ce of the spell?'

"'Nothing,' said the Prince, sadly. 'Any effort to do so would only
cause fearful troubles. I drop my hated skin at sunset, but three hours
later I must resume it.'

"He glanced towards the corner of the room where, though the Princess
had not before observed it, the brown bull's skin lay in a heap.

"'Hateful thing!' said the Princess, clenching her pretty hands, 'I
would like to burn it.'

"The Prince grew pale with fright. 'Hush! Princess,' he said. 'Never
breathe such words. Any rash act would have the most fearful
consequences.'

"'What?' said the Princess, curiously.

"The Prince came nearer her and said in a low voice, 'For _me_ they
would be such. In such a case I might too probably never see you more.'

"The Princess blushed. Considering that he had spent ten years as a
bull, it seemed to her that the Prince's manners were really not to be
found fault with, and she promised him that she would consider the
matter over, and by the next evening tell him her decision.

"She felt rather inclined to cry when she found herself again quite
alone in the great strange palace, for she was only sixteen, even though
so brave and cheerful. But still she had nothing whatever to complain
of. Not a wish was formed in her heart but it was at once fulfilled, for
this power was still the Prince's. She found, in what was evidently
intended for her dressing-room, everything a young Princess could
possibly desire in the shape of dresses, each more lovely than the
others; shoes of silk or satin, exquisitely embroidered to suit her
various costumes; laces and shawls, ribbons and feathers, and jewels of
every conceivable kind in far greater abundance than so sensible a young
lady found at all necessary. But believing all these pretty things to be
provided to please her by the Prince's desire, she endeavoured to amuse
herself with them, and found it rather interesting for the first time in
her life to have to choose for herself. Her breakfasts and dinners, and
everything conceivable in the shape of delicate and delicious food,
appeared whenever she wished for anything of the kind; invisible hands
opened the windows and shut the doors, lighted the lamps when the
evening closed in, arranged her long fair hair more skilfully than any
mortal maid, and brushed it softly when at night she wished to have it
unfastened. Books in every language to interest her, for the Princess
had been well taught, appeared on the tab