osalind said, "Yes; _quite_."

But the prince did not like the tone of her voice, and he said:

"No, there's something; do tell me what it is."

"Well," said Rosalind, putting her head on his shoulder, and speaking
very low, "I want everybody to love you as much as I do. No, not quite
so very much,--but I want them to like you. Now they _can't_, because
they are afraid of you; for you are so awfully clever. Now, couldn't you
take the wishing cap, and wish to be no cleverer than other people? Then
everybody would like you!"

The prince thought a minute, then he said:

"Your will is law, my dear; anything to please you. Just wait a minute!"

Then he ran upstairs, for the last time, to the fairy garret, and he put
on the wishing cap.

"No," thought he to himself, "I won't wish _that_. Every man has one
secret from his wife, and this shall be mine."

Then he said aloud: "I WISH TO SEEM NO CLEVERER THAN OTHER PEOPLE."

Then he ran downstairs again, and the princess noticed a great difference
in him (though, of course, there was really none at all), and so did
everyone. For the prince remained as clever as ever he had been; but, as
nobody observed it, he became the most popular prince, and finally the
best-beloved king who had ever sat on the throne of Pantouflia.

But occasionally Rosalind would say, "I do believe, my dear, that you are
really as clever as ever!"

And he _was_!

{The Prince putting on the wishing cap: p144.jpg}

PRINTING OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER.

Footnotes

{25} Subjunctive mood! He was a great grammarian!

{100} The History of this Prince may be read in a treatise called _The
Rose and the Ring_, by M. A. TITMARSH. London, 1855.

{130} Water from the Fountain of Lions.

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