ould like that well,' replied the boatman.

'If you like,' she went on, 'you can gain good money.'

'I ask nothing better,' said he.

'Very well, then,' said the nurse; 'to-night, when the princess is
asleep, you must help me to throw her into the sea. When she is drowned
I will dress up my daughter in her fine clothes, and we will take her to
the King of the Peacocks, who will be delighted to marry her. You shall
have your fill of diamonds as reward.'

The boatman was taken aback by this suggestion from the nurse. He
declared it was a pity to drown so beautiful a princess, and that he had
compassion for her. But the nurse fetched a bottle of wine, and plied
him with drink until he no longer had wits enough left to refuse.

When night fell the princess went to sleep, according to her usual
practice, with little Frillikin comfortably curled up at the foot of the
bed, stirring not a paw. When Rosette was fast asleep the wicked nurse,
who had remained awake, went to find the boatman. She took him to the
cabin where the princess lay, and with the help of the foster-sister
they lifted her up--feather-bed, mattress, sheets, blankets, and
all--without disturbing her, and threw her into the sea just as she was.
So soundly did the princess slumber that she never woke up.

Now luckily her bed was made of feathers from the phoenix, which are
very rare and have this peculiar virtue that they never sink in water.
Consequently the princess went floating along in her bed, just as though
she were in a boat.

Presently, however, the water began little by little to lap first
against the sides of the feather-bed, then against the mattress, until
Rosette began to feel uncomfortable. She turned over restlessly, and
Frillikin woke up. He had a very keen nose, and when he scented the
soles and the cod-fish so near at hand he began yapping. He barked so
loudly that he woke up all the other fish, and they began to swim round
and about. Some of the big fish bumped their heads against the bed, and
there being nothing to steady the latter it spun round and round like a
top.

You may imagine how astonished the princess was! 'Is our vessel doing a
dance upon the water?' she exclaimed; 'I do not remember ever to have
been so uncomfortable as I am to-night.' And all the time Frillikin was
barking as though he had taken leave of his senses.

The wicked nurse and the boatman heard him from afar. 'Do you hear
that?' they exclaimed; 'it is that