“He isn’t so very ugly,” the prince said, “really he isn’t. If he washed his face and trimmed his hair and nails he’d be fairly good-looking. In fact I rather like him.”
He then talked to them very seriously about the state of the treasury and he told them that unless he could raise a large sum of money shortly there was danger of an uprising among the people.
“If you, my daughters, wish to see the peace of the country preserved, if you want to make me happy in my old age, one of you will have to marry this young man, for I see no other way to raise the money.”
At this the two older princesses tossed their heads scornfully and laughed loud and long.
“You may rest assured, dear father, that neither of us will marry such a creature! We are the daughters of a prince and won’t marry beneath us, no, not even to save the country from ruin!”
“Then I don’t know what I’ll do,” the prince said.
“Father,” whispered Linka, the youngest. Her voice quavered and her face turned pale. “Father, if your happiness and the peace of the country depend on this marriage, I will sacrifice myself, God help me!”
