rince came, and no sooner had he rested from his journey
than he sent for Hans's uncle.

That very day Hans was five years old, and so his uncle told him that
because it was his birthday, he, too, might go to see the Prince.

This was a great treat for Hans, and his aunt made haste to dress him
in his best clothes.

"You must be good," she told him a dozen times before he set out with
his uncle to the hotel where the Prince was staying.

When they got there they found everything in a bustle, for the place
was full of fine ladies and gentlemen who had come with the Prince,
and the servants were hurrying here and there to wait on them.

Nobody even saw the little boy, in holiday clothes, who tiptoed so
quietly over the beautiful carpets. Nobody, I should say, but the
Prince; for after the Prince had finished his business with Hans's
uncle, he smiled at Hans and asked his name and how old he was. Hans
was very proud to say that he was five years old that very day; and
when the Prince heard this he took a gold-piece from his purse and
gave it to Hans.

"This is for a birthday present," he said, "and you must buy what you
want most."

_The Silver Chain_

Hans could scarcely believe his own eyes. He ran every step of the way
home, to show the gold-piece to his aunt; and, when she saw it, she
was almost as pleased as he was.

"You must buy something that you can keep always," she said. "What
shall it be?--a silver chain!" she cried, clasping her hands at the
thought of it. "A silver chain to wear upon your coat when you are a
man, and have, perhaps, a watch to hang upon it! 'Twill be a fine
thing to show--a silver chain that a Prince gave you!"

Hans was not certain that he wanted a chain more than anything else,
but his aunt was very sure about it; so she gave the gold-piece to a
soldier cousin, who bought the chain in a city where he went to drill
before the very Prince who had given Hans the money.

When the chain came, the aunt called all the neighbours to see it.
"The Prince himself gave the child the money that bought it," she said
again and again.

Hans thought the chain very fine; but after he had looked at it a
while he was quite willing that his aunt should put it away in the
great chest where she kept the holiday clothes and the best
tablecloths.

The chain lay there so long that Hans felt sorry for it, and wondered
if it did not get lonely. He got lonely often himself, for there was
nobody to pl