When Sootface arrived at the town he took some gold, and, going into a shop, bought a feathered hat and two yards of green satin ribbon with which he ornamented his tail. He then went to an inn, where he purchased a fine piebald horse with an embroidered saddle, and, having thus prepared himself, galloped to the palace. Everyone in the street turned round to look at him, and all the little boys cried “Hooray!” as he thundered by. After he had presented his letter, the Princess’s sister herself received him with much politeness, and a messenger was sent with a great escort of carriages and horsemen to bring the Princess into the city. [Illustration: IN THE VERY MIDDLE OF THE FEAST THE PRINCE STOOD UP IN HIS PLACE CALLING ON ALL TO LISTEN] When she came all were charmed with her, and she was asked to make her home at the court; and, as the handsome appearance and fine manners of the gardener’s son impressed everybody, he was immediately made captain of the bodyguard and treated with every consideration. For some time they lived happily, hunting and dancing and feasting and enjoying themselves, and all went well until one day who should arrive in great pomp and style but the Prince from whom the Princess had fled! He had discovered where she was and followed her to her sister’s kingdom. When he saw the gardener’s son at the head of the bodyguard he was enraged beyond measure. That night there was a banquet, to which all the celebrated people in the kingdom were invited; if I were to describe it, it would take pages. Everything glittered with cloth of gold and silver and jewels. The table was covered with golden dishes and lamps and white roses, and the Princess was there looking more lovely than anybody, with the Prince at her right hand and the gardener’s son at her left. In the very middle of the feast the Prince stood up in his place calling on all to listen. Then, as silence fell, he told how the Princess had been ordered by her uncle, the King, to marry him, how she had refused and run away, how the young man who had accompanied her was the son of his father’s gardener, and how, though he was such a low fellow, he ventured to be in love with her; he demanded that the Princess should be made to marry him the next day and the gardener’s son punished. Then he sat down scowling and leaving the Princess’s sister and the guests horrified. “Can you wonder that the Princess ran away from him?” said the cat, from the other end of the table. Everybody agreed with the cat, for they admired the gardener’s son very much, and nobody liked the looks of the Prince; but they did not dare to say anything. That would never have done at all. “What defence have you to make, sir?” roared the Princess’s sister’s husband. “None,” said the gardener’s son. “I love the Princess and shall do so as long as I live.” “_That_ won’t be for long,” said the Princess’s sister.