marry this dirty beggar ? Never , never ! ' ` Ah , child , ' answered the king , ` how could I ever guess that the rich Don Giovanni would ever look like that ? But I have passed my royal word , and I can not break it , so there is no help for you . ' ` No , father ; you may cut off my head , if you choose , but marry that horrible beggar -- I never will ! ' And the queen took her part , and reproached her husband bitterly for wishing his daughter to marry a creature like that . Then the youngest daughter spoke : ` Dear father , do not look so sad . As you have given your word , I will marry Don Giovanni . ' The king fell on her neck , and thanked her and kissed her , but the queen and the elder girl had nothing for her but laughs and jeers . So it was settled , and then the king bade one of his lords go to Don Giovanni and ask him when the wedding day was to be , so that the princess might make ready . ` Let it be in two months , ' answered Don Giovanni , for the time was nearly up that the devil had fixed , and he wanted a whole month to himself to wash off the dirt of the past three years . The very minute that the compact with the devil had come to an end his beard was shaved , his hair was cut , and his rags were burned , and day and night he lay in a bath of clear warm water . At length he felt he was clean again , and he put on splendid clothes , and hired a beautiful ship , and arrived in state at the king 's palace . The whole of the royal family came down to the ship to receive him , and the whole way the queen and the elder princess teased the sister about the dirty husband she was going to have . But when they saw how handsome he really was their hearts were filled with envy and anger , so that their eyes were blinded , and they fell over into the sea and were drowned . And the youngest daughter rejoiced in the good luck that had come to her , and they had a splendid wedding when the days of mourning for her mother and sister were ended . Soon after the old king died , and Don Giovanni became king . THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES I ONCE upon a time there lived in the village of Montignies-sur-Roc a little cow-boy , without either father or mother . His real name was Michael , but he was always called the Star Gazer , because when he drove his cows over the commons to seek for pasture , he went along with his head in the air , gaping at nothing . As he had a white skin , blue eyes , and hair that curled all over his head , the village girls used to cry after him , ` Well , Star Gazer , what are you doing ? '
and XXXXX would answer , ` Oh , nothing , ' and go on his way without even turning to look at them .
Michael Montignies-sur-Roc PRINCESSES cow-boy day days drowned months night years