Nobody could undo the clasps , however strong or clever he might be ; but the princess just breathed on them and made a sign , and the book flew open at the right place -- Book IV. , chapter vi. , about the middle of page 576 . The magic spell was in Latin , of course ; but the princess knew Latin very well , and soon she had the magic song by heart . Then she closed the book and put it back on the shelf . Then she threw open the window and drew back the curtains , and put out all the lights except two scented candles that burned with a white fire under a round mirror with a silver frame , opposite the window . And into that mirror the moon shone white and full , filling all the space of it , so that the room was steeped in a strange silver light . Now the whole room seemed to sway gently , waving and trembling ; and as it trembled it sounded and rang with a low silver music , as if it were filled with the waves of the sea . Then the princess took a great silver basin , covered with strange black signs and figures raised in the silver . She poured water into the basin , and as she poured it she sang the magic spell from the Latin book . It was something like this , in English : `` Oh Lady Moon , on the waters riding , On shining waters , in silver sheen , Show me the secret the heart is hiding , Show me the truth of the thought , oh Queen ! `` Oh waters white , where the moon is riding , That knows what shall be and what has been , Tell me the secret the heart is hiding , Wash me the truth of it , clear and clean ! '' As she sang the water in the silver basin foamed and bubbled , and then fell still again ; and the princess knelt in the middle of the room , and the moon and the white light from the mirror of the moon fell in the water . Then the princess raised the basin , and stooped her mouth to it and drank the water , spilling a few drops , and so she drank the moon and the knowledge of the moon . Then the moon was darkened without a cloud , and there was darkness in the sky for a time , and all the dogs in the world began to howl . When the moon shone again , the princess rose and put out the two white lights , and drew the curtains ; and presently she went to bed . -LCB- The Princess drinks the Moon : p41.jpg -RCB- `` Now I know all about it , '' she said . `` It is clever ; everything the king does is clever , and he is so kind that I daresay he does not mean any harm . But it seems a cruel trick to play on poor Ricardo . However , Jaqueline is on the watch , and I 'll show them a girl can do more than people think , '' -- as , indeed , she could . After meditating in this way , the princess fell sleep , and did not waken till her maid came to call her . `` Oh !
your Royal Highness , what 's this XXXXX the floor ? ''
about as by from into on so than that to