reat further that she would not show any favour to his
adversary.

'Alas!' said she, 'I favour none of these foolish people, who weary me
with their sentiment and their folly. I do very well as I am, and yet
from one year's end to another they talk of nothing but delivering me
from some imaginary affliction. Not a word do I understand of all their
pratings about love, and who knows what dull things besides, which, I
declare to you, I cannot even remember.'

Mannikin was quick enough to gather from this speech that to amuse and
interest the Princess would be a far surer way of gaining her favour
than to add himself to the list of those who continually teased her
about that mysterious thing called 'love' which she was so incapable of
comprehending. So he began to talk of his rivals, and found in each of
them something to make merry over, in which diversion the Princess
joined him heartily, and so well did he succeed in his attempt to amuse
her that before very long she declared that of all the people at Court
he was the one to whom she preferred to talk.

[Illustration]

The following day, at the time appointed for the combat, when the King,
the Queen, and the Princess had taken their places, and the whole Court
and the whole town were assembled to see the show, Prince Fadasse rode
into the lists magnificently armed and accoutred, followed by
twenty-four squires and a hundred men-at-arms, each one leading a
splendid horse, while Prince Mannikin entered from the other side armed
only with his spear and followed by the faithful Mousta. The contrast
between the two champions was so great that there was a shout of
laughter from the whole assembly; but when at the sounding of a trumpet
the combatants rushed upon each other, and Mannikin, eluding the blow
aimed at him, succeeded in thrusting Prince Fadasse from his horse and
pinning him to the sand with his spear, it changed to a murmur of
admiration.

So soon as he had him at his mercy, however, Mannikin, turning to the
Princess, assured her that he had no desire to kill anyone who called
himself her courtier, and then he bade the furious and humiliated
Fadasse rise and thank the Princess to whom he owed his life. Then, amid
the sounding of the trumpets and the shoutings of the people, he and
Mousta retired gravely from the lists.

The King soon sent for him to congratulate him upon his success, and to
offer him a lodging in the Palace, which he joyfully accepted. While