"'The words,' he replied, 'are the names of the nine most stupid books that ever were written, and within is the name of the sleepiest man that ever lived, and also the name of a very young baby who slept every night all night long.'
"'It is well,' said the Princess. 'Let me sleep.'
"'Rise!' said the Prince, and she stood erect while he held the opal before her eyes, and the golden flow of her hair fell from head to neck and from waist to floor in curves of darkling gold like the early sunlight when it is yet touched with the fading brown of twilight.
"As she gazed fixedly at the jewel her eyelids closed, and drowsy languor grew upon her face, till at last she swayed backwards and fell upon the couch.
"Then the Prince laid the jewel on the floor and crushed it with his foot. As it brake, a rosy flame flashed from it, and a heavy odorous smoke curled upwards and filled the room with dense vapour.
"Then the Prince took a long lock of her golden hair, and with his dagger cut it quickly. When he had twisted it around his sword hilt he leaned over and kissed her cheek, but though the Lady slept the blood seemed to leap to the spot he had touched, and her cheek grew scarlet, as he turned away ashamed and fled from the palace.
"Near to the garden he mounted his horse, and spurred swiftly away through the night, while the trees moaned in the wind as he passed, and the birds awoke and sang, 'Shame! shame!' till he stopped his ears and fled faster and faster.
"Thus it was that Prince Clever kissed the Lady and had a golden lock to show which was like her own, because it was her own. The next day he met Sturdy.
"'Ha! ha!' said Clever, 'you own a Roc's egg, but I have kissed the Lady, and who do you think has hair like this?'
"'Only one,' replied Prince Sturdy sadly.