sun, the little princess lay
awake, with the casket in her hand.

"Shall I? or shall I not?" said she. "I think I shall."

And the first figure from the right melted on her lips. The taste was
sweet; but that was soon forgotten in her surprise at the unusual
bustle which sprang up immediately in the city. Cannons were firing;
the populace was shouting, "Long live the princess!" and great vans
came thundering up to the entrance, laden with gifts. Yes, it was all
true; she might have a birthday whenever she chose. It passed off like
the fourteen that had gone before. On the morrow, another was
celebrated; another, after the interval of one day; and another in a
week from that; so that the whole kingdom was kept in a continual
uproar of festivity.

Dr. Aigew sent to his own country for many more learned doctors and
chemists. He built great laboratories, where, all day and all night,
pills and draughts and mixtures (of which I hope never even to know the
names) were zealously compounded. The huge chimneys sent forth black
clouds of physic-laden smoke, which began to hang like a pall over the
city. The fields, once yellow with corn, were now only cultivated for
the production of rhubarb and senna and camomile. The children of the
nation grew as yellow and bilious as Aigew himself. All the wealth of
the island was pouring into the coffers of the doctor. There were no
shops open but those of chemists and confectioners. No other trade had
an opportunity to flourish. The country was plainly going to ruin.

[Illustration: THE DOCTOR SUMMONS OTHER DOCTORS AND CHEMISTS.]

The old king saw but one way to save his people. He must send his
daughter away. This made him very sad, for he loved her dearly, and
could not bear to have her know the truth.

"What shall I do?" he asked the queen.

"It is quite plain," answered she. "Marry her."

This was easily done. The fame of her beauty and gentleness had reached
other lands; and a marriage was soon arranged between the little
princess and a handsome young prince, who was the son and heir of a
neighboring king.

In due time, the prince with his retinue started, in much pomp and
magnificence, to visit the bride; and he made such good speed, in his
impatience, that he arrived in the island several days before the time
appointed. Within the city gates, the cavalcade halted for a moment
that the prince might rest.

"I am very weary," said he to the chamberlain. "Call the first
gent