` For the balsam with which I have rubbed it inside and out has , besides its healing balm , the quality of strengthening the material it touches , so that , even were your majesty to live a thousand years , you would find the slipper just as fresh at the end of that time as it is now . ' The king was so eager to put it on that he hardly gave the physician time to finish . He snatched it from the case and thrust his foot into it , nearly weeping for joy when he found he could walk and run as easily as any beggar boy . ` What can I give you ? ' he cried , holding out both hands to the man who had worked this wonder . ` Stay with me , and I will heap on you riches greater than ever you dreamed of . ' But the doctor said he would accept nothing more than had been agreed on , and must return at once to his own country , where many sick people were awaiting him . So king Balancin had to content himself with ordering the physician to be treated with royal honours , and desiring that an escort should attend him on his journey home . For two years everything went smoothly at court , and to king Balancin and his daughter the sun no sooner rose than it seemed time for it to set . Now , the king 's birthday fell in the month of June , and as the weather happened to be unusually fine , he told the princess to celebrate it in any way that pleased her . Diamantina was very fond of being on the river , and she was delighted at this chance of delighting her tastes . She would have a merry-making such as never had been seen before , and in the evening , when they were tired of sailing and rowing , there should be music and dancing , plays and fireworks . At the very end , before the people went home , every poor person should be given a loaf of bread and every girl who was to be married within the year a new dress . The great day appeared to Diamantina to be long in coming , but , like other days , it came at last . Before the sun was fairly up in the heavens the princess , too full of excitement to stay in the palace , was walking about the streets so covered with precious stones that you had to shade your eyes before you could look at her . By-and-by a trumpet sounded , and she hurried home , only to appear again in a few moments walking by the side of her father down to the river . Here a splendid barge was waiting for them , and from it they watched all sorts of races and feats of swimming and diving . When these were over the barge proceeded up the river to the field where the dancing and concerts were to take place , and after the prizes had been given away to the winners , and the loaves and the dresses had been distributed by the princess , they bade farewell to their guests , and turned to step into the barge which was to carry them back to the palace . Then a dreadful thing happened . As the king stepped on board the boat one of the sandals of the white slipper , which had got loose , caught in a nail that was sticking out , and caused the king to stumble .
The pain was great , and unconsciously he turned and shook his foot , so that the sandals gave way , and in a moment the precious shoe was XXXXX the river .
At after as by for in inside out over with