"Never let the child take them off her feet," said the old Troll. "As long as she keeps them she will be happy. If ever they are lost the Princess's troubles will begin."
"But they will grow too small for her!" said the Queen anxiously.
"Oh no, they won't!" said the old Troll. "They will grow as she grows, so you needn't trouble about that."
Time went on, and the little Princess grew to be ten years old.
The old Troll's promise was fulfilled, and her life had been a perfectly happy one. Watched by her faithful nurse, she had never had any opportunity of losing her magic shoes; and though she often bathed and played about the shore with her young companions, she was never allowed to be without one of her attendants, in case she should forget her Godfather's caution.
One fine summer afternoon, the Princess, with some of her friends, ran down to the sands from the little gate in the castle wall.
The sea looked green and beautiful, light waves curling over on the narrow strip of yellow shore.
"Let's wade!" cried the Princess. "My nurse is ill in bed, and my two ladies think we are playing in the garden. We'll have a little treat of being alone, and enjoy ourselves!"
"We must take our slippers off," said one of the children, as they raced along.