262 RIQUET WITH THE TUFT.

great affair, After listening for a moment, she heard different
‘yoices; one said, “ Bring me that kettle ;” another said, “ Fetch
the great boiler ;” another, “Put some coals on the fire.”

‘At the same moment the ground opened, and the princess
saw, with the greatest surprise, a large kitchen filled with vast
numbers of cooks, servants, and scullions, with all sorts of
things fit for making ready a noble dinner : some had rolling-
pins, and were making the most dainty sorts of pastry ; others
were beating the syllabubs, and turning the custards: and at
one end of the kitchen she saw at least twenty men-cooks, all
busy in trussing different sorts of the finest game and poultry,
and singing all the time as merry as could be. The princess,
in the utmost surprise at what she beheld, asked them to whom
they belonged? “To prince Riquet with the Tuft, madam,”
said the head cook ; “it is his wedding dinner we are making
ready.” ‘The princess was now in a still greater surprise than
before ; but in a moment it came into her mind that this was
just the day twelvemonths on which she had promised to marry
prince Riquet. When she thought of this shé was ready to
sink on the ground. The reason of her not thinking of it
before was, that when she made the promise to the prince, she
was quite silly, and the wit which the prince had given to her
had made her forget all that had happened to her before. She
tried to-walk away from the place, but had not gone twenty
steps, when she’saw Riquet with the Tuft before her, dressed
finely in the grandest wedding suit that ever was seen. You
see, madam,” said he, “that I have kept my promise strictly,
and I dare say you are come for the same purpose, and to make
me the most happy of men.”—“1I must confess,” replied the
princess, “that I have not yet made up my mind on that sub-
ject ; and also, that I fear I can never consent to what you
desire.”—* You quite surprise me, madam,” answered prince