19-jesper-第3章

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queen　seemed　very　much　put　out；　but　it　was　noticed　that　the
princess　actually　smiled　to　Jesper。

'Well；　well；'　said　the　king；　'you　have　done　that　very　well
indeed。　　If　you　are　as　successful　with　a　little　task　which　I
shall　give　you　to…morrow　we　shall　consider　the　matter　settled；
and　you　shall　marry　the　princess。'

Next　day　it　was　announced　that　the　task　would　be　performed　in　the
great　hall　of　the　palace；　and　everyone　was　invited　to　come　and
witness　it。　　The　king　and　queen　sat　on　their　thrones；　with　the
princess　beside　them；　and　the　lords　and　ladies　were　all　round　the
hall。　　At　a　sign　from　the　king；　two　servants　carried　in　a　large
empty　tub；　which　they　set　down　in　the　open　space　before　the
throne；　and　Jesper　was　told　to　stand　beside　it。

'Now；'　said　the　king；　'you　must　tell　us　as　many　undoubted　truths
as　will　fill　that　tub；　or　you　can't　have　the　princess。'

'But　how　are　we　to　know　when　the　tub　is　full？'　said　Jesper。

'Don't　you　trouble　about　that；'　said　the　king；　'that's　my　part　of
the　business。'

This　seemed　to　everybody　present　rather　unfair；　but　no　one　liked
to　be　the　first　to　say　so；　and　Jesper　had　to　put　the　best　face　he
could　on　the　matter；　and　begin　his　story。

'Yesterday；'　he　said；　'when　I　was　herding　the　hares；　there　came
to　me　a　girl；　in　a　shabby　dress；　and　begged　me　to　give　her　one　of
them。　　She　got　the　hare；　but　she　had　to　give　me　a　kiss　for　it；
AND　THAT　GIRL　WAS　THE　PRINCESS。　　Isn't　that　true？'　said　he；
looking　at　her。

The　princess　blushed　and　looked　very　uncomfortable；　but　had　to
admit　that　it　was　true。

'That　hasn't　filled　much　of　the　tub；'　said　the　king。　　'Go　on
again。'

'After　that；'　said　Jesper；　'a　stout　old　woman；　in　a　peasant's
dress；　came　and　begged　for　a　hare。　　Before　she　got　it；　she　had　to
walk　round　me　on　tiptoe；　turn　up　her　eyes；　and　cackle　like　a　hen；
AND　THAT　OLD　WOMAN　WAS　THE　QUEEN。　　Isn't　that　true；　now？'

The　queen　turned　very　red　and　hot；　but　couldn't　deny　it。

'H…m；'　said　the　king；　'that　is　something；　but　the　tub　isn't　full
yet。'　　To　the　queen　he　whispered；　'I　didn't　think　you　would　be
such　a　fool。'

'What　did　YOU　do？'　she　whispered　in　return。

'Do　you　suppose　I　would　do　anything　for　HIM？'　said　the　king；　and
then　hurriedly　ordered　Jesper　to　go　on。

'In　the　next　place；'　said　Jesper；　'there　came　a　fat　old　fellow　on
the　same　errand。　　He　was　very　proud　and　dignified；　but　in　order
to　get　the　hare　he　actually　stood　on　his　head；　whacked　his　heels
together；　and　cried　〃Hurrah〃；　and　that　old　fellow　was　the'

'Stop；　stop；'　shouted　the　king；　'you　needn't　say　another　word；
the　tub　is　full。'　　Then　all　the　court　applauded；　and　the　king　and
queen　accepted　Jesper　as　their　son…in…　law；　and　the　princess　was
very　well　pleased；　for　by　this　time　she　had　quite　fallen　in　love
with　him；　because　he　was　so　handsome　and　so　clever。　　When　the　old
king　got　time　to　think　over　it；　he　was　quite　convinced　that　his
kingdom　would　be　safe　in　Jesper's　hands　if　he　looked　after　the
people　as　well　as　he　herded　the　hares。

＇Scandinavian。＇