` Ah , if you only would ! ' cried the Princess , and at the same moment she heard a crick-cracking in all her bones . She grew tall and straight and pretty , with eyes like shining stars , and a skin as white as milk . ` Oh , wonderful ! can this really be my poor little self ? ' she exclaimed , looking down in amazement at her tiny worn-out crutch as it lay upon the floor . ` Indeed , Princess , ' replied Florimond , ` it is yourself , but you must have a new name , since the old one does not suit you now . Be called Princess Sunbeam , for you are bright and charming enough to deserve the name . ' And so saying he disappeared , and the Princess , without knowing how she got there , found herself walking under shady trees by a clear river . Of course , the first thing she did was to look at her own reflection in the water , and she was extremely surprised to find that she was exactly like the shepherdess she had so much admired , and wore the same white dress and flowery wreath that she had seen in the painted windows . To complete the resemblance , her flock of sheep appeared , grazing round her , and she found a gay crook adorned with flowers upon the bank of the river . Quite tired out by so many new and wonderful experiences , the Princess sat down to rest at the foot of a tree , and there she fell fast asleep . Now it happened that it was in this very country that Prince Peerless had been set down , and while the Princess Sunbeam was still sleeping peacefully , he came strolling along in search of a shady pasture for his sheep . The moment he caught sight of the Princess he recognised her as the charming shepherdess whose picture he had seen so often in the tower , and as she was far prettier than he had remembered her , he was delighted that chance had led him that way . He was still watching her admiringly when the Princess opened her eyes , and as she also recognised him they were soon great friends . The Princess asked Prince Peerless , as he knew the country better than she did , to tell her of some peasant who would give her a lodging , and he said he knew of an old woman whose cottage would be the very place for her , it was so nice and so pretty . So they went there together , and the Princess was charmed with the old woman and everything belonging to her . Supper was soon spread for her under a shady tree , and she invited the Prince to share the cream and brown bread which the old woman provided . This he was delighted to do , and having first fetched from his own garden all the strawberries , cherries , nuts and flowers he could find . they sat down together and were very merry .
After this they met every day as they guarded their flocks , and were so happy that Prince Peerless begged the Princess XXXXX marry him , so that they might never be parted again .
at down for if than to under while with without