or and went into the cellar, where they
found the prince and brought him in disgrace to be sentenced.

Ileane pronounced judgment.

Twelve girls under punishment for some offense were to carry him out
of the country, and when they had reached the frontier with him, each
one was to give him a kiss.

The order was obeyed. When the prince reached home and joined his
brothers, he told them the whole story, and after every thing had been
related their hearts were filled with rage. So they sent word to the
two older princesses that they must arrange to have Ileane go to the
three princes' court, so that they might revenge themselves upon her
for the insult she had offered them. When the oldest daughter received
this message from the prince she pretended to be sick, called Ileane
to her bedside, and told her that she could not get well unless Ileane
brought her something to eat from the princes' kitchen.

Ileane would have done any thing for her sister's sake, so she took a
little jug and set off for the court of the three princes, to beg or
steal. When she reached the palace, she rushed breathlessly into the
kitchen and said to the head-cook:

"For heaven's sake, don't you hear the emperor calling you? Make
haste, and see what is the matter."

The cook took to his heels and ran as fast as he could, as though he
had received an imperial command. Ileane, left alone in the kitchen,
filled her jug with food, emptied all the dainty dishes that were on
the fire upon the floor, and went away.

When the princes heard of this insult they were still more enraged
than before, sent another message to the two sisters and again
prepared a revenge. As soon as the second sister received the news,
she, too, pretended to be ill, called Ileane to her bed, and told her
that she could not get well unless she tasted the wine in the princes'
cellar. Ileane would have done any thing for her sister, so she took
the little jug and prepared to go again.

When she reached the court she rushed into the cellar, and, panting
for breath, said to the head-butler:

"For heaven's sake, don't you hear the emperor calling you? Make haste
and see what is the matter." The butler took to his heels and ran as
if he had received an imperial command. Ileane filled her jug with
wine, poured out the rest on the cellar floor, and then hurried home.

The princes sent a third message to the two princesses and told them
they must send Ileane in a different way f