hat something strange
was about her, though she knew not what, and returned quickly to the
palace, where the young man at once resumed his own shape. Oh, what joy
filled her heart at the sight of him! But there was no time to be lost,
and she led him right into the hall, where the king and his nobles were
still sitting at the feast. 'Here is a man who boasts that he can do
wonderful tricks,' said she, 'better even than the Red Knight's! That
cannot be true, of course, but it might be well to give this impostor a
lesson. He pretends, for instance, that he can turn himself into a
lion; but that I do not believe. I know that you have studied the art
of magic,' she went on, turning to the Red Knight, 'so suppose you just
show him how it is done, and bring shame upon him.'

Now the Red Knight had never opened a book of magic in his life; but he
was accustomed to think that he could do everything better than other
people without any teaching at all. So he turned and twisted himself
about, and bellowed and made faces; but he did not become a lion for all
that.

'Well, perhaps it is very difficult to change into a lion. Make yourself
a bear,' said the princess. But the Red Knight found it no easier to
become a bear than a lion.

'Try a bee,' suggested she. 'I have always read that anyone who can do
magic at all can do that.' And the old knight buzzed and hummed, but he
remained a man and not a bee.

'Now it is your turn,' said the princess to the youth. 'Let us see if
you can change yourself into a lion.' And in a moment such a fierce
creature stood before them, that all the guests rushed out of the hall,
treading each other underfoot in their fright. The lion sprang at the
Red Knight, and would have torn him in pieces had not the princess held
him back, and bidden him to change himself into a man again. And in a
second a man took the place of the lion.

'Now become a bear,' said she; and a bear advanced panting and
stretching out his arms to the Red Knight, who shrank behind the
princess.

By this time some of the guests had regained their courage, and returned
as far as the door, thinking that if it was safe for the princess
perhaps it was safe for them. The king, who was braver than they, and
felt it needful to set them a good example besides, had never left
his seat, and when at a new command of the princess the bear once more
turned into a man, he was silent from astonishment, and a suspicion of
the truth began to