palace steps
when the pipe slipped through his fingers like water, and what became
of it he did not know.

But when Boots drove the hares home that evening he had the pipe
safely hidden away up his sleeve, though nobody knew it.

And now how about the Princess? Would the King keep his promise and
give her to the herdsman for a wife?

But that was a thing the King and Queen could not bear to think of.

They put their heads together and talked and talked, and the more they
talked the more unwilling they were to have a herdsman in the family.
So in the end this is what they said. The Princess was a very clever
girl, and she must have a clever lad for a husband. If Boots could
tell bigger stories than the Princess then he should have her for a
wife, but if she could tell bigger stories than he, then he should
have three red strips cut from his back and be beaten all the way
home.

To this Boots agreed.

Then the Princess began. "I looked out of my window," said she, "and
there was a tree that grew straight up to the sky, and the fruit of it
was diamonds and pearls and rubies. I reached out and picked them and
made myself such a necklace as never was, and I might have it yet only
I leaned over the well to look at myself in the waters, and the
necklace fell off, and there it lies still at the bottom of the well
for any one who cares to dive for it."

"That is a pretty story!" said Boots; "but I can tell a better. When I
was herding hares the Princess came up on the hill and gave me a
hundred bright silver dollars and a hundred kisses as well, one for
every dollar."

Then the King scowled till his brows met, and the Princess grew as red
as fire. "Oh, what a story!" cried she.

Then it was her turn again.

"I went to see my god-mother, and she took me for a ride in a golden
coach drawn by six fleas, and the fleas were as big as horses, and
they went so fast we were back again a day before we started."

"That's a good story," said Boots, "but here's a better. The Queen
came out on the hillside and made me a present of two hundred dollars,
and she kissed me over and over again; fifty kisses she gave me."

"Is that true?" said the King to the Queen; and his face was as black
as thunder.

"It's a great wicked story," cried the Queen, "and you must know it
is."

Then the Princess tried again. "I had six suitors, and I cared for one
no more than another, but the seventh one was a demon, and he would
have had me wh