the Princess, leaning over the gate.
'Have the rats eaten any of the little chickens, or has your mother been
scolding you for breaking some eggs?'

"'Neither, Princess,' said the girl among her sobs. 'The chickens are
never eaten, and my mother seldom scolds me. My trouble is far worse
than that, but I dare not tell it to you--to you of all people in the
world.'

"And the Princess's governess, who just then came up, looked again very
frightened and uneasy.

"'Princess, Princess,' she said, 'what a habit you are getting of
talking to all these foolish girls. Come back to the palace at once with
me.'

"'I have often talked to Bruna before,' said the Princess gently, 'and
I never was blamed for doing so. She is a pretty girl, and I have known
her all my life. Some one said she was betrothed to one of my father's
huntsmen, and I would like to ask if it is true. Perhaps they are too
poor to marry, and it may be for that she is weeping.'

"Bruna heard what the Princess said, and wept still more violently. 'Ah,
yes, it is true!' she said, 'but never, never shall I now be married to
him.'

"But the Princess's governess would not let her wait to ask more. She
hurried her back to the castle, and the Princess--more sure than ever
that some mysterious trouble was in question--could get no explanation.

"She did not see the king and queen that night, and the next morning a
strange thing happened--her white and golden robe was missing. And all
that her attendants could tell her was that it had been taken away by
the queen's orders.

"'Then,' said the Princess, 'there is some sad trouble afloat which is
hidden from me.'

"And when she went to her turret room, and found, as before, that the
windows were all closed, so that she could not see out, she sat down and
cried with distress and anxiety.

"And, again, about mid-day, the same confused noises were to be heard. A
sound of horses and people moving about in the courtyard, a tramping of
heavy feet, and through all a faint and smothered weeping. The Princess
could bear her anxiety no longer. She drew back the curtains, and
unfastened the shutters, and leaned out. From her window she could
clearly see the courtyard. It was, as she suspected, filled with people;
rows of soldiers on horse-back lined the sides, and in front, on the
steps, the king and queen were standing looking at a strange object. It
was an enormous bull: never had the Princess seen such a bull. He was
dar