an
who asked him: "Merchant, what are you doing?" "Ah, my old man, why
should I tell you?" "I know all." Then said the merchant: "Since you
know all, find some remedy for my life." The old man said: "Exactly. Go
to such and such a place, where there is a fairy, who is called the
fairy Orlanda. She has a palace with no doorkeeper, and no stairway.
Here is a violin and a silk ladder. When you reach this palace, begin to
play. The fairy and all her twelve maidens will appear at the window.
This fairy Orlanda can give you help."

The merchant continued his journey, and found the palace without a
doorkeeper, and with no stairway. He began to play the violin, and the
fairy and all her twelve damsels appeared and said: "What do you want
that you call us?" "Ah! fairy Orlanda, help me!" "What help do you
want?" "I have this doll, and the king's son has fallen in love with it,
and is ill. What shall I do? If I do not present her to him in a
fortnight my head will be cut off." The fairy Orlanda said: "Put this
ladder to the wall. Give me the doll. Wait two hours and I will give her
back to you again." He waited two hours and then the fairy appeared:
"Here is your daughter. She will speak to all, to the king, to the
queen, but not to the prince. Farewell." The fairy Orlanda disappeared
within, and the merchant departed with his daughter. He took her home to
his wife. The doll said: "Mamma, how do you do?" "I am very well, my
daughter. Where have you been?" "I have been into the country with papa,
and now I have returned." In a fortnight the merchant dressed her
elegantly and carried her to the palace. As soon as the king saw her he
said to the queen: "My son was right; she is a beautiful girl!" She went
into the gallery and spoke with the king and queen, but did not speak
to the prince. The mortified prince thought: "She speaks to papa, she
speaks to mamma, but not to me! What does it mean? Perhaps she does not
speak to me from embarrassment." They were married, but even then she
did not speak to him. So the prince was obliged to separate from her,
and they lived in two rooms apart. The prince, meanwhile, courted
another princess. One morning, while he was breakfasting with his
sweetheart, his wife called a servant: "Come here; is the prince at
table?" "Yes, Highness." "Wait!" She cut off her two hands and put them
in the oven, and there came out a roast, with ten sausages. "Carry these
to the prince." "Prince, the princess sends y