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124i |
THE GREEN FAIRY BOOK. |
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that more continued to arrive daily, eager to try their fortune. After some consideration he determined to present himself at court; but his arrival made no stir, as his retinue was as inconsiderable as his stature, and the splendor of his rivals was great enough to throw even Farda-Kinbras himself into the shade. However, he paid his respects to the king very gracefully and asked permission to kiss the hand of the princess in the usual manner; but when he said he was called "Manikin" the king could hardly repress a smile, and the princes who stood by openly shouted with laughter.
Turning to the king, Prince Manikin said with great dignity:
"Pray laugh if it pleases your majesty—I am glad that it is in my power to afford you any aumsement; but I am not a plaything for these gentlemen, and I must beg them to dismiss any ideas of that kind from their minds at once." And with that he turned upon the one who had laughed the loudest and proudly challenged him to a single combat. This prince, who was called Fadasse, accepted the challenge very scornfully, mocking at Manikin, who hem felt sure had no chance against himself; but the meeting was arranged for the next day. "When Prince Manikin quitted the king's presence he was conducted to the audience hall oi the Princess Sabella. The sight of so much beauty and magnificence almost took his breath away for an instant, but, recovering himself with an effort, he said:
"Lovely princess, irresistibly drawn by the beauty of your portrait, I come from the other end of the world to offer my services to yon. My devotion knows no bounds, but my absurd name has already involved me in a quarrel with one of your courtiers. To-morrow I am to fight this ugly, overgrown prince, and I beg you to honor the combat with your presence and prove to the world that there is nothing in a name, and that you deign to accept Manikin as your knight."
"When it came to this the princess could not help being amused, for though she had no heart she was not without humor. She answered graciously that she accepted with pleasure, which encouraged the prince to entreat further that she would not show any favor to his adversary.
"Alas!" said she, "I favor none of these foolish people, |
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