time.

The king and his equerry stood still to watch this strange hunt,
which was followed by twenty or more little dwarfs, some mounted
on wolves, and leading relays, and others with cats in leash. The
dwarfs were all dressed in purple silk liveries like the apes.

A moment later a beautiful young woman mounted on a tiger came in
sight. She passed close to the king, riding at full speed,
without taking any notice of him; but he was at once enchanted by
her, and his heart was gone in a moment.

To his great joy he saw that one of the dwarfs had fallen behind
the rest, and at once began to question him.

The dwarf told him that the lady he had just seen was the
Princess Mutinosa, the daughter of the king in whose country they
were at that moment. He added that the princess was very fond of
hunting, and that she was now in pursuit of rabbits.

The king then asked the way to the court, and having been told
it, hurried off, and reached the capital in a couple of hours.

As soon as he arrived, he presented himself to the king and
queen, and on mentioning his own name and that of his country,
was received with open arms. Not long after, the princess
returned, and hearing that the hunt had been very successful, the
king complimented her on it, but she would not answer a word.

Her silence rather surprised him, but he was still more