IN a certain country there are seven Princes, the sons of a King. When the seven persons had grown up, messengers were sent to find the places where there were seven Princesses to be taken in marriage by them. They obtained intelligence that there was a kingdom where they were to be met with. After that, the seven portraits of the seven Princes having been painted, two or three ministers were summoned, and sent with the instructions, “Go to that kingdom, and observe if the seven Princesses are there. If they are there, take the portraits of the seven Princesses and come back with them.” The ministers having gone there and looked, found that seven Princesses were there. So they went to the King, the father of the Princesses. After they had come, the King having given quarters to the ministers, and having given them food and drink, asked, “Where are you going ?” Then the ministers said, “On account of news that you have seven Princesses, as there are seven Princes of the King of our country we have come, bringing the portraits of the seven Princes to show you, in order to marry the Princesses to those seven.” The King and the Princesses having looked at the portraits were pleased with them. Afterwards, a suitable occasion for the marriage having been appointed, the portraits of the Princesses were painted, and given into the hands of the ministers, and they were sent away with them. The party having brought them, showed them to the [Page 58] King and the seven Princes. The King and the seven Princes being pleased with those persons after they had shown the portraits, the King of that city, on the very day appointed as the date for setting out for the marriage, having decorated an elephant for the King and Queen, and both of them having mounted on it, and having decorated seven other elephants for the seven Princes, the party made ready to go. Then the youngest Prince of all, having placed his sword on the back of the elephant, and made obeisance to his father, said, “I will not go. Should the Princess come after being married to the sword, let her come. If not, let her simply stop there.” Having said this he did not go; he sent only the elephant, and the elephant and all the other persons went. Having gone there the six Princes were married to the six Princesses. Then the King whose Princesses they were, asked, “Is there not a Prince for the youngest Princess ?” When he asked this, the King whose son was the Prince replied, “There is my youngest Prince. He has not come. If she will come after being married to the sword placed on the back of this elephant, he said she is to come; if not, he said that she is to remain here.” The King whose Princess she was, was not satisfied with that. What of that ? The youngest Princess was contented, and said, “Even a deaf man or a lame man would be good enough for me. Therefore I must be married.” So having been married to the sword she came away with the others. The Prince who did not go, but