“Why do you push me away?” cried the Demon, and he was very angry.
The Princess began to tremble again. “I did not push you,” said she. “Moreover, some one kissed me on the cheek. I am sure somebody is in the room with us.”
The King Demon looked all around, but he could see nobody. Then he called a slave to bring the Princess the jeweled slippers she always wore when she came to his palace.
The slave brought the slippers on a golden cushion, and they were crusted over with pearls and precious stones. He knelt before the Princess, and she took one and put it on, but at the same time the lad took the other and slipped it in his bosom. The Princess and the Demon did not know what had become of it. They hunted everywhere, but they could not find it.
“There, now! See how careless you are,” said the Demon; and he bade the slave bring another pair of slippers.
This the slave did, but it was the same with this pair as with the others. While the Princess was putting on one slipper the lad took the other and hid it in his bosom. The Princess and the Demon and the slave all looked for it, but they could not find it.
At that the Princess flew into a passion and threw both the slippers away from her.
“I do not care,” said she; “and now I will not wear any slippers at all.”
“Never mind!” answered the Demon. “We will have a sherbet together, and after that we will eat.”
He clapped his hands, and another slave appeared, bearing two crystal goblets full of sherbet. The Princess took one goblet and the Demon the other. Just as they were about to drink the lad smote the crystal goblet from the Princess’s hand so that it fell upon the marble floor and was shattered, and all the sherbet was spilled.