, laid them at the
head board of the bed, then flew out of the window, went home, and lay
down to sleep.

When Salikalla awoke the next morning, and perceived the shoes again
on the head board of her couch, she asked the servant whether she had
laid them there. But the servant replied that she had not seen them;
whereat the Princess wondered still more than before; and she resolved
not to sleep the next night, but to watch who laid the shoes upon the
couch.

The Tsarevich Malandrach waited until evening, then took his wings
under his arm and returned to the palace; and when he thought that the
Princess was asleep, he bound on his wings and flew in at the window.
But hardly had he approached the couch and attempted to kiss her than
the Tsarevna suddenly seized him with both hands, and exclaimed: "Who
art thou? How dost thou dare to come hither?" Prince Malandrach knew
not what to answer for astonishment, and fell to entreating pardon of
the Tsarevna. She would not, however, let him go, until by threats she
had made him tell her who he was, and how he had come into the palace.
Then he told her the whole truth, from beginning to end; and the
Tsarevna Salikalla was so pleased that she kissed his sugar lips, and
begged him to remain, asking him to forgive her having been so rough
and unkind.

"O my best beloved and most beautiful Tsarevna," replied Malandrach,
"tell me truly, I pray, why art thou shut up alone in this palace
without any living creature near you?"

Then the Princess told him the story of her life. "When I was born,"
she said, "my father summoned all the wise men to him, and asked them
how long I should live; and they told my parents that until my
fifteenth year I should live happily, but that then some evil should
befall me, upon hearing which my father ordered this house to be
built, and when I was ten years old he placed me here for ten years,
and this is the sixth year I am here. My mother visits me once a
month, and my father once a quarter, and a servant is given to attend
upon me. My mother will be here in a week's time; tarry, dear Prince,
meanwhile, and cheer my solitude."

The Tsarevich Malandrach readily consented, and the time passed
quickly in various amusements and conversation, and at last they took
an oath to marry each other. For more than a year they lived together
thus, only separating when the time came round for the visits of the
Tsarevna's parents. One day the Princess saw her moth