This is how the Miller and his Ten saved the life of the Prince of the Land of Windmills, and became very dear to their King. For, aided by the breath of the Miller's sons, the Prince reached Outland in time,—yes, even with time to spare; the Princess was not ready for him! And her father was so pleased by this promptness of the bridegroom that, when the newly married pair left Outland after the grand wedding, they took with them as a gift from the King one hundred buckets of silver and one hundred buckets of gold and one hundred buckets of shining jewels, the most beautiful that ever were seen. So that when the Prince reached the Land of Windmills he was able to give fine presents to all who had done services for him. And you may be sure that the Miller and his boys were not among the last of this number.
The Miller was made Duke of Millwind, and he received one of the one hundred buckets of jewels; while each of the Earls, his sons, had one of the buckets of gold. And the Miller's wife received one of the buckets of silver; though she had done nothing at all but stay at home and worry.
After that there was no longer any need for the Miller and his family to weaken themselves with work. They were rich and noble; and now it was fair to give the other millers in the land a chance. But no other Miller had so talented a family, you see. The best thing of all was that the Prince and Princess, who, upon the old King's death, themselves became King and Queen, lived to have ten daughters, each more beautiful than the others. And when they were grown up, the King their father married them to the ten young Earls, the sons of the Duke of Millwind, in token of his gratitude to that fine fat gentleman who was once a Miller. And Hans the eldest son, who married the eldest Princess,—he who had first shown his talent as a Blower,—Hans himself became in time King of the Land of Windmills; which was great fortune for the Miller's son, as I think you must agree. So the Miller's saying proved true, that they would "blow themselves into fortune."
Now it was in the reign of this illustrious pair that two wonderful inventions were made,—squeaker-balloons and soap-bubbles. They were invented at the command of King Hans in honor of his first infant, who was born with a perfectly wonderful talent for blowing.
The Riverside Press
Electrotyped and printed by H. O. Houghton & Co.
Cambridge, Mass., U. S. A.
