“Stay，” said the Princess. “Ask him if he will have ten kisses from the ladies of my court.”
“No， thank you!” said the swineherd. “Ten kisses from the Princess， or I keep thekitchen-pot myself.”
“That must not be， either!” said the Princess. “But do you all stand before me that noone may see us.”
And the court-ladies placed themselves in front of her， and spread out their dresses——the swineherd got ten kisses， and the Princess——the kitchen-pot.
That was delightful! the pot was boiling the whole evening， and the whole of thefollowing day. They knew perfectly well what was cooking at every fire throughout the city，from the chamberlain's to the cobbler's; the court-ladies danced and clapped their hands.
“We know who has soup， and who has pancakes for dinner to-day， who has cutlets，and who has eggs. How interesting!”
“Yes， but keep my secret， for I am an Emperor's daughter.”
the swineherd——that is to say——the Prince， for no one knew that he was other than anill-favored swineherd， let not a day pass without working at something; he at lastconstructed a rattle， which， when it was swung round，played all the waltzes and jigtunes， which have ever been heard since the creation of the world.
“Ah， that is superbe!” said the Princess when she passed by. “I have never heard prettiercompositions! Go in and ask him the price of the instrument;but mind， he shall have nomore kisses!”
“He will have a hundred kisses from the Princess!” said the lady who had been to ask.
“I think he is not in his right senses!” said the Princess， and walked on， but when shehad gone a little way， she stopped again. “One must encourage art，”said she， “I am theEmperor's daughter. Tell him he shall， as on yesterday，have ten kisses from me， and maytake the rest from the ladies of the court.”
“Oh——but we should not like that at all!” said they. “What are you muttering?”asked thePrincess. “If I can kiss him， surely you can. Remember that you owe everything to me.” So theladies were obliged to go to him again.
“A hundred kisses from the Princess，” said he， “or else let everyone keep his own!”
“Stand round!” said she; and all the ladies stood round her whilst the kissing was goingon.
“What can be the reason for such a crowd close by the pigsty?” said the Emperor， whohappened just then to step out on the balcony; he rubbed his eyes， and put on hisspectacles. “They are the ladies of the court; I must go down and see what they are about!”So he pulled up his slippers at the heel，for he had trodden them down.
As soon as he had got into the court-yard， he moved very softly， and the ladies were somuch engrossed with counting the kisses， that all might go on fairly， that they did notperceive the Emperor. He rose on his tiptoes.
“What is all this?” said he， when he saw what was going on， and he boxed the Princess'sears with his slipper， just as the swineherd was taking the eighty-sixth kiss.
“March out!” said the Emperor， for he was very angry; and both Princess and swineherdwere thrust out of the city.
the Princess now stood and wept， the swineherd scolded， and the rain poured down.
“Alas! Unhappy creature that I am!” said the Princess. “If I had but married the handsomeyoung Prince! Ah! how unfortunate I am!”
And the swineherd went behind a tree， washed the black and brown color from his face，threw off his dirty clothes， and stepped forth in his princely robes; he looked so noble thatthe Princess could not help bowing before him.
“I am come to despise thee，” said he. “Thou would'st not have an honorable Prince!Thou could'st not prize the rose and the nightingale， but thou wast ready to kiss theswineherd for the sake of a trumpery plaything. Thou art rightly served.”
He then went back to his own little kingdom， and shut the door of his palace in her face.Now she might well sing，
“Ach! du lieber Augustin，Alles ist weg， weg， weg!”