The prince stood and looked at him pityingly , and he thought that even a sick old cat was , in some ways , happier than most men . `` Well , '' said the prince at last , `` he could not live long anyway , and it must be done . He will feel nothing . '' Then he drew the sword of sharpness , and with one turn of his wrist cut the cat 's head clean off . -LCB- Poor old Frank : p128.jpg -RCB- It did not at once change into a beautiful young lady , as perhaps you expect ; no , that was improbable , and , as the prince was in love already , would have been vastly inconvenient . The dead cat lay there , like any common cat . Then the prince built up a heap of straw , with wood on it , and there he laid poor puss , and set fire to the pile . Very soon there was nothing of old black Frank left but ashes ! Then the prince ran upstairs to the fairy cupboard , his heart beating loudly with excitement . The sun was shining through the arrow-shot window , all the yellow motes were dancing in its rays . The light fell on the strange heaps of fairy things -- talismans and spells . The prince hunted about here and there , and at last he discovered six ancient water - vessels of black leather , each with a silver plate on it , and on the plate letters engraved . This was what was written on the plates : AQVA . DE . FONTE . LEONVM . -LCB- 130 -RCB- `` Thank heaven ! '' said the prince . `` I thought they were sure to have brought it ! '' Then he took one of the old black-leather bottles , and ran downstairs again to the place where he had burned the body of the poor old sick cat .
He opened the bottle , and poured a few drops of the water XXXXX the ashes and the dying embers .
as at in into like of on than through with