askedthesoldier.

"sheisnottobeseenatall,"theysaid;"shelivesinalargecoppercastle,surroundedbywallsandtowers.noonebutthekinghimselfcanpassinorout,fortherehasbeenaprophecythatshewillmarryacommonsoldier,andthekingcannotbeartothinkofsuchamarriage."

"ishouldlikeverymuchtoseeher,"thoughtthesoldier;buthecouldnotobtainpermissiontodoso.however,hepassedaverypleasanttime;wenttothetheatre,droveintheking'sgarden,andgaveagreatdealofmoneytothepoor,whichwasverygoodofhim;herememberedwhatithadbeeninoldentimestobewithoutahewasrich,hadfineclothes,andmanyfriends,whoalldeclaredhewasafinefellowandarealgentleman,andallthisgratifiedhimexceedingly.buthismoneywouldnotlastforever;andashespentandgaveawayagreatdealdaily,andreceivednone,hefoundhimselfatlastwithonlytwoshillingsleft.sohewasobligedtoleavehiselegantrooms,andliveinalittlegarretundertheroof,wherehehadtocleanhisownboots,andevenmendthemwithalargeneedle.noneofhisfriendscametoseehim,thereweretoomanystairstomountup.onedarkevening,hehadnotevenapennytobuyacandle;thenallatonceherememberedthattherewasapieceofcandlestuckinthetinder-box,whichhehadbroughtfromtheoldtree,intowhichthewitchhadhelpedhim.

hefoundthetinder-box,butnosoonerhadhestruckafewsparksfromtheflintandsteel,thanthedoorflewopenandthedogwitheyesasbigasteacups,whomhehadseenwhiledowninthetree,stoodbeforehim,andsaid,"whatorders,master?"

"hallo,"saidthesoldier;"wellthisisapleasanttinderbox,ifitbringsmealliwishfor."

"bringmesomemoney,"saidhetothedog.

hewasgoneinamoment,andpresentlyreturned,carryingalargebagofcoppersinhismonth.thesoldierverysoondiscoveredafterthisthevalueofthetinder-box.ifhestrucktheflintonce,thedogwhosatonthechestofcoppermoneymadehisappearance;iftwice,thedogcamefromthechestofsilver;andifthreetimes,thedogwitheyesliketowers,whowatchedoverthegold.thesoldierhadnowplentyofmoney;hereturnedtohiselegantrooms,andreappearedinhisfineclothes,sothathisfriendsknewhimagaindirectly,andmadeasmuchofhimasbefore.

afterawhilehebegantothinkitwasverystrangethatnoonecouldgetalookattheprincess."everyonesayssheisverybeautiful,"thoughthetohimself;"butwhatistheuseofthatifsheistobeshutupinacoppercastlesurroundedbysomanyibyanymeansgettoseeher.stop!whereismytinder-box?"thenhestruckalight,andinamomentthedog,witheyesasbigasteacups,stoodbeforehim.

"itismidnight,"saidthesoldier,"yetishouldverymuchliketoseetheprincess,ifonlyforamoment."

thedogdisappearedinstantly,andbeforethesoldiercouldevenlookround,hereturnedwiththeprincess.shewaslyingonthedog'sbackasleep,andlookedsolovely,thateveryonewhosawherwouldknowshewasarealprincess.thesoldiercouldnothelpkissingher,truesoldierashewas.thenthedogranbackwiththeprincess;butinthemorning,whileatbreakfastwiththekingandqueen,shetoldthemwhatasingulardreamshehadhadduringthenight,ofadogandasoldier,thatshehadriddenonthedog'sback,andbeenkissedbythesoldier.

"thatisaveryprettystory,indeed,"saidthequeen.sothenextnightoneoftheoldladiesofthecourtwassettowatchbytheprincess'sbed,todiscoverwhetheritreallywasadream,orwhatelseitmightbe.

thesoldierlongedverymuchtoseetheprincessoncemore,sohesentforthedogagaininthenighttofetchher,andtorunwithherasfastaseverhecould.buttheoldladyputonwaterboots,andranafterhimasquicklyashedid,andfoundthathecarriedtheprincessintoalargehouse.shethoughtitwouldhelphertoremembertheplaceifshemadealargecrossonthedoorwithapieceofshewenthometobed,andthedogpresentlyreturnedwiththeprincess.butwhenhesawthatacrosshadbeenmadeonthedoorofthehouse,wherethesoldierlived,hetookanotherpieceofchalkandmadecrossesonallthedoorsinthetown,sothatthelady-in-waitingmightnotbeabletofindouttherightdoor.

earlythenextmorningthekingandqueenaccompaniedtheladyandalltheofficersofthehousehold,toseewheretheprincesshadbeen.

"hereitis,"saidtheking,whentheycametothefirstdoorwithacrossonit.

no,mydearhusband,itmustbethatone,"saidthequeen,pointingtoaseconddoorhavingacrossalso.

"andhereisone,andthereisanother!"