When he came to the forge he saw the prince standing at the door , and beckoned him over to the coach . ` Are you the fellow , ' says he , ` that made these crowns ? ' ` Yes , ' says the other . ` Then , ' says he , ` maybe you 'd give yourself a brushing , and get into that coach ; the king wants to see you . I pity the princess . ' The young prince got into the carriage , and while they were on the way he opened the snuff-box , and out walked Seven Inches , and stood on his thigh . ` Well , ' says he , ` what trouble is on you now ? ' ` Master , ' says the other , ` please let me go back to my forge , and let this carriage be filled with paving stones . ' No sooner said than done . The prince was sitting in his forge , and the horses wondered what was after happening to the carriage . When they came into the palace yard , the king himself opened the carriage door , for respect to his new son-in-law . As soon as he turned the handle , a shower of small stones fell on his powdered wig and his silk coat , and down he fell under them . There was great fright and some laughter , and the king , after he wiped the blood from his forehead , looked very cross at the eldest prince . ` My lord , ' says he , ` I 'm very sorry for this accident , but I 'm not to blame . I saw the young smith get into the carriage , and we never stopped a minute since . ' ` It 's uncivil you were to him . Go , ' says he to the other prince , ` and bring the young smith here , and be polite . ' ` Never fear , ' says he . But there 's some people that could n't be good-natured if they tried , and not a bit civiller was the new messenger than the old , and when the king opened the carriage door a second time , it 's shower of mud that came down on him . ` There 's no use , ' says he , ` going on this way .
The fox never got a better messenger XXXXX himself . '
as at in into of on since than to under