itwasquiteamusingtoseehowhecaperedabout.allthepeopleclappedtheirhands,bothonhisaccountandjohn's,whohadguessedrightlythefirsttime.hisfellow-travellerwasgladalso,whenheheardhowsuccessfuljohnhadbeen.butjohnfoldedhishands,andthankedgod,who,hefeltquitesure,wouldhelphimagain;andheknewhehadtoguesstwicemore.theeveningpassedpleasantlyliketheonepreceding.whilejohnslept,hiscompanionflewbehindtheprincesstothemountain,andfloggedherevenharderthanbefore;thistimehehadtakentworodswithhim.noonesawhimgoinwithher,andheheardallthatwassaid.theprincessthistimewastothinkofaglove,andhetoldjohnasifhehadagainhearditinadream.thenextday,therefore,hewasabletoguesscorrectlythesecondtime,anditcausedgreatrejoicingatthepalace.thewholecourtjumpedaboutastheyhadseenthekingdothedaybefore,buttheprincesslayonthesofa,andwouldnotsayasingleword.allnowdependeduponjohn.ifheonlyguessedrightlythethirdtime,hewouldmarrytheprincess,andreignoverthekingdomafterthedeathoftheoldking:butifhefailed,hewouldlosehislife,andthemagicianwouldhavehisbeautifulblueeyes.thateveningjohnsaidhisprayersandwenttobedveryearly,andsoonfellasleepcalmly.buthiscompaniontiedonhiswingstohisshoulders,tookthreerods,and,withhisswordathisside,flewtothepalace.itwasaverydarknight,andsostormythatthetilesflewfromtheroofsofthehouses,andthetreesinthegardenuponwhichtheskeletonshungbentthemselveslikereedsbeforethewind.thelightningflashed,andthethunderrolledinonelong-continuedpealallnight.thewindowofthecastleopened,andtheprincessflewout.shewaspaleasdeath,butshelaughedatthestormasifitwerenotbadenough.herwhitemantleflutteredinthewindlikealargesail,andthetravellerfloggedherwiththethreerodstillthebloodtrickleddown,andatlastshecouldscarcelyfly;shecontrived,however,toreachthemountain."whatahail-storm!"shesaid,assheentered;"ihaveneverbeenoutinsuchweatherasthis."

"yes,theremaybetoomuchofagoodthingsometimes,"saidthemagician.

thentheprincesstoldhimthatjohnhadguessedrightlythesecondtime,andifhesucceededthenextmorning,hewouldwin,andshecouldnevercometothemountainagain,orpracticemagicasshehaddone,andthereforeshewasquiteunhappy."iwillfindoutsomethingforyoutothinkofwhichhewillneverguess,unlessheisagreaterconjurorthanmyself.butnowletusbemerry."

thenhetooktheprincessbybothhands,andtheydancedwithallthelittlegoblinsandjack-o'-lanternsintheroom.theredspidersspranghereandthereonthewallsquiteasmerrily,andtheflowersoffireappearedasiftheywerethrowingoutsparks.theowlbeatthedrum,thecricketswhistledandthegrasshoppersplayedthemouth-organ.itwasaveryridiculousball.aftertheyhaddancedenough,theprincesswasobligedtogohome,forfearsheshouldbemissedatthepalace.themagicianofferedtogowithher,thattheymightbecompanytoeachotherontheway.thentheyflewawaythroughthebadweather,andthetravellerfollowedthem,andbrokehisthreerodsacrosstheirshoulders.themagicianhadneverbeenoutinsuchahail-stormasthis.justbythepalacethemagicianstoppedtowishtheprincessfarewell,andtowhisperinherear,"to-morrowthinkofmyhead."

butthetravellerheardit,andjustastheprincessslippedthroughthewindowintoherbedroom,andthemagicianturnedroundtoflybacktothemountain,heseizedhimbythelongblackbeard,andwithhissabrecutoffthewickedconjuror'sheadjustbehindtheshoulders,sothathecouldnotevenseewhoitwas.hethrewthebodyintotheseatothefishes,andafterdippingtheheadintothewater,hetieditupinasilkhandkerchief,tookitwithhimtotheinn,andthenwenttobed.thenextmorninghegavejohnthehandkerchief,andtoldhimnottountieittilltheprincessaskedhimwhatshewasthinkingof.thereweresomanypeopleinthegreathallofthepalacethattheystoodasthickasradishestiedtogetherinabundle.thecouncilsatintheirarm-chairswiththewhitecushions.theoldkingworenewrobes,andthegoldencrownandsceptrehadbeenpolishedupsothathelookedquitesmart.buttheprincesswasverypale,andworeablackdressasifsheweregoingtoafuneral.

"whathaveithoughtof?"