The Origin of the Philippine.
Once, long centuries ago, a Princess lived in Schloss Hohenstein who was very fond of almonds, but was firmly resolved never to marry, so she invented the following plan.
She caused every prince who came a-wooing—and her suitors were countless—to eat the half of a double almond, and she ate its twin half. And then she said, "If you can induce me to take anything from your hand without saying "J'y pense," I am ready for marriage with you; but if, on the other hand, I can lead you to receive any object from my hand without your repeating those saving words, you shall have your head shaved, and forthwith leave my dominions."
But there was a trick in the stipulation, namely, the etiquette of the royal court forbade any person, on pain of death, to hand anything direct to the Princess, but rather to the lady-in-waiting, who presented it to her mistress.
But if the Kaiser's daughter chose herself to hand any one anything, who was there to forbid it?
Thus it was for the luckless wooers a bitter sport, for let them exert themselves as they would to beguile the royal maiden into taking anything from their hands, the inevitable lady-in-waiting spoiled their sport.
But when Princess Huldigunde determined to get rid of a certain adorer, she grew so engaging that he became perfectly enchanted, and as he sat beside her, intoxicated with joy, she seized either a pomegranate, or an egg near her, and handed it to him, saying softly, "Keep that as a souvenir."
As soon as the wooer took the object, it sprang open, and a frog, or a hornet, or bat flew into his hair or face, and in his fright he forgot to say, "J'y pense!" And then he was shaved on the spot, and away with him.
This went on for years, and in all kings' houses princes wore wigs. It happened at last that a foreign prince saw Huldigunde, and found her fair, and saw through the trick.
A friendly fairy had given him an apple, which he was to smell once a year, when a prudent idea should occur to him.
Just at the time when he first saw Huldigunde, it was time to smell the apple; he smelt, and it occurred to him that if he would win the game through give and take, he must neither give himself nor take anything from her.
He caused his hands to be bound to his girdle, went with his marshal to court, and declared his wish to eat almonds.
Huldigunde liked this Prince, and commanded almonds to be handed him. Then his marshal took them and put them in his mouth.
The Princess inquired why he carried his hands in his girdle.
He replied that the etiquette of his court was still more severe than at hers; it was not permitted him to take anything with his hands, only with his feet or head.
"In that way," cried Huldigunde, "we shall never settle the game."
Prince Otto only shrugged his shoulder, and replied, "Only when you graciously condescend to take something from my boots."
And the court stood aghast at the bold idea.
"Why did you come to Schloss Hohenstein with such a stupid etiquette?" cried the Almond Princess.
"Because you are so beautiful," cried Otto; "and, if I cannot win you I can look at you."
So Otto remained at the castle, and Huldigunde liked him better every day. She tried daily to beguile him into setting a hand free with offerings of fruit, flowers, even her bracelet, but Otto nodded to his marshal, who received them.
Then she dropped her handkerchief; but Otto lifted it with the toe of his boot, and swung it carelessly to and fro, and she stooped and took it from his boot.
So a whole year passed away, and the Princess said to herself, "An end must be made of this matter." So she told Otto she had the best garden in the world, and proposed to show it to him the next day.
It was time for the Prince to smell the apple again, and a brilliant idea came to him.
As they entered the garden, Otto exclaimed, "It is wonderfully beautiful here; and in order that we may accompany each other without any disturbing element, I pray my Princess to adopt the etiquette of my court, and permit her hands to be bound one hour; then we shall both be secure, and nothing disagreeable can happen to either of us."
Huldigunde consented, and they walked side by side with their hands bound.
The birds sang, the sun shone warm and clear, and from the trees the red cherries hung down to their cheeks.
Huldigunde looked wishfully at the ripe fruit and cried, "What a pity you cannot pluck me any."
But Otto replied, "Want knows no law," took a cherry in his mouth and offered it to her. The Princess could only put her mouth to his to take the cherry, and when she had the fruit between her lips—and his kiss with it—could not at the moment say, "J'y pense."
And Otto cried, "Good morning, Philippine!" drew his hands from his girdle, and threw them around her her neck.