"therearesomany,"repliedtheemperor,"whoapplyforplaces,thatforthepresentihavenovacancy,butiwillrememberyou.butwaitamoment;itjustcomesintomymind,irequiresomebodytolookaftermypigs,forihaveagreatmany."
thustheprincewasappointedimperialswineherd,andassuchhelivedinawretchedlysmallroomnearthepigsty;thereheworkedalldaylong,andwhenitwasnighthehadmadeaprettylittlerewerelittlebellsroundtherim,andwhenthewaterbegantoboilinit,thebellsbegantoplaytheoldtune:
"ajollyoldsowoncelivedinasty,
threelittlepiggieshadshe,"&c.butwhatwasmorewonderfulwasthat,whenoneputafingerintothesteamrisingfromthepot,onecouldatoncesmellwhatmealstheywerepreparingoneveryfireinthewholetown.thatwasindeedmuchmoreremarkablethantherose.whentheprincesswithherladiespassedbyandheardthetune,shestoppedandlookedquitepleased,forshealsocouldplayit-infact,itwastheonlytuneshecouldplay,andsheplayeditwithonefinger.
"thatisthetuneiknow,"sheexclaimed."hemustbeawell-educatedswineherd.goandaskhimhowmuchtheinstrumentis."
oneoftheladieshadtogoandask;butsheputonpattens.
"whatwillyoutakeforyourpot?"askedthelady.
"iwillhavetenkissesfromtheprincess,"saidtheswineherd.
"godforbid,"saidthelady.
"well,icannotsellitforless,"repliedtheswineherd.
"whatdidhesay?"saidtheprincess.
ireallycannottellyou,"repliedthelady.
"youcanwhisperitintomyear."
"itisverynaughty,"saidtheprincess,andwalkedoff.
butwhenshehadgonealittledistance,thebellsrangagainsosweetly:
"ajollyoldsowoncelivedinasty,
threelittlepiggieshadshe,"&c.
"askhim,"saidtheprincess,"ifhewillbesatisfiedwithtenkissesfromoneofmyladies."
"no,thankyou,"saidtheswineherd:"tenkissesfromtheprincess,orikeepmypot."
"thatistiresome,"saidtheprincess."butyoumuststandbeforeme,sothatnobodycanseeit."
theladiesplacedthemselvesinfrontofherandspreadouttheirdresses,andshegavetheswineherdtenkissesandreceivedthepot.
thatwasapleasure!dayandnightthewaterinthepotwasboiling;therewasnotasinglefireinthewholetownofwhichtheydidnotknowwhatwaspreparingonit,thechamberlain'saswellastheshoemaker's.theladiesdancedandclappedtheirhandsforjoy.
"weknowwhowilleatsoupandpancakes;weknowwhowilleatporridgeandcutlets;oh,howinteresting!"
"veryinteresting,indeed,"saidthemistressofthehousehold."butyoumustnotbetrayme,foriamtheemperor'sdaughter."
"ofcoursenot,"theyallsaid.
theswineherd-thatistosay,theprince-buttheydidnotknowotherwisethanthathewasarealswineherd-didnotwasteasingledaywithoutdoingsomething;hemadearattle,which,whenturnedquicklyround,playedallthewaltzes,galops,andpolkasknownsincethecreationoftheworld.
"butthatissuperbe,"saidtheprincesspassingby."ihaveneverheardamorebeautifulcomposition.godownandaskhimwhattheinstrumentcosts;butishallnotkisshimagain."
"hewillhaveahundredkissesfromtheprincess,"saidthelady,whohadgonedowntoaskhim.
"ibelieveheismad,"saidtheprincess,andwalkedoff,butsoonshestopped."onemustencourageart,"shesaid."iamtheemperor'sdaughter!