"Just give me a glass of wine and a biscuit first," said the prince, very humbly.
"With all my heart," said the princess, and gaped as she said it.
She got the wine and the biscuit, however, and leaning over the side of the boat towards him, was compelled to look at him.
"Why, prince," she said, "you don't look well! Are you sure you don't mind it?"
"Not a bit," answered he, feeling very faint in deed. "Only I shall die before it is of any use to you, unless I have something to eat."
"There, then," said she, holding out the wine to him.
"Ah! you must feed me. I dare not move my hands. The water would run away directly."
"Good gracious!" said the princess; and she began at once to feed him with bits of biscuit and sips of wine.
As she fed him, he contrived to kiss the tips of her fingers now and then. She did not seem to mind it, one way or the other. But the prince felt better.
"Now for your own sake, princess," said he, "I cannot let you go to sleep. You must sit and look at me, else I shall not be able to keep up."