Thus the prince was appointed imperial swineherd, and as such he lived
in a wretchedly small room near the pigsty; there he worked all day long,
and when it was night he had made a pretty little pot. There were little bells
round the rim, and when the water began to boil in it, the bells began to play
the old tune:
“A jolly old sow once lived in a sty,
Three little piggies had she,” &c.
But what was more wonderful was that, when one put a finger into the
steam rising from the pot, one could at once smell what meals they were
preparing on every fire in the whole town. That was indeed much more
remarkable than the rose. When the princess with her ladies passed by and
heard the tune, she stopped and looked quite pleased, for she also could
play it-in fact, it was the only tune she could play, and she played it with
one finger.
“That is the tune I know,” she exclaimed. “He must be a well-educated
swineherd. Go and ask him how much the instrument is.”
One of the ladies had to go and ask; but she put on pattens.
“What will you take for your pot?” asked the lady.
“I will have ten kisses from the princess,” said the swineherd.
“God forbid,” said the lady.
“Well, I cannot sell it for less,” replied the swineherd.
“What did he say?” said the princess.
“I really cannot tell you,” replied the lady.
“You can whisper it into my ear.”
“It is very naughty,” said the princess, and walked off.
But when she had gone a little distance, the bells rang again so sweetly:
“A jolly old sow once lived in a sty,
Three little piggies had she,” &c.
