she burst into tears.

Michael flung the contents of the cup behind him, sprang over the table,
and fell at Lina's feet. The rest of the princes fell likewise at the
knees of the princesses, each of whom chose a husband and raised him to
her side. The charm was broken.

The twelve couples embarked in the boats, which crossed back many times
in order to carry over the other princes. Then they all went through
the three woods, and when they had passed the door of the underground
passage a great noise was heard, as if the enchanted castle was
crumbling to the earth.

They went straight to the room of the Duke of Beloeil, who had just
awoke. Michael held in his hand the golden cup, and he revealed the
secret of the holes in the shoes.

'Choose, then,' said the Duke, 'whichever you prefer.'

'My choice is already made,' replied the garden boy, and he offered his
hand to the youngest Princess, who blushed and lowered her eyes.

XVI

The Princess Lina did not become a gardener's wife; on the contrary, it
was the Star Gazer who became a Prince: but before the marriage ceremony
the Princess insisted that her lover should tell her how he came to
discover the secret.

So he showed her the two laurels which had helped him, and she, like a
prudent girl, thinking they gave him too much advantage over his wife,
cut them off at the root and threw them in the fire. And this is why the
country girls go about singing:

Nous n'irons plus au bois,
Les lauriers sont coupes,'

and dancing in summer by the light of the moon.

THE PRINCESS MAYBLOSSOM

ONCE upon a time there lived a King and Queen whose children had all
died, first one and then another, until at last only one little daughter
remained, and the Queen was at her wits' end to know where to find a
really good nurse who would take care of her, and bring her up. A herald
was sent who blew a trumpet at every street corner, and commanded all
the best nurses to appear before the Queen, that she might choose one
for the little Princess. So on the appointed day the whole palace was
crowded with nurses, who came from the four corners of the world to
offer themselves, until the Queen declared that if she was ever to see
the half of them, they must be brought out to her, one by one, as she
sat in a shady wood near the palace.

This was accordingly done, and the nurses, after they had made their
curtsey to the King and Queen, ranged themselves in a line bef