Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 3).djvu/315

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316
THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

take off his gloves and show his hands, so that they should know whether he was of noble birth. However, the princess said that it was quite unnecessary for the young man to do anything of the kind, as she felt perfectly certain that there was no doubt whatever about his being of noble birth, and that his hands, she was sure, would be as white as those of a prince.

So they were married; and, as the young princess's husband was a glazier by profession, as well as a nobleman by birth, he understood how to treat a heart so delicate and fragile as hers; therefore, she lived blissfully to the end of her days without any accident happening.

The king's second daughter, with the cracked heart, had the pleasure of being an aunt, and a very excellent aunt she made, too! She taught the little princess to read and write, and make dresses for her dolls; she also took a great interest in the little prince's lessons, and when he knew them well and had good marks, like a good little boy, then she would praise him and make him all sorts of pretty presents, and he would leave her looking red and rosy, and flushed with delight. When, on the contrary, he did not know his lessons, and his marks were anything but good, then she would be very different, and he would leave her looking also very red and rosy, very flushed, but not with delight.

This princess lived to a very old age, notwithstanding that her heart was cracked, and if anyone marvelled at her living so long, she would answer them, as she had done her parents once before:

"Remember, 'It's the cracked pitcher that goes oftenest to the well.'"