And the court stood aghast at the bold idea.
"Why did you come to Schloss Hohenstein with such a stupid etiquette?" cried the Almond Princess.
"Because you are so beautiful," cried Otto; "and, if I cannot win you I can look at you."
So Otto remained at the castle, and Huldigunde liked him better every day. She tried daily to beguile him into setting a hand free with offerings of fruit, flowers, even her bracelet, but Otto nodded to his marshal, who received them.
Then she dropped her handkerchief; but Otto lifted it with the toe of his boot, and swung it carelessly to and fro, and she stooped and took it from his boot.
So a whole year passed away, and the Princess said to herself, "An end must be made of this matter." So she told Otto she had the best garden in the world, and proposed to show it to him the next day.
It was time for the Prince to smell the apple again, and a brilliant idea came to him.
As they entered the garden, Otto exclaimed, "It is wonderfully beautiful here; and in order that we may accompany each other without any disturbing element, I pray my Princess to adopt the etiquette of my court, and permit her hands to be bound one hour; then we shall both be secure, and nothing disagreeable can happen to either of us."
Huldigunde consented, and they walked side by side with their hands bound.
The birds sang, the sun shone warm and clear, and from the trees the red cherries hung down to their cheeks.