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kill us。'
And this idea annoyed them very much。 Three days passed
before they heard any news； and then the King of the Peacocks came
and berated them through a hole in the wall。
‘You have called yourselves King and Prince；' he cried； ‘to try
and make me marry your sister； but you are nothing but beggars；
not worth the water you drink。 I mean to make short work with
you； and the sword is being sharpened that will cut off your heads！'
‘King of the Peacocks；' answered the King angrily； ‘you had
better take care what you are about。 I am as good a King as yourself；
and have a splendid kingdom and robes and crowns； and
plenty of good red gold to do what I like with。 You are pleased to
jest about having our heads cut off； perhaps you think we have stolen
something from you？'
At first the King of the Peacocks was taken aback by this bold
speech； and had half a mind to send them all away together； but
his Prime Minister declared that it would never do to let such a
trick as that pass unpunished； everybody would laugh at him； so the
accusation was drawn up against them； that they were impostors；
and that they had promised the King a beautiful Princess in marriage
who； when she arrived； proved to be an ugly peasant girl。
This accusation was read to the prisoners； who cried out that
they had spoken the truth； that their sister was indeed a Princess
more beautiful than the day； and that there was some mystery
about all this which they could not fathom。 Therefore they
demanded seven days in which to prove their innocence； The King
of the Peacocks was so angry that he would hardly even grant them
this favour； but at last he was persuaded to do so。
While all this was going on at court； let us see what had been
happening to the real Princess。 When the day broke she and Frisk
were equally astonished at finding themselves alone upon the sea；
with no boat and no one to help them。 The Princess cried and
cried； until even the fishes were sorry for her。
‘Alas！' she said； ‘the King of the Peacocks must have ordered
me to be thrown into the sea because he had changed his mind
and did not want to marry me。 But how strange of him； when I
should have loved him so much； and we should have been so happy
together！'
And then she cried harder than ever； for she could not help still
loving him。 So for two days they floated up and down the sea； wet
and shivering with the cold； and so hungry that when the Princess
saw some oysters she caught them； and she and Frisk both ate some；
though they didn't like them at all。 When night came the Princess
was so frightened that she said to Frisk：
‘Oh！ Do please keep on barking for fear the soles should come
and eat us up！'
Now it happened that they had floated close in to the shore；
where a poor old man lived all alone in a little cottage。 When he
heard Frisk's barking he thought to himself：
‘There must have been a shipwreck！' （for no dogs ever passed
that way by any chance）； and he went out to see if he could be of
any use。 He soon saw the Princess and Frisk floating up and
down； and Rosette； stretching out her hands to him； cried：
‘Oh！ Good old man； do save me； or I shall die of cold and
hunger！'
When he heard her cry out so piteously he was very sorry for
her； and ran back into his house to fetch a long boat…hook。 Then he
waded into the water up to his chin； and after being nearly drowned
once or twice he at last succeeded in getting hold of the Princess's
bed and dragging it on shore。
Rosette and Frisk were joyful enough to find themselves once
more on dry land； and the Princess thanked the old man heartily；
then； wrapping herself up in her blankets； she daintily picked her way
up to the cottage on her little bare feet。 There the old man lighted
a fire of straw； and then drew from an old box his wife's dress and
shoes； which the Princess put on； and thus roughly clad looked as
charming as possible； and Frisk danced his very best to amuse her。
The old man saw that Rosette must be some great lady； for her
bed coverings were all of satin and gold。 He begged that she
would tell him all her history； as she might safely trust him。 The
Princess told him everything； weeping bitterly again at the thought
that it was by the King's orders that she had been thrown overboard。
‘And now； my daughter； what is to be done？' said the old man。
‘You are a great Princess； accustomed to fare daintily； and I have
nothing to offer you but black bread and radishes； which will not
suit you at all。 Shall I go and tell the King of the Peacocks that
you are here？ If he sees you he will certainly wish to marry you。'
‘Oh no！' cried Rosette； ‘he must be wicked； since he tried to
drown me。 Don't let us tell him； but if you have a little basket
give it to me。'
The old man gave her a basket； and tying it round Frisk's neck
she said to him： ‘Go and find out the best cooking…pot in the town
and bring the contents to me。'
Away went Frisk； and as there was no better dinner cooking in
all the town than the King's； he adroitly took the cover off the pot
and brought all it contained to the Princess； who said：
‘Now go back to the pantry； and bring the best of everything you
find there。'
So Frisk went back and filled his basket with white bread； and
red wine； and every kind of sweetmeat； until it was almost too
heavy for him to carry。
When the King of the Peacocks wanted his dinner there was
nothing in the pot and nothing in the pantry。 All the courtiers
looked at one another in dismay； and the King was terribly cross。
‘Oh well！ ‘he said； ‘if there is no dinner I cannot dine； but
take care that plenty of things are roasted for supper。'
When evening came the Princess said to Frisk：
‘Go into the town and find out the best kitchen； and bring me
all the nicest morsels that are being roasted upon the spit。'
Frisk did as he was told； and as he knew of no better kitchen
than the King's； he went in softly； and when the cook's back was
turned took everything that was upon the spit； As it happened it
was all done to a turn； and looked so good that it made him hungry
only to see it。 He carried his basket to the Princess； who at once
sent him back to the pantry to bring all the tarts and sugar plums
that had been prepared for the King's supper。
The King； as he had had no dinner； was very hungry and
wanted his supper early； but when he asked for it； lo and behold it
was all gone； and he had to go to bed half…starved and in a terrible
temper。 The next day the same thing happened； and the next； so that
for three days the King got nothing at all to eat； because just when
the dinner or the supper was ready to be served it mysteriously
disappeared。 At last the Prime Minister began to be afraid that
the King would be starved to death； so he resolved to hide himself
in some dark corner of the kitchen； and never take his eyes off the
cooking