was secretly much pleased
with him, and Immediately handed
him an almond, which his marsha
took and placed in his mouth. Th'
princess inquired what this meant
and, moreover, why he constant,
carried his hands in his girdle.


He replied that at his court th'
custom was even more strongly en-
forced than at hers, and he daret
not give or take anything with hi
hands, at the most, only with hi,
head and feet. Then the princess
laughed and said: aI


ssIn this case we will never b,
able to have our little game to
gether."


He sighed and answered:


"Not unless you will be pleased
to take something from my boots.


"That can never happenp ez
claimed the whole court.


"Why have you come hither,
asked the princess angrily, "whel
you have such stupid customs 2


Because you are SO beautiful,
replied the prince. "And if I can
not win you, I may at least have th
pleasure of seeing you"


"On the other hand, I have n
similar qualification, she said.


So the prince remained at th
palace, and he pleased her more an,
more, but when the humor seize,
her, she tried in every manner t
persuade him to take his hand
from his girdle, and receive some
thing from her. She also enter
tanned him charmingly, and frt
quently offered him flowers, boz
tons, and trinkets, and finally he
bracelet, but not once did he forge
and stretch out his hand, to tax
them, for the pressure of the girdl
reminded him in time. So he woul
nod to his marshal, and he receive,
them. saying: @


ave remember" 81


The princess would become in
patient and exclaim