* “Ah! dear Augustine!
All is gone, gone, gone!”
But what was still more curious, whoever held his finger in the smoke of
the kitchen-pot, immediately smelt all the dishes that were cooking on
every hearth in the city--this, you see, was something quite different
from the rose.
Now the Princess happened to walk that way; and when she heard the tune,
she stood quite still, and seemed pleased; for she could play “Lieber
Augustine”; it was the only piece she knew; and she played it with one
finger.
“Why there is my piece,” said the Princess. “That swineherd must
certainly have been well educated! Go in and ask him the price of the
instrument.”
So one of the court-ladies must run in; however, she drew on wooden
slippers first.
“What will you take for the kitchen-pot?” said the lady.
“I will have ten kisses from the Princess,” said the swineherd.
“Yes, indeed!” said the lady.
“I cannot sell it for less,” rejoined the swineherd.
“He is an impudent fellow!” said the Princess, and she walked on; but
when she had gone a little way, the bells tinkled so prettily
“Ach! du lieber Augustin,
Alles ist weg, weg, weg!”
“Stay,” said the Princess. “Ask him if he will have ten kisses from the
ladies of my court.”
“No, thank you!” said the swineherd. “Ten kisses from the Princess, or I
keep the kitchen-pot myself.”
“That must not be, either!” said the Princess. “But do you all stand
before me that no one may see us.”
And the court-ladies placed themselves in front of her, and spread
out their dresses--the swineherd got ten kisses, and the Princess--the
kitchen-pot.
That was delightful! The pot was boiling the whole evening, and the
whole of the following day. They knew perfectly well what was cooking at
every fire throughout the city, from the chamberlain's to the cobbler's;
the court-ladies danced and clapped their hands.
“We know who has soup, and who has pancakes for dinner to-day, who has
cutlets, and who has eggs. How interesting!”
“Yes, but keep my secret, for I am an Emperor's daughter.”
The swineherd--that is to say--the Prince, for no one knew that he was
other than an ill-favored swineherd, let not a day pass without working
at something; he at last constructed a rattle, which, when it was swung
round, played all the waltzes and jig tunes, which have ever been heard
since the creation of the world.
“Ah, that is superbe!” said the Princess when she passed by. “I have
never heard prettier compositions! Go in and ask him the price of the
instrument; but mind, he shall have no more kisses!”
“He will have a hundred kisses from the Princess!” said the lady who had
been to ask.
“I think he is not in his right senses!” said the Princess, and walked
on, but when she had gone a little way, she stopped again. “One must
encourage art,” said she, “I am the Emperor's daughter. Tell him he
shall, as on yesterday, have ten kisses from me, and may take the rest
from the ladies of the court.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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