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284 At the Back of the North Wind
ing she had been struck; but when she heard him coming, she was on her feet in a moment.
" What do you want?" she asked.
" I beg your pardon. I thought—the lightning-----M
said the prince, hesitating.
" There is nothing the matter," said the princess, waving him off rather haughtily.
The poor prince turned and walked towards the wood.
"Come back," said Daylight: "I like you. You do what you are told. Are you good?"
"Not so good as I should like to be," said the prince.
"Then go and grow better," said the princess.
Again the disappointed prince turned and went.
" Come back," said the princess.
He obeyed, and stood before her waiting.
" Can you tell me what the sun is like?" she asked.
"No," he answered. "But where's the good of asking what you know?"
" But I don't know," she rejoined.
"Why, everybody knows."
"That's the very thing: I'm not everybody. I've never seen the sun."
"Then you can't know what it's like till you do see it."
" I think you must be a prince," said the princess.
" Do I look like one?" said the prince.
" I can't quite say that."
"Then why do you think so?"
" Because you both do what you are told and speak the truth.—Is the sun so very bright?" |
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