too, maintained my
right. Tell me, therefore, doggie, to which of us the damsel belongs."
The dog said nothing, but instead of the dog the princess replied: "To
whom can she belong but to yourself? What's the good of the sculptor's
damsel without life? What's the good of the tailor's dressing without
speech? You gave her the best gift, life and speech, and therefore she
by right belongs to you." "You have passed your own sentence," said
Vanek; "I have given you speech again and a new life, and you therefore
by right belong to me." Then said one of the king's councillors: "His
Royal Grace will give you a plenteous reward for succeeding in unloosing
his daughter's tongue; but you cannot have her to wife, as you are of
mean lineage." The king said: "You are of mean lineage; I will give you
a plenteous reward instead of our daughter." But Vanek wouldn't hear of
any other reward, and said: "The king promised without any exception,
that whoever caused his daughter to speak again should be her husband. A
king's word is law; and if the king wants others to observe his laws, he
must first keep them himself. Therefore the king _must_ give me his
daughter." "Seize and bind him!" shouted the councillor. "Whoever says
the king _must_ do anything, offers an insult to his Majesty, and is
worthy of death. May it please your Majesty to order this malefactor to
be executed with the sword?" The king said: "Let him be executed." Vanek
was immediately bound and led to execution. When they came to the place
of execution Luck was there waiting for him, and said secretly to
Intelligence: "See how this man has got on through you, till he has to
lose his head! Make way, and let me take your place!" As soon as Luck
entered Vanek, the executioners sword broke against the scaffold, just
as if some one had snapped it; and before they brought him another, up
rode a trumpeter on horseback from the city, galloping as swift as a
bird, trumpeted merrily, and waved a white flag, and after him came the
royal carriage for Vanek. This is what had happened: The princess had
told her father at home that Vanek had but spoken the truth, and the
king's word ought not to be broken. If Vanek were of mean lineage the
king could easily make him a prince. The king said: "You're right; let
him be a prince!" The royal carriage was immediately sent for Vanek, and
the councillor who had irritated the king against him was executed in
his stead. Afterward, when Vanek and the