"'Ah!' she cried, growing pale, 'You were the Sorcerer with the foul visage. You must have worn your heart upon your face for once Fair Sir. But ah me!' she continued, 'the kiss! the kiss! Did you dare to kiss me, sir Prince?'
"'I dared,' he said. 'How else could I win you?'
"'Enough,' she said, and turned, pale and despairing, to Prince Sturdy.
"'Lady,' said he, 'at morning I climbed the hill and caught in this box a tress of golden sunlight. If it be not as like to thy hair as sun to sun I am a false knight.' Then he opened the box beside the Lady's wealth of hair.
"'Bosh!' cried Prince Clever. 'There is nothing there,' for the box of a truth was empty.
"'True,' said Sturdy, 'It was bright this morning, but it is darkness now beside the sunshine of my Lady's locks.'
"'Well said!' cried the King, while the Princess blushed like a whole summer of rosy peaches.
"'By my beard!' cried Clever, 'He has the egg, and it seems I am outwitted about the lock of hair. I pray you to tell me which of us has the kiss.'
"'A gift is better than a theft,' said she, and whispering this, bent down and kissed the brow of brave Prince Sturdy who trembled like a lily of earth in the wind of Paradise.