'So I did,' said the Princess. 'Well, lend me the jewel.'
He took it off his arm and laid it upon the table, and as soon as the Princess touched it, it grew small, small, small, so that she could put it on her finger. Then she said:
'I wish I were my right size again!'
And the archer rubbed his eyes, for there on the table stood the dazzling figure of a real, full-sized Princess in a cloth-of-silver gown, and a face more beautiful than the morning.
'Oh, how lovely you are!' he said, and gave her his hand to help her down.
She jumped lightly from the table and stood before him, laughing with joy at being her own real right size once more.
'Oh, thank you! thank you!' she cried; 'I must run and show my father this very minute.'
'The jewel?' said the archer.
'Oh!' said Pandora. 'Well, yes, I did promise, but—well, I'm a Princess of my word. Here it is.'
She held it out, but he did not take it.