Her father was in despair , and had had pictures painted of the handsomest princes of all the courts in the world , in the hope that she might fall in love with one of them ; but it was no use ; the princess would not even allow the pictures to be brought into her room . ` It is late , ' remarked one of the women at last ; ' I must go to my mistress . ' And , turning to one of the lackeys , she bade him find a bed for the youth . ` It is not necessary , ' answered the prince , ` this bench is good enough for me . I am used to nothing better . ' And when the hall was empty he lay down for a few minutes . But as soon as everything was quiet in the palace he took out the hair and wished himself a bee , and in this shape he flew upstairs , past the guards , and through the keyhole into the princess 's chamber . Then he turned himself into a man again . At this dreadful sight the princess , who was broad awake , began to scream loudly . ' A man ! a man ! ' cried she ; but when the guards rushed in there was only a bumble-bee buzzing about the room . They looked under the bed , and behind the curtains , and into the cupboards , then came to the conclusion that the princess had had a bad dream , and bowed themselves out . The door had scarcely closed on them than the bee disappeared , and a handsome youth stood in his place . ' I knew a man was hidden somewhere , ' cried the princess , and screamed more loudly than before . Her shrieks brought back the guards , but though they looked in all kinds of impossible places no man was to be seen , and so they told the princess . ` He was here a moment ago -- I saw him with my own eyes , ' and the guards dared not contradict her , though they shook their heads and whispered to each other that the princess had gone mad on this subject , and saw a man in every table and chair . And they made up their minds that -- let her scream as loudly as she might -- they would take no notice . Now the princess saw clearly what they were thinking , and that in future her guards would give her no help , and would perhaps , besides , tell some stories about her to the king , who would shut her up in a lonely tower and prevent her walking in the gardens among her birds and flowers . So when , for the third time , she beheld the prince standing before her , she did not scream but sat up in bed gazing at him in silent terror .
` Do not be afraid , ' he said , ' I shall not hurt you ' ; and he began to praise her gardens , of which he had heard the servants speak , and the XXXXX and flowers which she loved , till the princess 's anger softened , and she answered him with gentle words .
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