“But cannot money purchase everything, father?”
“No, my son, not quite everything.”
“But if money cannot purchase it, father?”
“Then, princess, I will try and get it for you in some other way.”
“And if you cannot?”
“Well—then I will tell the Wishing Man.”
And with that he was off. But not until he had told them that since this was Christmas Day they might stay up just as late as they wished.
Just as late as they wished! Why, this was the very best Christmas gift of all! Because not even princes and princesses, you know, can sit up always, or often, just as late as they wish.
Just as late as they wished! What in the world would they do? Why, everything, of course, in all that time. But first of all they must decide whether there was anything more that they wished and whether they could agree upon their wish.
So they threw themselves upon the floor at full length before the fire, upon the great white bearskin with the head that snarled and showed his long, gleaming, harmless teeth as if he would eat just one more thing. With their chins resting upon their hands, and their elbows on the floor, and the fire throwing lights and shadows on their faces, they lay and talked.