reature as a
white mouse with a gold claw before, and will be sure to buy you. Then
it will be your fault if matters don't go smoothly with you. You have
only to keep your ears open and use your wits. Now, first of all, we
must enter you for to-morrow's competition."

Hans longed to try his luck with the Princess, and as this plan seemed
a promising one--indeed, it was the only one he could think of--he
agreed to try it. However, he determined not to tell his mother
anything about the matter, as he knew how terrified she would be at
the thought of his failure. The first thing, as the huntsman had said,
was for him to present himself to the Princess as candidate for her
hand. He accordingly did so, and found her seated on her throne,
surrounded by the lords and ladies of her court, glittering in jewels
and dressed in magnificent apparel. Hans felt rather shy as he marched
up the splendid room, amongst all these grandly dressed people, in his
shabby old clothes; but he put as good a face on it as he could, and
when he stopped before the throne and looked into the Princess's eyes,
all his shyness vanished. He was conscious of nothing but a strong
determination to win her for himself, or to perish in the attempt. The
court usher announced his name and purpose in a loud tone.

"This is Hans, the charcoal-burner, who has undertaken to tell the
Princess her dream to-morrow morning, or to pay the penalty."

When the Princess looked at Hans and saw what a nice, open-faced boy
he was, she did all she could to persuade him to give up the attempt.
She pointed out to him how many had tried and failed--how little
chance there was of his succeeding. She could not bear, she said, to
think of his being whipped publicly and sold into slavery. She offered
him, if he would withdraw, the important post of general manager of
the court menagerie. But neither this offer nor the prayers of the
Princess could move Hans.

"Now, that I have seen you face to face, Princess," said he, "I would
rather die twenty times over than give up the undertaking."

The Princess was obliged to allow Hans to enter his name for
to-morrow's trial, although it made her very unhappy. Her heart told
her that he was the one of all her suitors whom she would most wish to
succeed; but she felt that he would be certain to fare as the others
had done; and so when the formality was over, and Hans had left, she
dismissed the court; shut herself up in her room, and said