“I want to marry your daughter,” said Peter.

To this the King said “Hum-m-m,” and Peter said nothing.  Then the King said that he had determined that no one should marry his daughter without bringing him a basketful of diamonds, rubies, topazes, emeralds, pearls, and all manner of precious stones; for he thought by this to get rid of Peter.

“Is that all?” said Peter.  “Nothing is easier.”

So off he went, until he came to a chestnut woods just back of the royal kitchen-garden.  There he uncorked his bottle.  Pop! pop! and out came the two tall men.  “What will you have, sir?” said they.  Peter told them what he wanted, and it was no sooner said than done; for, there on the ground before him, stood a basketful of all kinds of precious stones; each of them was as large as a hen’s egg, and over all of them was spread a nice clean white napkin.  So Peter took the basket on his arm and went back again to the palace.

But how the King did open his eyes, to be sure, and how he stared!  “Now,” said Peter, “I should like to marry your daughter, if you please.”

At this the King hemmed and hawed again.  No, Peter could not marry the Princess yet, for the King had determined that no man should marry his daughter without bringing him a bird all of pure silver that could sing whenever it was wanted, and that more sweetly than a nightingale; for he thought that now he should be rid of Peter, at any rate.

“Nothing easier,” said Peter, and off he went again.

When he had come to the chestnut woods, he uncorked his bottle and told the two tall men what he wanted.  No sooner said than done; for there was a bird all of pure silver.  And not only that, but the bird sat in a little golden tree, and the leaves of the tree were emeralds, and rubies hung like cherries from the branches.

Then Peter wrapped this up in his handkerchief and took it to the palace.  As for the King, he could not look at it or listen to it enough.

“Now,” said Peter, “I should like to marry your daughter, if you please.”

But at this the King sang the same tune again.  No, Peter could not marry his daughter yet, for the King had determined that the man who was to marry his daughter should first bring him a golden sword, so keen that it could cut a feather floating in the air, yet so strong that it could cut through an iron bar.

“Nothing easier,” said Peter, and this time the men of the bottle brought him such a sword as he asked for, and the hilt was studded all over with precious stones, so that it was very handsome indeed.  Then Peter brought it to the King, and it did as the King would have it—­it cut through a feather floating in the air; as for the iron bar, it cut through that as easily as you would bite through a radish.

[Illustration:  Peter Eats With the King and Princess]

And now it seemed as though there was nothing else to be done but to let Peter marry the Princess.  So the King asked him in to supper, and they all three sat down together, the King and the Princess and Peter.  And it was a fine feast, I can tell you, for they had both white and red wine, besides sausages and cheese, and real white bread and puddings, and all manner of good things; for kings and princesses eat and drink of the best.