Part 19 (1/2)

”What a lovely little housekeeper!” cried the king. ”Marry me and come to live in the royal palace!”

”I must ask my brothers first,” responded Honoria. ”I will tell you to-morrow what they say.”

That night when the seven dwarfs came home Honoria told them about her visit from the king.

”How can we spare our big sister?” cried one of the dwarfs.

”Who will keep house for us when she goes away?” cried another.

”Who will make the beds so nicely?” asked another.

”Who will sweep our floors?”

”Who will wash our dishes?”

”Who will sew on our b.u.t.tons?”

”I have known that our big sister would marry sometime,” said the seventh dwarf who had not spoken, but who had been thinking quietly.

”Why shouldn't she marry the king?”

”We must let her marry the king! We must not be selfis.h.!.+” cried all the dwarfs together.

They decided that Honoria should marry the king, but they asked her not to let him kiss her until he had first said these words: ”By permission of the seven enchanted princes.” He would have to remember it without being reminded by Honoria.

Honoria told the king what her brothers had said and the wedding was celebrated with great joy.

When the king tried to kiss Honoria she burst into tears. He had forgotten all about saying: ”By permission of the seven enchanted princes.”

Honoria would not let the king kiss her, and she cried so much and struggled so hard that the king thought she had gone crazy. He ordered her shut up in the dark cell underneath the palace. Then he married a new queen.

Now it happened that there was a faithful servant who was quite sure that Honoria was not crazy. When Honoria told her of the words which the king must say before he kissed her this servant tried to think of some way to help her. She was very angry at the fact that there was a new queen.

One day she went to the queen and said: ”Queen Honoria who is shut up in the dark cell underneath the palace is much more clever than you are.”

”What does Queen Honoria do that is so clever?” asked the new queen.

”Queen Honoria will take a sword and cut off her head. Then she will put it back on again so that it is as good as new. I don't believe you are clever enough to do that.”

”I never tried it,” answered the new queen, ”but just to show you that I'm as clever as Queen Honoria I'll do it.”

With these words she seized a sword and cut off her head. Of course she fell dead immediately. The king married a new queen.

Then the servant went to the new queen and said: ”Queen Honoria who is shut up in the dark cell underneath the palace is more clever than you are.”

The new queen was indignant at this remark. ”Why is she more clever than I am?” she asked. ”What can she do that I can't do?”

”She can take a sword and cut off her hand. Then she'll stick the hand on again and it will be as good as new.”

”I've never tried it, but I'll do it just to convince you that I am clever too,” said this new queen.