When she heard how they had reached her country she was much astonished, and invited them to go with her to the palace of her uncle, which was not far off. Her uncle was a King, and, as she had neither father nor mother, he had taken her to live with him and his Queen.
They arrived at the palace and the Princess presented the two friends to her uncle, who asked them to stay at the court as long as they pleased; the Prince was in a very bad temper, for he thought that the Princess seemed to like his companion better than himself.
“I will stay with great pleasure,” he said, “but this fellow is only the son of my father’s gardener. He ought to go to the kitchen.”
The King could hardly believe him.
“Is that true?” he asked the gardener’s son.
“It is, your Majesty,” said the young man.
So he was sent off to live with the servants, and the only comfort he had was the thought that the Princess looked sorry.
The Prince enjoyed himself very much in the palace, but his pleasure was spoilt because the Princess did not take much notice of him and seemed glad when she saw the gardener’s son anywhere; she always stopped and spoke kindly to him. This made him furious.
