So it was arranged that the Princess Ernalie was to stop with the King and Queen until something should turn up. But nothing ever did turn up, and the days lengthened into months, and the months into years, and still she stayed with the old couple; and as time went on she seemed to do almost all the work of the farm, for the old King and Queen were beginning to get too old and weak for hard work. And gradually she began to forget about her native land, and it seemed as if the farm were to be her home for ever. And every year she grew taller and more beautiful; but that’s a habit that princesses have pretty often. So five years passed quietly away, and nothing seemed likely to disturb the peace of the household. Every morning regularly she got up at five o’clock to drive the cows to the pasture, and then she fed the poultry, and, if it happened to be a Thursday or Saturday, she went with the Queen to take the butter and eggs to market; besides which she had to milk the cows and cook the dinner, and all sorts of things, so that she was gradually turning into a simple country maid. During all the five years no one from the town ever came near the house, and so you may imagine how surprised she was one morning when she got up and opened her bedroom window to see a man coming across the clover-field towards the house. She watched him come right up to the door, and then, when she heard him knock, ran down to tell the King and Queen that a man was knocking at the door. ‘Who on earth can it be?’ asked Abbonamento. ‘It’s not the tax-collector, is it?’ asked Araminta. ‘Oh no, it’s not him; he’s an old man, and this one is quite young,’ answered the Princess. ‘Nor the water-man?’ ‘No, it’s not him either. There he is knocking again.’ Indeed, the knocking was becoming quite furious. ‘He’s a very impatient young man, whoever he is,’ said Abbonamento. ‘You’d better go and tell him not to make such a noise. Let him in—be quick, or he’ll knock the door down!’ And it seemed so likely, that Ernalie ran down as fast as she could and opened the door. ‘Why can’t you open the door faster?’ said an angry voice; and then Ernalie saw a young man looking at her in a state of great surprise. ‘Why, who are you?’ he asked. ‘Is this not the house of their Majesties King Abbonamento and Queen Araminta?’ ‘They used to be King and Queen at one time,’ answered Ernalie. ‘They ought to be now,’ said the young man with a frown. ‘That’s quite another thing,’ retorted Ernalie. ‘Oh, is it?’ said he, with a smile this time. ‘But who on earth are you, if I may ask?’ ‘I am Her Royal Highness Princess Ernalie of Aoland; and who on earth are you, if I may ask?’ ‘I am Prince Treblo of this country,’ answered he. ‘I suppose you are the son of King Mumkie, then?’ said she. ‘Good gracious, no!’ said the Prince.