has said that he will
marry no princess but one who can catch three golden balls at a time, as
if young princesses were brought up to be jugglers! Nevertheless, all
the princesses far and wide have been practising their best at catching
balls, and to-morrow the great feasts are to begin, and she who catches
best is to be chosen out of all the princesses as the bride of our
Prince.'

"The poor Princess listened with a beating heart to the old woman's
talk. There could be no doubt as to who the Prince of this country was.

"'I have come but just in time,' she said to herself, and then she
rose, and thanking her hostess for her kindness, said she must be going.

"'But where are you going, you poor child?' said the old woman. 'You
look far too tired to go farther and for two or three days all these
rejoicings will make the country unpleasant for a young girl to travel
through alone. Stay with me till you are rested.'

"The Princess thanked her with tears in her eyes for her kindness. 'I
have nothing to reward you with,' she said, 'but some day I may be able
to do so' and then she thankfully accepted her offer.

"'And to-morrow,' said the old woman, 'you must smarten yourself up as
well as you can, and then we shall go out to see the gay doings.'

"But the Princess lay awake all night thinking what she should do to
make herself known to her faithful Prince.

"The next day the old woman went out early to hear all about the
festivities. She came back greatly excited.

"'Come quickly,' she said. 'The crowd is so great that no one will
notice your poor clothes. And, indeed, among all the pretty girls there
will be none prettier than you,' she added, looking admiringly at the
Princess, who had arranged her beautiful hair and brushed her soiled
dress, and who looked sweeter than ever now that she was rested and
refreshed. 'There are three princesses who have come to the feast,' she
went on, 'the first from the south, the second from the east, the third
from the west, each more beautiful than another, the people say. The
trial of the golden balls is to be in the great hall of the palace, and
a friend of mine has promised me a place at one of the windows which
overlook it, so that we can see the whole;' and the Princess, feeling as
if she were in a dream, rose up to accompany the old woman, her balls
and her precious nut in her pocket.

"They made their way through the crowd and placed themselves at the
window, as the old