arrival of Charming
as ambassador of her neighbor the King.

"Charming," said the Princess, "the name promises well; I have no doubt
that he is good looking and fascinates everybody."

"Indeed he does, madam," said all her maids of honor in one breath. "We
saw him from the window of the garret where we were spinning flax, and
we could do nothing but look at him as long as he was in sight."

"Well to be sure," said the Princess, "that's how you amuse yourselves,
is it? Looking at strangers out of the window! Be quick and give me my
blue satin embroidered dress, and comb out my golden hair. Let somebody
make me fresh garlands of flowers, and give me my high-heeled shoes and
my fan, and tell them to sweep my great hall and my throne, for I want
everyone to say I am really 'Pretty Goldilocks.'"

You can imagine how all her maids scurried this way and that to make the
Princess ready, and how in their haste they knocked their heads together
and hindered each other, till she thought they would never have done.
However, at last they led her into the gallery of mirrors that she might
assure herself that nothing was lacking in her appearance, and then
she mounted her throne of gold, ebony, and ivory, while her ladies took
their guitars and began to sing softly. Then Charming was led in, and
was so struck with astonishment and admiration that at first not a word
could he say. But presently he took courage and delivered his harangue,
bravely ending by begging the Princess to spare him the disappointment
of going back without her.

"Sir Charming," answered she, "all the reasons you have given me are
very good ones, and I assure you that I should have more pleasure in
obliging you than anyone else, but you must know that a month ago as I
was walking by the river with my ladies I took off my glove, and as I
did so a ring that I was wearing slipped off my finger and rolled into
the water. As I valued it more than my kingdom, you may imagine how
vexed I was at losing it, and I vowed to never listen to any proposal of
marriage unless the ambassador first brought me back my ring. So now
you know what is expected of you, for if you talked for fifteen days and
fifteen nights you could not make me change my mind."

Charming was very much surprised by this answer, but he bowed low to the
Princess, and begged her to accept the embroidered scarf and the tiny
dog he had brought with him. But she answered that she did not want any
presents,