THERE was once a princess who dwelt in a castle in the midst of a great park. She lived hidden away from the world in her quiet home and was scarcely ever seen by strangers. Rumours of her charm and loveliness, and of her wonderful golden hair, spread far and wide over the land, and she was always known and spoken of as Princess Golden-bright. But her real name was Gentle.
All round the castle were lovely pleasure-gardens in which were gay flower-beds and slender, dancing fountains. But the princess’s favourite spot was a circle of ash-trees which stood in the park some small distance away from the castle on a little grassy hill with a path leading up to it.
It was called the Rondel.
In the middle of the circle of trees stood a table with a seat running round it; the ground was carpeted with soft moss, and the tree-trunks stood up straight and tall like marble pillars.
The princess loved nothing better than to sit in the Rondel in the warm weather with her books and embroidery.
[80]It was like being in a little house with a high green roof to it.
Moreover it was a fairy place, and the ash-trees would often tell her the most delightful stories of what was going on outside the walls of the park, for they were so tall that they could see a long way.
They learnt many things, too, from the birds, who loved to perch among their branches and to chatter away to one another about their adventures in the big world.
The princess very rarely went beyond the walls of the park, for she was quite happy among the birds and flowers. But because the beauty of Princess Golden-bright was famed throughout the land, many princes sent to ask for her hand in marriage.
Some of them even came in person, but the princess would have nothing to do with any of them.
“I am quite happy,” she said; “I do not want a husband.” However, when she was twenty years old, her fairy god-mother came to pay her a visit, and talked to her most earnestly upon this very subject of getting married, telling her that it was exceedingly foolish of her to refuse to see any of these suitors. “My dear Gentle,” she said, “whoever heard of a princess who was an old maid? I don’t say you need choose in a hurry,[81] but I certainly think you ought at least to see these gentlemen. You may very possibly find one among them whom you like, and the ash-trees will help you to choose if you should be in doubt.”
 
So the princess promised to do as her god-mother wished, and after her departure she made it known by proclamation that Princess Golden-bright was willing to receive any suitable person who might wish to pay her his addresses.
The day after this was done she went as usual to sit in the Rondel, and while she busied herself[82] with her embroidery she talked over this matter of the suitors with her beloved ash-trees.
“How shall I know whom to choose?” said the princess. “I have no experience at all. If I must have a husband I should like to be sure that he is the right one.”
“Do not be afraid, dear princess,” replied the ash-trees. “You know that whosoever stands beneath our boughs is bound to speak the truth. You need ask but one question of each of the suitors. According to his answer you will be able to judge of his suitability as a husband.”
“What shall I ask him?” said the princess.
“Ask him,” replied the ash-trees, “what he most desires in a wife. That will be quite sufficient.”
So the princess sat and waited.
Presently she heard a whispering among the leaves over her head.
“There’s one coming,” they said. “We can see him riding along the high road.”
“Oh, what is he like?” said the princess.
“He is a very fine-looking gentleman indeed,” said the ash-trees. “He rides on a great black prancing horse, and a company of twenty knights rides behind him. He wears shining armour. The harness of his horse is studded with jewels and the hilt of his sword blazes in the sunshine.”
“It sounds very exciting,” said the princess,[83] and she put down her stitching and smoothed her golden hair and spread out the folds of her flower-embroidered gown, for naturally she wanted to look her best.
Before long the prince arrived at the castle gates, and a messenger came out into the park to tell the princess that he had come from a neighbouring kingdom to seek her hand.
“I will see him here,” said the princess.
So the prince came riding through the park with his knights all jingling behind him, each of them bearing a golden casket containing a present for the princess.
When the prince reached the foot of the little hill on which the Rondel stood and saw the princess under the trees, he dismounted from his horse and came on foot to where she sat.
The knights waited at the bottom of the hill.
The princess received him graciously, and he stood before her in the shadow of the ash-trees and asked if she would marry him.
“I have a great kingdom,” said he, “great riches and great power, and my enemies all fear me.”
“I am much honoured,” said the princess, “but I should like to ask you one question. What do you most desire in a wife?”
“Obedience,” said the prince without an[84] instant’s hesitation, for he was obliged to speak the truth.
The princess smiled a little.
“And what would you do if your wife disobeyed you?” she asked.
“Whip her,” said the prince.
“I am much obliged to you,” said the princess, “but I am afraid that I might not always be obedient, and I should not like to be whipped............