eedn't unless you like, you know;
but then you won't get the hare.'

It went very much against the grain, one could see, but after some
efforts the old fellow had his head on the grass and his heels in the
air; the whacking and the 'Hurrah' were rather feeble, but Jesper was
not very exacting, and the hare was handed over. Of course, it wasn't
long in coming back again, like the others.

Evening came, and home came Jesper with the hundred hares behind him.
Great was the wonder over all the palace, and the king and queen seemed
very much put out, but it was noticed that the princess actually smiled
to Jesper.

'Well, well,' said the king; 'you have done that very well indeed.
If you are as successful with a little task which I shall give you
to-morrow we shall consider the matter settled, and you shall marry the
princess.'

Next day it was announced that the task would be performed in the great
hall of the palace, and everyone was invited to come and witness it. The
king and queen sat on their thrones, with the princess beside them, and
the lords and ladies were all round the hall. At a sign from the king,
two servants carried in a large empty tub, which they set down in the
open space before the throne, and Jesper was told to stand beside it.

'Now,' said the king, 'you must tell us as many undoubted truths as will
fill that tub, or you can't have the princess.'

'But how are we to know when the tub is full?' said Jesper.

'Don't you trouble about that,' said the king; 'that's my part of the
business.'

This seemed to everybody present rather unfair, but no one liked to be
the first to say so, and Jesper had to put the best face he could on the
matter, and begin his story.

'Yesterday,' he said, 'when I was herding the hares, there came to me a
girl, in a shabby dress, and begged me to give her one of them. She got
the hare, but she had to give me a kiss for it; AND THAT GIRL WAS THE
PRINCESS. Isn't that true?' said he, looking at her.

The princess blushed and looked very uncomfortable, but had to admit
that it was true.

'That hasn't filled much of the tub,' said the king. 'Go on again.'

'After that,' said Jesper, 'a stout old woman, in a peasant's dress,
came and begged for a hare. Before she got it, she had to walk round me
on tiptoe, turn up her eyes, and cackle like a hen; AND THAT OLD WOMAN
WAS THE QUEEN. Isn't that true, now?'

The queen turned very red and hot, but couldn't deny it.

'H-m,' s