“Altogether rare,” said the emperor; “it is charming.”
But the princess quickly guessed where it came from, and she put out her hand to feel the tree, and then actually almost cried as she said, “It is not a cleverly-made tree, but a natural one.”
“Nonsense,” said all the ladies, “it cannot be a natural tree with such a flower.”
“Well, let us see what is in the other case before we get angry,” said the emperor; and then out came a cage with the nightingale, who began its wonderful song, and sang so beautifully that no one could be angy then.
“Superbe! charmant!” cried the ladies, for they all spoke French—some of them better than the rest.
“How greatly this bird reminds me of the musical box which belonged to our dear, lost empress,” said an old knight. “Ah, yes, the tones of the music used to sound just like the notes of this nightingale.”
“Ah, so they did,” replied the emperor, and then began to weep like a child.
“I hope neither of my presents are natural ones,” said the princess.
“But the bird is natural,” said the messenger who had brought the gifts.
“Then let it fly,” said the princess, who was wildly determined not to accept the prince’s offer for all his beautiful presents, nor to admit him if he came to visit her.
But the prince was not to be disheartened by her refusal to see him. He went home, and stained his face brown and his hair black, changed his clothes, pulled his cap low down over his forehead, and presenting himself at the palace, asked permission to see the emperor.
He was readily admitted, although in appearance he was only a common servant; yet he bowed low as he said—
“Good day, emperor; I hear that you are in want of another servant at the palace; will you engage me?”
“Well, I don’t think I have a situation to suit you at present;” then he paused and added—“Wait, I have just thought of something. I am in want of a man to look after the swine, for we have a large number of these animals.”
The disguised prince readily agreed to accept any situation at the palace which would give him opportunities of meeting the princess without being recognised, and so he became swineherd to the emperor.
He was shown to a miserable little room, close to the pigsties, and there he had to live; but while watching the pigs after feeding them, he could sit and work busily, without interruption, for the whole day.
When the first evening came, he had made a pretty little kettle, round which hung a number of little bells. As soon as the water in the kettle boiled, these bells rang out a tinkling peal, and then played a well-known melody:—
All is lost now!”
