The Princess assured him that she would only stay a very short time , as she had done before , and begged him not to be uneasy , as she would be quite as much grieved if anything detained her as he could possibly be . So , with the same escort , she set out , and reached the palace as the marriage ceremony began . Everybody was delighted to see her ; she was so pretty that they thought she must be some fairy princess , and the Princes who were there could not take their eyes off her . The King was more glad than anyone else that she had come again , and gave orders that the doors should all be shut and bolted that very minute . When the wedding was all but over the Princess got up quickly , hoping to slip away unnoticed among the crowd , but , to her great dismay , she found every door fastened . She felt more at ease when the King came up to her , and with the greatest respect begged her not to run away so soon , but at least to honor him by staying for the splendid feast which was prepared for the Princes and Princesses . He led her into a magnificent hall , where all the Court was assembled , and himself taking up the golden bowl full of water , he offered it to her that she might dip her pretty fingers into it . At this the Princess could no longer contain herself ; throwing herself at the King 's feet , she cried out : `` My dream has come true after all -- you have offered me water to wash my hands on my sister 's wedding day , and it has not vexed you to do it . '' The King recognized her at once -- indeed , he had already thought several times how much like his poor little Miranda she was . `` Oh ! my dear daughter , '' he cried , kissing her , `` can you ever forget my cruelty ? I ordered you to be put to death because I thought your dream portended the loss of my crown . And so it did , '' he added , `` for now your sisters are both married and have kingdoms of their own -- and mine shall be for you . '' So saying he put his crown on the Princess 's head and cried : `` Long live Queen Miranda ! '' All the Court cried : `` Long live Queen Miranda ! '' after him , and the young Queen 's two sisters came running up , and threw their arms round her neck , and kissed her a thousand times , and then there was such a laughing and crying , talking and kissing , all at once , and Miranda thanked her father , and began to ask after everyone -- particularly the Captain of the Guard , to whom she owed so much ; but , to her great sorrow , she heard that he was dead . Presently they sat down to the banquet , and the King asked Miranda to tell them all that had happened to her since the terrible morning when he had sent the Captain of the Guard to fetch her . This she did with so much spirit that all the guests listened with breathless interest . But while she was thus enjoying herself with the King and her sisters , the King of the Sheep was waiting impatiently for the time of her return , and when it came and went , and no Princess appeared , his anxiety became so great that he could bear it no longer . `` She is not coming back any more , '' he cried .
`` My miserable sheep 's face displeases her , and without Miranda what is left to me , wretched creature XXXXX I am !
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