do honour to the nuptial repast. The Ogre consented to it; she took the best of everything to the Prince. When he saw her enter his joy diminished his wretchedness, but his grief was renewed when she showed him her wounded foot. They wept together for some time. The Prince could not eat, but his dear mistress cut such delicate pieces with her own hands, and presented them to him with so much kindness, that it was impossible to refuse them. She made the young Ogres bring fresh moss, which she covered with birds' feathers, and caused the Prince to understand it was for his bed. Tourmentine called her; she could only bid adieu to him by stretching out her hand; he kissed it with transports of affection which cannot be described, and in her eyes he read the expression of her feelings. Ravagio, Tourmentine, and the Princess, slept in one of the recesses of the cavern. The young Ogre, and five little Ogres, slept in the other, where the Prince was. It is the custom in Ogreland, that the Ogre, Ogress, and the young Ogres, always sleep in their fine gold crowns. This is the only pomp they indulge in; and they would rather be hung or strangled than forego it. When they were all asleep, the Princess, who was thinking of her lover, remembered, that although Ravagio and Tourmentine had given her their word of honour they would not eat him; if they felt hungry in the night, (which was almost always the case when there was fresh meat near them,) it would be all over with him; and the anxiety occasioned by this horrid thought, wrought on her to such a degree, she was ready to die with fright. After pondering for some time, she arose, hastily threw on her tiger-skin, and groping her way without making any noise, she entered the cavern, where the little Ogres were asleep. She took the crown from the head of the first she came to, and put it upon that of the Prince, who was wide awake, but did not dare appear to be, not knowing who was performing this ceremony. The Princess then returned to her own little bed. She had scarcely crept into it, when Ravagio, dreaming of the good meal he might have made of the Prince, and his appetite increasing while he thought of it, arose in his turn, and went into the hole where the little Ogres were sleeping. As he could not distinctly see, fearing he should make a mistake, he felt about with his hand, and throwing himself upon the one who had no crown on, crunched
