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promise you made your father? Your brothers have already procured some curious little dogs, and there remain but three days for you to find one more beautiful, or lose a kingdom." These words awoke the prince from his dream of pleasure. "Alas!" cried he, "what have I been doing? My honour is lost for ever." "Do not afflict yourself," said the White Cat, "I will find a horse that will carry you home in less than twelve hours. And as for the little dog, take this acorn, in which there is one; put it to your ear and you will hear it bark." The prince did so, and, transported with pleasure, thanked her a thousand times. Bidding her farewell, he mounted the wooden horse, and arrived at his father's palace just as his brothers entered the court-yard. he ran to embrace them, and all three went together to the king. The two eldest presented their dogs, which were so equally beautiful that it was impossible to know in whose favour to determine. But the youngest soon put an end to the debate; for, pulling the acorn out of his pocket and opening it, they saw a little dog lying on cotton, so small that it might go through a ring; it was of a mixture of colours, and its ears reached the ground. The king was convinced that nothing could be met with so beautiful; but, being unwilling yet to part with his crown, he told his children, that he must make a further trial of their love and diligence before he performed his promise; they must take another year to find out a web of cloth fine enough to go through the eye of a small needle.
This request, though unjust, they thought it best to comply with; and our prince mounted his wooden horse, and returned with speed to his White Cat, on which alone he depended for assistance. He found her laid on a quilt of white satin. As soon as she saw him, she expressed the utmost joy; while the prince caressed her in the most tender manner, and told her the success of his journey. The White Cat redoubled her efforts to render the prince more happy, if possible, than he had been before. The instant he wished for anything the hands brought it to him; and the second year rolled away so fast, that the prince would again have forgot his orders, had not the White Cat reminded him thereof: "But make yourself perfectly easy concerning the web," said she, "for I have one wonderfully fine. Take this walnut; be sure to crack it in your father's presence, and you will find in it such a web as you want."
The prince thanked her in the most grateful manner; and was presently carried by the wooden horse to his father's palace, where his brothers had got before him. They pulled out their webs, which were exceeding fine, and would go through
