ter was as good as any
princess that ever lived.

So off Peter rode, dressed all in his best and seated astride of a grand
horse. At last he came to the palace which was finer than the handsome
new house of Herr Mayor Kopff. Rap! rap! rap! Peter knocked at the door,
and presently came a neat servant girl and opened it to him. "Is the
King at home, my dear?" said Peter.

Yes, the King was at home; would he come into the parlor and sit down?
So Peter went into the parlor and sat down, and then the King came in,
dressed all in his best dressing-gown, with silver slippers upon his
feet, and a golden crown upon his head.

"What is your name?" said the King.

"Peter Stultzenmilchen," said Peter.

"And what do you want, Lord Peter," said the King; for, as I have said,
Peter was dressed in his best clothes, and the old King thought that he
was a great lord.

"I want to marry your daughter," said Peter.

To this the King said "Hum-m-m," and Peter said nothing. Then the King
said that he had determined that no one should marry his daughter
without bringing him a basketful of diamonds, rubies, topazes, emeralds,
pearls, and all manner of precious stones; for he thought by this to get
rid of Peter.

"Is that all?" said Peter. "Nothing is easier."

So off he went, until he came to a chestnut woods just back of the royal
kitchen-garden. There he uncorked his bottle. Pop! pop! and out came the
two tall men. "What will you have, sir?" said they. Peter told them what
he wanted, and it was no sooner said than done; for, there on the ground
before him, stood a basketful of all kinds of precious stones; each of
them was as large as a hen's egg, and over all of them was spread a
nice clean white napkin. So Peter took the basket on his arm and went
back again to the palace.

But how the King did open his eyes, to be sure, and how he stared!
"Now," said Peter, "I should like to marry your daughter, if you
please."

At this the King hemmed and hawed again. No, Peter could not marry the
Princess yet, for the King had determined that no man should marry his
daughter without bringing him a bird all of pure silver that could sing
whenever it was wanted, and that more sweetly than a nightingale; for he
thought that now he should be rid of Peter, at any rate.

"Nothing easier," said Peter, and off he went again.

When he had come to the chestnut woods, he uncorked his bottle and told
the two tall men what he wanted. No sooner said t