THE SWINEHERD
253
‘If only I had taken the beautiful Prince! Alas, how unfortunate I am!’
And the Swineherd went behind a tree, washed the black and brown off his face, threw away his old clothes, and then stepped forward in his splendid dress, looking so beautiful that the Princess was obliged to courtesy.
‘I now come to this. I despise you!’ he said. ‘You would have nothing to do with a noble Prince; you did not understand the rose or the nightingale, but you could kiss the Swineherd for the sake of a toy. This is what you get for it!’ And he went into his kingdom and shut the door in her face, and she had to stay outside singing—
‘Where’s my Augustus dear?
Alas! he’s not here, here, here!
Alas! he’s not here, here, here!
