He remained there for seven days—and on the seventh, without waiting for the old man to give him leave, as the Princess approached he called out:
"Seven times seven leagues over hill and dale have I ridden, most gracious Princess—and I have waited here for you for seven days. Oh, grant me permission to tell you of my quest."
Then the gentle voice said:
"Have you paid your fine, oh, bold stranger?"
"Yes," said Sir Hunny Bee.
"Throw it from the arbour that I may see it," said the Princess.
So the old man took the silver bell from his hat and flung it out on to a flower-bed near.
Immediately it began to grow and blossom till it was many feet high.
"The Princess smiles on it," said the old man, "tell her your mission speedily."
"Gracious lady," said Sir Hunny Bee from within the arbour, "the King of a far kingdom has sent me to beg you to come back with me to his kingdom, and smile on his back-yard that it may become a garden,—even as when you smiled on my poor bell it grew and blossomed."