nd citron. At
once the second Princess appeared before him.

"Give me a cup of water to drink," she demanded. But again the Prince
was so overcome by her beauty that he could no more move than if he
had been rooted to the ground, and the next moment she too disappeared
from before his eyes.

The Prince was in despair. He ran this way and that way, calling aloud
and trying to find her, but she had vanished like the fading of a
breath.

And now there was only one other citron left, and the Prince trembled
at the thought of opening it, for he was afraid he would lose this
third Princess as he had the others. At last he drew it from his bosom
and prepared to cut it, but first he filled the golden cup and set it
ready to his hand. Then he seized the knife and with one stroke
divided the citron in two.

At once the third Princess stood before him, and though the others had
been beautiful she exceeded them in beauty as the full moon exceeds
the stars in splendor.

"Give me a cup of water," said she; and this time the Prince was
ready. Almost before she could speak he had caught up the golden cup
and presented it to her.

The Princess took the cup and drank, and then she smiled upon him so
brightly that he was dazzled.

"Now I am yours, and you are mine," said she, "and where you go I will
follow, for I have no one in all the wide world but you."

The Prince was almost wild with happiness. He kissed her hands and
looked with joy upon her face.

But she was dressed only in a linen shift.

The Prince took off his cloak and wrapped it about her. "Climb up into
a tree," said he, "and hide yourself among the branches, and I will go
to the castle and bring you from thence robes and jewels and all
things fitting for such a beautiful Princess to wear."

To this the Princess agreed. The Prince helped her to climb up among
the branches of a tree that overhung the water, and then he hastened
away to the castle.

The beauty sat there among the leaves waiting for his return, and the
time of waiting was long, for when the Prince reached the castle he
was obliged to stay and tell the whole story to his father before the
King would permit him to return with the robes and jewels he had
promised to bring to his bride.

[Illustration: The Princess took the cup and drank.]

Meanwhile an ugly kitchen wench who worked in the castle came to fetch
water from the spring, for every day the Princesses required it for
their baths. The