In one moment there he was in white and gold , the greatest and most magnificent dandy in the whole world , and the handsomest man ! `` How about my boots , I wonder , '' said the prince ; for his seven-league boots were stout riding-boots , not good to dance in , whereas now he was in elegant shoes of silk and gold . He threw down the wishing cap , put on the other -- the cap of darkness -- and made three strides in the direction of Gluckstein . But he was only three steps nearer it than he had been , and the seven-league boots were standing beside him on the floor ! `` No , '' said the prince ; `` no man can be in two different pairs of boots at one and the same time ! That 's mathematics ! '' He then hunted about in the lumber-room again till he found a small , shabby , old Persian carpet , the size of a hearthrug . He went to his own room , took a portmanteau in his hand , sat down on the carpet , and said : `` I wish I were in Gluckstein . '' In a moment there he found himself ; for this was that famous carpet which Prince Hussein bought long ago , in the market at Bisnagar , and which the fairies had brought , with the other presents , to the christening of Prince Prigio . -LCB- The Prince on the carpet : p52.jpg -RCB- When he arrived at the house where the ball was going on , he put the magical carpet in the portmanteau , and left it in the cloak-room , receiving a numbered ticket in exchange . Then he marched in all his glory -LRB- and , of course , without the cap of darkness -RRB- into the room where they were dancing . Everybody made place for him , bowing down to the ground , and the loyal band struck up The Prince 's March ! Heaven bless our Prince Prigio ! What is there he does n't know ? Greek , Swiss , German -LRB- High and Low -RRB- , And the names of the mountains in Mexico , Heaven bless the prince ! He used to be very fond of this march , and the words -- some people even said he had made them himself . But now , somehow , he did n't much like it . He went straight to the Duke of Stumpfelbahn , the Hereditary Master of the Ceremonies , and asked to be introduced to the beautiful young lady . She was the daughter of the new English Ambassador , and her name was Lady Rosalind . But she nearly fainted when she heard who it was that wished to dance with her , for she was not at all particularly clever ; and the prince had such a bad character for snubbing girls , and asking them difficult questions .
However , it was impossible XXXXX refuse , and so she danced with the prince , and he danced very well .
In into like nearer of on than to with without