Year: 1873

lilo PENA.
Its OrIgin-A Beautiful story.


There was once 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: :
eff your lordship can succeed III get
ting me to take anything from your
hand before I say the word | remem-
ber, then am ready to become your
bride. But if, on the contrary, you re-
ceive anything from me, without think
ing to speak these words, then You must
agree to have your hair shayen entirely
off your head and leave the kingdom.


This, however, was an artful strata
gem, 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 could refuse her? So it was use
less for her srlitors 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
Joy, 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 80 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 that time.


Finally it happened that foreign
prince came upon some peculiar busi-
ness. He thonght 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 make use of his apple.
So, with the scent from it came this
warning


"If 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 III 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
ly 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:


SIN this case we will never be able
to have our little game together


He sighed and answered:


mot unless you viii be pleased to
take something from my boots. -


That can never happen r exclaim-
ed the whole court.


why have you come hither p asked
the princess angrily, when you have
sleh stupid customs ?"


Because you are so beautiful )" re-
Piled the prince" And if oan-ot win
you may at least have the pleasure of
seeing you.


"On the other hand, / have no aimi-
lar qualification, said she.


SO the prince remained at the palace,
and he pleased her more and more, but
when the humor seized her, she tried in
every manner to persuade him to take
his hands from his girdIe, and receive
something from her She also enter
tanned him charmingly, and frequently
offered him flowers, bonbons and triuk-