elves
comfortable establishments. What say you, Terence? Don't you think
that I might go further and fare worse?"

"Ah! faith! noble Master, that you might, unless, mark me, you get back
to old Ireland; and there it isn't much difficulty I'd have in finding
many a score of sweet creatures, to whom, it's my belief, these Georgian
Princesses couldn't hold a candle."

The mention of his fair countrywomen (of whom Saint Patrick was a warm
admirer, and who is not who knows them?) artfully thrown in by his
Squire, turned the Knight from the intention he began to entertain of
making one of the Princesses his bride.

When the Seven Champions met at breakfast, they talked the matter over
with due gravity. They recollected that there were six ladies and only
five bachelor knights, two only being benedicts.

"But suppose we five were to marry five of the Princesses, one still
would be like puss in the corner--she must be left out," observed Saint
Andrew, who was evidently the least inclined of any of the party to wed,
and had arranged to start away directly after breakfast.

"Oh! one must become a nun," observed Saint Patrick. "It's a mighty
pleasant sort of life to those who don't like work, and are fond of
being utterly useless."

Scarcely was the breakfast over than the Champions were summoned into
the presence of the Emperor; and there, seated around him, were the six
Princesses of Georgia, radiant in beauty, and looking bewitching and
killing in the extreme.

"Fair ladies, and right noble strong-minded Princesses, here are the
Seven Champions of Christendom. It has come to our imperial knowledge
that you have left the Court of my brother of Georgia, your royal
father, for the purpose of wedding one, if not more, of these right
valorous Champions, for in that matter there seems to be some little
difficulty. Make your choice, therefore, most strong-minded Princesses;
whom will you wed? For, from the observations I have made of these
Knights' gallantry, I can pledge my imperial word that they will not
refuse your moderate and modest requests."

Now, the six Princesses, on hearing these words, looked unutterable
things, and a roseate hue rushed into their lily-like cheeks; but their
eyes did not wander up and down the hall among the Knights, for, with a
constancy worthy of all admiration and imitation, they fixed them on
Saint Andrew.

"He is the Knight who changed us from swans into maidens, he is the
Knight,