to possess the damsel.  The sculptor said, ‘I made her;’ the tailor, ‘I clothed her.’  I, too, maintained my right.  Tell me, therefore, doggie, to which of us the damsel belongs.”  The dog said nothing, but instead of the dog the princess replied:  “To whom can she belong but to yourself?  What’s the good of the sculptor’s damsel without life?  What’s the good of the tailor’s dressing without speech?  You gave her the best gift, life and speech, and therefore she by right belongs to you.”  “You have passed your own sentence,” said Vanek; “I have given you speech again and a new life, and you therefore by right belong to me.”  Then said one of the king’s councillors:  “His Royal Grace will give you a plenteous reward for succeeding in unloosing his daughter’s tongue; but you cannot have her to wife, as you are of mean lineage.”  The king said:  “You are of mean lineage; I will give you a plenteous reward instead of our daughter.”  But Vanek wouldn’t hear of any other reward, and said:  “The king promised without any exception, that whoever caused his daughter to speak again should be her husband.  A king’s word is law; and if the king wants others to observe his laws, he must first keep them himself.  Therefore the king must give me his daughter.”  “Seize and bind him!” shouted the councillor.  “Whoever says the king must do anything, offers an insult to his Majesty, and is worthy of death.  May it please your Majesty to order this malefactor to be executed with the sword?” The king said:  “Let him be executed.”  Vanek was immediately bound and led to execution.  When they came to the place of execution Luck was there waiting for him, and said secretly to Intelligence:  “See how this man has got on through you, till he has to lose his head!  Make way, and let me take your place!” As soon as Luck entered Vanek, the executioners sword broke against the scaffold, just as if some one had snapped it; and before they brought him another, up rode a trumpeter on horseback from the city, galloping as swift as a bird, trumpeted merrily, and waved a white flag, and after him came the royal carriage for Vanek.  This is what had happened:  The princess had told her father at home that Vanek had but spoken the truth, and the king’s word ought not to be broken.  If Vanek were of mean lineage the king could easily make him a prince.  The king said:  “You’re right; let him be a prince!” The royal carriage was immediately sent for Vanek, and the councillor who had irritated the king against him was executed in his stead.  Afterward, when Vanek and the princess were going together in a carriage from the wedding, Intelligence happened to be somewhere on the road, and seeing that he couldn’t help meeting Luck, bent his head and slipped on one side, just as if cold water had been thrown upon him.  And from that time forth it is said that Intelligence has always given a wide berth to Luck whenever he has had to meet him.

XII