Then the old goose-herd drove her geese away, and the goose-girl waited
for the coming of the Prince.
Sure enough, after a while the Prince came with a fine dress, all of
real silver and gold; but when he saw the goose-girl he beat his head
with his knuckles, for he thought that it was the Princess, and that she
was enchanted again.
Why did he not look through the ring of his magic key?
Perhaps for this, perhaps for that--one cannot be always wise.
[Illustration: The Prince looks through the Magic Key.]
Then the Prince dressed the goose-girl in the fine dress of gold and
silver, and took her home with him. Hui! how everybody stared and
laughed when they saw what kind of a Princess it was that the Prince
brought home with him! As for the poor old King, he rubbed his
spectacles and looked and looked, for he thought that this was a strange
sort of a wife for the Prince to make such a buzz about. However, he
said nothing, for he thought to himself that perhaps she would grow
prettier by-and-by.
So orders were given for a grand wedding on Thursday, and the old King
asked all of the neighbors to come, and even those who lived at a
distance, for this was to be a very grand wedding indeed.
But the old goose-herd told her daughter to mix a sleeping powder with
the Prince's wine at supper, for, if the real Princess were to come at
all, she would come that night. So the goose-girl did as she was told,
and the Prince drank the sleeping powder with his wine, and knew nothing
of it.
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