King；　he　may　think　himself　lucky！〃
  Then　he　dressed　himself　carefully　in　rich　brocade；　with
  scarlet　and　white　plumes；　and　threw　a　splendid　embroidered
  scarf　over　his　shoulder；　and；　looking　as　gay　and　as
  graceful　as　possible；　he　presented　himself　at　the　door　of
  the　palace；　carrying　in　his　arm　a　tiny　pretty　dog　which　he
  had　bought　on　the　way。　The　guards　saluted　him　respectfully；
  and　a　messenger　was　sent　to　the　Princess　to　announce
  the　arrival　of　Charming　as　ambassador　of　her
  neighbor　the　King。
  〃Charming；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃the　name　promises
  well；　I　have　no　doubt　that　he　is　good　looking　and
  fascinates　everybody。〃
  〃Indeed　he　does；　madam；〃　said　all　her　maids　of　honor
  in　one　breath。　〃We　saw　him　from　the　window　of　the
  garret　where　we　were　spinning　flax；　and　we　could　do
  nothing　but　look　at　him　as　long　as　he　was　in　sight。〃
  〃Well　to　be　sure；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃that's　how　you
  amuse　yourselves；　is　it？　Looking　at　strangers　out　of　the
  window！　Be　quick　and　give　me　my　blue　satin　embroidered
  dress；　and　comb　out　my　golden　hair。　Let　somebody
  make　me　fresh　garlands　of　flowers；　and　give　me　my　high…
  heeled　shoes　and　my　fan；　and　tell　them　to　sweep　my　great
  hall　and　my　throne；　for　I　want　everyone　to　say　I　am　really
  ‘Pretty　Goldilocks。'〃
  You　can　imagine　how　all　her　maids　scurried　this　way
  and　that　to　make　the　Princess　ready；　and　how　in　their
  haste　they　knocked　their　heads　together　and　hindered
  each　other；　till　she　thought　they　would　never　have　done。
  However；　at　last　they　led　her　into　the　gallery　of　mirrors
  that　she　might　assure　herself　that　nothing　was　lacking　in
  her　appearance；　and　then　she　mounted　her　throne　of　gold；
  ebony；　and　ivory；　while　her　ladies　took　their　guitars　and
  began　to　sing　softly。　Then　Charming　was　led　in；　and　was
  so　struck　with　astonishment　and　admiration　that　at　first
  not　a　word　could　he　say。　But　presently　he　took　courage
  and　delivered　his　harangue；　bravely　ending　by　begging
  the　Princess　to　spare　him　the　disappointment　of　going
  back　without　her。
  〃Sir　Charming；〃　answered　she；　〃all　the　reasons　you
  have　given　me　are　very　good　ones；　and　I　assure　you　that
  I　should　have　more　pleasure　in　obliging　you　than　anyone
  else；　but　you　must　know　that　a　month　ago　as　I　was　walking
  by　the　river　with　my　ladies　I　took　off　my　glove；　and
  as　I　did　so　a　ring　that　I　was　wearing　slipped　off　my　finger
  and　rolled　into　the　water。　As　I　valued　it　more　than　my
  kingdom；　you　may　imagine　how　vexed　I　was　at　losing　it；
  and　I　vowed　to　never　listen　to　any　proposal　of　marriage
  unless　the　ambassador　first　brought　me　back　my　ring。　So
  now　you　know　what　is　expected　of　you；　for　if　you　talked
  for　fifteen　days　and　fifteen　nights　you　could　not　make　me
  change　my　mind。〃
  Charming　was　very　much　surprised　by　this　answer；　but
  he　bowed　low　to　the　Princess；　and　begged　her　to　accept
  the　embroidered　scarf　and　the　tiny　dog　he　had　brought
  with　him。　But　she　answered　that　she　did　not　want　any
  presents；　and　that　he　was　to　remember　what　she　had　just
  told　him。　When　he　got　back　to　his　lodging　he　went　to　bed
  without　eating　any　supper；　and　his　little　dog；　who　was
  called　Frisk；　couldn't　eat　any　either；　but　came　and　lay
  down　close　to　him。　All　night　Charming　sighed　and　lamented。
  〃How　am　I　to　find　a　ring　that　fell　into　the　river　a　month
  ago？〃　said　he。　〃It　is　useless　to　try；　the　Princess　must　have
  told　me　to　do　it　on　purpose；　knowing　it　was　impossible。〃
  And　then　he　sighed　again。
  Frisk　heard　him　and　said：
  〃My　dear　master；　don't　despair；　the　luck　may　change；
  you　are　too　good　not　to　be　happy。　Let　us　go　down　to　the
  river　as　soon　as　it　is　light。〃
  But　Charming　only　gave　him　two　little　pats　and　said
  nothing；　and　very　soon　he　fell　asleep。
  At　the　first　glimmer　of　dawn　Frisk　began　to　jump　about；
  and　when　he　had　waked　Charming　they　went　out　together；
  first　into　the　garden；　and　then　down　to　the　river's
  brink；　where　they　wandered　up　and　down。　Charming　was
  thinking　sadly　of　having　to　go　back　unsuccessful　when　he
  heard　someone　calling：　〃Charming；　Charming！〃　　He　looked
  all　about　him　and　thought　he　must　be　dreaming；　as　he
  could　not　see　anybody。　Then　he　walked　on　and　the　voice
  called　again：　〃Charming；　Charming！〃
  〃Who　calls　me？〃　said　he。　Frisk；　who　was　very　small
  and　could　look　closely　into　the　water；　cried　out：　〃I　see　a
  golden　carp　coming。〃　And　sure　enough　there　was　the
  great　carp；　who　said　to　Charming：
  〃You　saved　my　life　in　the　meadow　by　the　willow　tree；
  and　I　promised　that　I　would　repay　you。　Take　this；　it　is
  Princess　Goldilock's　ring。〃　Charming　took　the　ring　out
  of　Dame　Carp's　mouth；　thanking　her　a　thousand　times；
  and　he　and　tiny　Frisk　went　straight　to　the　palace；　where
  someone　told　the　Princess　that　he　was　asking　to　see　her。
  〃Ah！　poor　fellow；〃　said　she；　〃he　must　have　come　to　say
  good…by；　finding　it　impossible　to　do　as　I　asked。〃
  So　in　came　Charming；　who　presented　her　with　the　ring
  and　said：
  〃Madam；　I　have　done　your　bidding。　Will　it　please　you
  to　marry　my　master？〃　When　the　Princess　saw　her　ring
  brought　back　to　her　unhurt　she　was　so　astonished　that　she
  thought　she　must　be　dreaming。
  〃Truly；　Charming；〃　said　she；　〃you　must　be　the　favorite
  of　some　fairy；　or　you　could　never　have　found　it。〃
  〃Madam；〃　answered　he；　〃I　was　helped　by　nothing　but
  my　desire　to　obey　your　wishes。〃
  〃Since　you　are　so　kind；〃　said　she；　〃perhaps　you　will　do
  me　another　service；　for　till　it　is　done　I　will　never　be
  married。　There　is　a　prince　not　far　from　here　whose　name
  is　Galifron；　who　once　wanted　to　marry　me；　but　when　I
  refused　he　uttered　the　most　terrible　threats　against　me；
  and　vowed　that　he　would　lay　waste　my　country。　But
  what　could　I　do？　I　could　not　marry　a　frightful　giant　as
  tall　as　a　tower；　who　eats　up　people　as　a　monkey　eats
  chestnuts；　and　who　talks　so　loud　that　anybody　who　has
  to　listen　to　him　becomes　quite　deaf。　Nevertheless；　he
  does　not　cease　to　persecute　me　and　to　kill　my　subjects。
  So　before　I　can　listen　to　your　proposal　you　must　kill　him
  and　bring　me　his　head。
  Charming　was　rather　dismayed　at　this　command；　but
  he　answered：
  〃Very　well；　Princess；　I　will　fight　this　Galifron；　I　believe
  that　he　will　kill　me；　but　at　any　rate　I　shall　die　in　your
  defense。〃
  Then　the　Princess　was　frightened　and　said　everything
  she　could　think　of　to　prevent　Charming　from　fighting　the
  giant；　but　it　was　of　no　use；　and　he　went　out　to　arm　himself
  suitably；　and　then；　taking　little　Frisk　with　him；　he　mounted
  his　horse　and　set　out　for　Galifron's　country。　Everyone
  he　met　told　him　what　a　terrible　giant　Galifron　was；　and
  that　nobody　dared　go　near　him；　and　the　more　he　heard；
  the　more　frightened　he　grew。　Frisk　tried　to　encourage
  him　by　saying：　〃While　you　are　fighting　the　giant；　dear
  master；　I　will　go　and　bite　his　heels；　and　when　he　stoops
  down　to　look　at　me　you　can　kill　him。〃
  Charming　praised　his　little　dog's　plan；　but　knew　that
  this　help　would　not　do　much　good。
  At　last　he　drew　near　the　giant's　castle；　and　saw　to　his
  horror　that　every　path　that　led　to　it　was　strewn　with
  bones。　Before　long　he　saw　Galifron　coming。　His　head
  was　higher　than　the　tallest　trees；　and　he　sang　in　a　terrible
  voice：
  〃Bring　out　your　little　boys　and　girls；
  Pray　do　not　stay　to　do　their　curls；
  For　I　shall　eat　so　very　many；
  I　shall　not　know　if　they　have　any。〃
  Thereupon　Charming　sang　out　as　loud　as　he　could　to
  the　same　tune：
  〃Come　out　and　meet　the　valiant　Charming
  Who　finds　you　not　at　all　alarming；
  Although　he　is　not　very　tall；
  He's　big　enough　to　make　you　fall。〃
  The　rhymes　were　not　very　correct；　but　you　see　he　had
  made　them　up　so　quickly　that　it　is　a　miracle　that　they
  were　not　worse；　especially　as　he　was　horribly　frightened
  all　the　time。　When　Galifron　heard　these　words　he　looked
  all　about　him；　and　saw　Charming　standing；　sword　in　hand
  this　put　the　giant　into　a　terrible　rage；　and　he　aimed　a　blow
  at　Charming　with　his　huge　iron　club；　which　would
  certainly　have　killed　him　if　it　had　reached　him；　but　at　that
  instant　a　raven　perched　upon　the　giant's　head；　and；　pecking
  with　its　strong　beak　and　beating　with　its　great　wings
  so　confused　and　blinded　him　that　all　his　blows　fell　harmlessly
  upon　the　air；　and　Charming；　rushing　in；　gave　him
  several　strokes　with　his　sharp　sword　so　that　he　fell　to　the
  ground。　Whereupon　Charming　cut　off　his　head　before　he
  knew　anything　about　it；　and　the　raven　from　a　tree　close
  by　croaked　out：
  〃You　see　I　have　not　forgotten　the　good　turn　you　did　me
  in　killing　the　eagle。　Today　I　think　I　have　fulfilled　my
  promise　of　repaying　you。〃
  〃Indeed；　I　owe　you　more　gratitude　than　you　ever　owed
  me；〃　replied　Charming。
  And　then　he　mounted　his　horse　and　rode　off　with
  Galifron's　head。
  When　he　reached　the　city　the　people　ran　after　him　in
  crowds；　crying：
  〃Behold　the　brave　Charming；　who　has　killed　the　giant！〃
  And　their　shouts　reached　the　Princess's　ear；　but　she　dared
  n