ps?"

"Oh!" answered Thumbling, "my mother told me that a long time ago; it is
the sun."

"You are right," said the princess, pale with emotion. "And now for my
last question, which you will never guess. What is that that you think,
and that I don't think? What is that we both think, and what is that we
neither of us think?"

Thumbling bent his head, and seemed embarrassed; and the Troll whispered
to him: "Master, don't be disturbed. If you can't guess it, just make a
sign to me, and I will carry off the princess, and make an end of the
matter at once."

"Be silent, slave!" answered Thumbling. "Force alone can do nothing, my
poor friend, and no one ought to know it better than you. Let me have my
own way."

"Madame," said he then to the princess, in the midst of a profound
silence, "I hardly dare guess; and yet in this riddle I plainly perceive
my own happiness. I dared to think that your questions would have no
difficulty for me, while you thought the contrary; you have the goodness
to believe that I am not unworthy to please you, while I have hardly the
boldness to think so; finally," added he, smilingly, "what we both think
is, that there are bigger fools in the world than you and I; and what we
neither of us think is, that the king, your august father, and this poor
giant have as much--"

"Silence!" interrupted the princess; "here is my hand."

"What were you thinking about me?" asked the king; "I should be
delighted to know."

"My dear father," said the princess, embracing him, "we think that you
are the wisest of kings, and the best of fathers."

"It is well!" replied the king, loftily; "and now I must do something
for my subjects. Thumbling, from this moment you are a Duke!"

"Long live Duke Thumbling! long live my master!" shouted the giant, with
a terrific roar, that sounded like a clap of thunder breaking over the
palace. But, luckily, there was no harm done, save badly frightening
everybody, and breaking all the windows.

VII.

It would be unnecessary to give a full account of the wedding of the
princess and Duke Thumbling. All weddings are alike; the difference is
in what follows after them. Nevertheless, it would be improper in a
truthful historian not to say that the presence of the Troll added a
great deal to the magnificent display. For instance, when the happy
couple were returning from the church, the giant, in the excess of his
joy, found nothing better to do than to take the royal c