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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[NOVEMBER, 1893.
proper choice. The king, who was very fond of him, agreed to do so; and, a month or so after, again sent invitations to different countries, stating the object he had in view in getting up the dance.
The people, that had come for the first dance, now thought that the prince had not made his choice. They, therefore, ordered better dresses and slippers than on the first occasion, thinking that this time at least their daughters might succeed in winning the prince's love. On the appointed day hundreds of ladies with their daughters proceeded to the palace with beautiful dresses, flaunting the best silks and displaying their very best jewellery. A few days before this, the princess, again began to think of her inability to go to the dance, and burst into tears, when her godmother again appeared to her and comforted her, telling her that she would, as on the first occasion, get a dress and slippers in time for the dance. She then asked her what was the result of the first dance, and the princess told her godmother all that had occurred: how she went somewhat late; how dancing ceased for a while, and all the people began to admire her; how she remained unrecognised by any one, particularly by her step-mother and sister; how the prince danced with her alone; and how, when she was going home after the dance, the prince tried to stop her, but she escaped from his grasp and went home before every one, and thus kept her step-mother and others in ignorance about her being at the king's palace. Her godmother, upon this, said :
“My dear child, I am very glad to learn that the prince was enamoured of yon, which I gather from his dancing with you alone; but, I think, you did not act rightly in making your escape from him. On this occasion you must behave differently. I am sure that, after dancing is over, the prince will try to keep you, but you must, in making your escape, leave behind one of your slippers, which will be the surest means of the prince's being able to find you. In the meanwhile, compose yourself and be cheerful." Thus spake the godmother and disappeared.
On the appointed day, when hundreds of guests had already gone to the palace, the princess was seated alone in her father's house, anxiously waiting for the dress and slippers, and began to doubt the sincerity of her godmother. While she was yet thus thinking, she saw before her a very handsome dress, - even more handsome than that she got on the first occasion, and also a pair of golden slippers, studded with gems of the first water. Thug equipped the princess went in all possible haste to the king's palace, and as she entered the hall wherein the guests were assembled and were already dancing, all the people were struck dumb at the grandeur of the dress and the brilliancy of the slippers, and also at the noble demeanour and the handsome appearance of the new.comer. As on the first occasion dancing ceased for & while, while the people kept admiring the new guest. When dancing was resumed, the prince, who was bewitched by the beauty of the princess, would take no one except her to dance with him. They kept ap the dancing till near dawn of day, when the guests began to leave, one after another. This time the prince tried to stop the princess, but she managed to free herself from his grasp, and in the struggle to escape she let one of her slippers come from her foot, and ran away with all speed, so as to be at home before the others. She reached her house and resumed her ragged clothes; and when her step-mother and sister returned home they little dreamt that the fair person they saw and admired so much was the one they had so ill-treated.
The guests all went to their respective houses, but the prince snatched the slipper, and went unobserved and threw himself down in his father's stables, thinking how to find out the owner of the slipper, whom alone he wished to marry. The king und his servants searched the whole palace and then the whole town for the prince, but he was nowhere to be found.
The night passed and in the morning the maid-servants (butkini, sing. burkin) took some gram to feed the horses; but instead of giving the gram to the horses they ate it themselves, throwing the husks to the horses. This the prince saw, and reproached them for
