personsoftengivetheirservantsfinerclothfortheirliveriesthanfortheirownclothes,andsoihavedressedoutmyshadowlikeaman;nay,youmayobservethatihaveevengivenhimashadowofhisown;itisratherexpensive,butiliketohavethingsaboutmethatarepeculiar."

"howisthis?"thoughttheprincess;"amireallycured?thismustbethebestwatering-placeinexistence.waterinourtimeshascertainlywonderfulpower.butiwillnotleavethisplaceyet,justasitbeginstobeamusing.thisforeignprince-forhemustbeaprince-pleasesmeaboveallthings.ionlyhopehisbeardwon'tgrow,orhewillleaveatonce."

intheevening,theprincessandtheshadowdancedtogetherinthelargeassemblyrooms.shewaslight,buthewaslighterstill;shehadneverseensuchadancerbefore.shetoldhimfromwhatcountryshehadcome,andfoundheknewitandhadbeenthere,butnotwhileshewasathome.hehadlookedintothewindowsofherfather'spalace,boththeupperandthelowerwindows;hehadseenmanythings,andcouldthereforeanswertheprincess,andmakeallusionswhichquiteastonishedher.shethoughthemustbethecleverestmaninalltheworld,andfeltthegreatestrespectforhisknowledge.whenshedancedwithhimagainshefellinlovewithhim,whichtheshadowquicklydiscovered,forshehadwithhereyeslookedhimthroughandthrough.theydancedoncemore,andshewasnearlytellinghim,butshehadsomediscretion;shethoughtofhercountry,herkingdom,andthenumberofpeopleoverwhomshewouldonedayhavetorule."heisacleverman,"shethoughttoherself,"whichisagoodthing,andhedancesadmirably,whichisalsogood.buthashewell-groundedknowledge?thatisanimportantquestion,andimusttryhim."thensheaskedhimamostdifficultquestion,sheherselfcouldnothaveansweredit,andtheshadowmadeamostunaccountablegrimace.

"youcannotanswerthat,"saidtheprincess.

"ilearntsomethingaboutitinmychildhood,"hereplied;"andbelievethatevenmyveryshadow,standingovertherebythedoor,couldanswerit."

"yourshadow,"saidtheprincess;"indeedthatwouldbeveryremarkable."

"idonotsaysopositively,"observedtheshadow;"butiaminclinedtobelievethathecandoso.hehasfollowedmeforsomanyyears,andhasheardsomuchfromme,thatithinkitisverylikely.butyourroyalhighnessmustallowmetoobserve,thatheisveryproudofbeingconsideredaman,andtoputhiminagoodhumor,sothathemayanswercorrectly,hemustbetreatedasaman."

"ishallbeverypleasedtodoso,"saidtheprincess.soshewalkeduptothelearnedman,whostoodinthedoorway,andspoketohimofthesun,andthemoon,ofthegreenforests,andofpeoplenearhomeandfaroff;andthelearnedmanconversedwithherpleasantlyandsensibly.

"whatawonderfulmanhemustbe,tohavesuchaclevershadow!"thoughtshe."ifiweretochoosehimitwouldbearealblessingtomycountryandmysubjects,andiwilldoit."sotheprincessandtheshadowweresoonengagedtoeachother,butnoonewastobetoldawordaboutit,tillshereturnedtoherkingdom.

"nooneshallknow,"saidtheshadow;"notevenmyownshadow;"andhehadveryparticularreasonsforsayingso.

afteratime,theprincessreturnedtothelandoverwhichshereigned,andtheshadowaccompaniedher.

"listenmyfriend,"saidtheshadowtothelearnedman;"nowthatiamasfortunateandaspowerfulasanymancanbe,iwilldosomethingunusuallygoodforyou.youshallliveinmypalace,drivewithmeintheroyalcarriage,andhaveahundredthousanddollarsayear;butyoumustalloweveryonetocallyouashadow,andneverventuretosaythatyouhavebeenaman.andonceayear,whenisitinmybalconyinthesunshine,youmustlieatmyfeetasbecomesashadowtodo;forimusttellyouiamgoingtomarrytheprincess,andourweddingwilltakeplacethisevening."

"now,really,thisistooridiculous,"saidthelearnedman."icannot,andwillnot,submittosuchfolly.itwouldbecheatingthewholecountry,andtheprincessalso.iwilldiscloseeverything,andsaythatiamtheman,andthatyouareonlyashadowdressedupinmen'sclothes."

"noonewouldbelieveyou,"saidtheshadow;"bereasonable,now,oriwillcalltheguards."

"iwillgostraighttotheprincess,"saidthelearnedman.

"butishallbetherefirst,"repliedtheshadow,"andyouwillbesenttoprison."andsoitturnedout,fortheguardsreadilyobeyedhim,astheyknewhewasgoingtomarrytheking'sdaughter.

"youtremble,"saidtheprincess,whentheshadowappearedbeforeher."hasanythinghappened?