THE PRINCESS WHO SAID:—
liked. It matters little what you say, but it matters a great deal what you are!
So this princess, who was as brave and good as any girl living, was to be married to the man who could make her say the words: "That is a lie!"
There were many who thought it would be an easy matter to tell a lie to the princess, for the world always has more of this sort of thing than is needed. But she was so sweet and good, and trusted people so well, that it was a very difficult matter to tell her anything that she did not believe at all. One after another the suitors came with great hopes and went away disappointed.
In a little house near the borders of the same land there lived a man whose only son was known far and wide on account of his great foolishness. When this young man heard the news of the king's announcement, he put on his wooden shoes and his cap, said good-bye to his parents, and went straight to the palace, where he found the princess. When she learned his errand she proposed their taking a walk together, whereupon they strolled into the court-yard and through the gardens. Here the boy—Claus was his name—stopped and said:
"What immense cabbage you have here!"
"It might be smaller," returned the princess.
"Well," resumed Claus, "after all, it is nothing to my father's cabbage. Once we were building a new barn, and sixteen carpenters were working on the building; a shower came up, and all sixteen
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