thought to himself; 'if the lady appears to me a third time, I
will do as she tells me.'

The following day, to the great astonishment of all the village, about
two o'clock in the afternoon a voice was heard singing:

'Raleo, raleo, How the cattle go!'

It was the little cow-boy driving his herd back to the byre.

The farmer began to scold him furiously, but he answered quietly, 'I am
going away,' made his clothes into a bundle, said good-bye to all his
friends, and boldly set out to seek his fortunes.

There was great excitement through all the village, and on the top of
the hill the people stood holding their sides with laughing, as they
watched the Star Gazer trudging bravely along the valley with his bundle
at the end of his stick.

It was enough to make anyone laugh, certainly.

III

It was well known for full twenty miles round that there lived in the
castle of Beloeil twelve princesses of wonderful beauty, and as proud as
they were beautiful, and who were besides so very sensitive and of such
truly royal blood, that they would have felt at once the presence of a
pea in their beds, even if the mattresses had been laid over it.

It was whispered about that they led exactly the lives that princesses
ought to lead, sleeping far into the morning, and never getting up till
mid-day. They had twelve beds all in the same room, but what was very
extraordinary was the fact that though they were locked in by triple
bolts, every morning their satin shoes were found worn into holes.

When they were asked what they had been doing all night, they always
answered that they had been asleep; and, indeed, no noise was ever heard
in the room, yet the shoes could not wear themselves out alone!

At last the Duke of Beloeil ordered the trumpet to be sounded, and a
proclamation to be made that whoever could discover how his daughters
wore out their shoes should choose one of them for his wife.

On hearing the proclamation a number of princes arrived at the castle
to try their luck. They watched all night behind the open door of the
princesses, but when the morning came they had all disappeared, and no
one could tell what had become of them.

IV

When he reached the castle, Michael went straight to the gardener and
offered his services. Now it happened that the garden boy had just
been sent away, and though the Star Gazer did not look very sturdy,
the gardener agreed to take him, as he thought that his pretty face