t also to
retire, and after she had let him wait awhile called in the two suitors
and said, "I owe you a debt of gratitude, noble knights, inasmuch as
you both assisted me in succeeding to the Bohemian crown, which my
father Crocus wore with glory. And I have not forgotten that zeal in
my cause, of which you remind me. Moreover, it is not hidden from me
that you virtuously love me, for your looks and actions have long
expressed the feelings of your hearts. That my heart has remained
closed to you, and has not given love for love, do not ascribe that to
mere coyness; I did not mean to insult you, but merely to come to a
right decision of a dubious matter. I weighed your merits, and the
index of the balance stood still. Therefore I resolved to leave the
decision of your fate to yourselves, and offered you the possession of
my heart by the enigmatical apple, that I might see who had the
greatest share of wisdom and intelligence, so as to appropriate to
himself the indivisible gift. Now tell me, without delay, in whose
hand is the apple. Whoever has gained it from the other, let him from
this hour take my throne and my heart for his prize." The two suitors
looked upon each other with wonder, grew pale and were dumb. At last
Prince Wladomir after a long pause broke silence and said, "The enigmas
of the wise are to the foolish, a nut in a toothless mouth; a pearl
which the fowl rakes out of the sand, a light in the hand of the blind.
Therefore, oh, princess! be not angry that we knew neither how to use
nor how to prize thy gift. Thy design, which we did not know we
misinterpreted, and we thought thou hadst cast between us an apple of
discord, which should incite us to feuds and combat, and therefore each
of us abandoned participation in thy gift, and got rid of the fruit of
contention, a sole possession of which neither of us would have left to
the other."

"You have yourself uttered the judgment," said the lady; "if an apple
was enough to arouse your jealousy, what battle would you have waged
for a myrtle wreath that encircles a crown." With this decision she
dismissed the knights, who were greatly annoyed that they had listened
to the senseless arbitrator, and had thoughtlessly flung away the
pledge of love, that was to have gained them the bride. They now
considered, each one by himself, how they might yet carry out their
plans, and by force or cunning obtain the Bohemian throne with its
charming possessor.