When the princess heard that a man had offered to die for her, she
was so transported that she jumped off the bed, feeble as she was,
and danced about the room for joy. She did not care who the man
was; that was nothing to her. The hole wanted stopping; and if only
a man would do, why, take one. In an hour or two more everything
was ready. Her maid dressed her in haste, and they carried her to
the side of the lake. When she saw it she shrieked, and covered her
face with her hands. They bore her across to the stone where they
had already placed a little boat for her.

The water was not deep enough to float it, but they hoped it would
be, before long. They laid her on cushions, placed in the boat
wines and fruits and other nice things, and stretched a canopy over
all.

In a few minutes the prince appeared. The princess recognized him
at once, but did not think it worth while to acknowledge him.

"Here I am," said the prince. "Put me in."

"They told me it was a shoeblack," said the princess.

"So I am," said the prince. "I blacked your little boots three
times a day, because they were all I could get of you. Put me in."

The courtiers did not resent his bluntness, except by saying to
each other that he was taking it out in impudence.

But how was he to be put in? The golden plate contained no