’Then the soldier bade the genii to bring him a fine empty coach, and he got into it.  And when he was in it, it is what he wished, to have the princess sitting beside him.

’And there she was on the minute, and they went away together.  But the king gave his consent then, and a great deal of money and treasure.

’And they put down the teapot, and if they didn’t live happy’—­the end was lost in applause.

* * * * *

And when the applause had died away, an old, bright-eyed wrinkled man, said:  ’There was a King of Leinster one time, and there was a lake beside his house.  And every now and again twelve swans used to come to the lake; and they had been coming there for seven generations.

’And the king’s son that was away came home.  And one day he saw the swans coming to the lake; and he said:  “I wonder I never heard any talk of these swans before, for they are the most beautiful I ever saw.”  And his people said:  “They are coming here for seven generations, and no one ever took notice of them before.”

’The next morning early the king’s son went down and hid himself in the flags and the rushes by the lake.  And after he had watched for a while, he saw the swans come flying to the edge of the lake.  And then they took off their flying habits, and went bathing in the water; and they were not swans but beautiful young women; and there was one among them that was the most beautiful of all.

’After the king’s son had watched for a while, he went to where they had left their flying habits; and he brought away the one that belonged to the most beautiful of the women.  After a while they came to shore, and began to look for their flying habits, and when she could not find hers, she made great laments.

’The king’s son came out to her then; and he asked her would she stop with him and be his wife.  “I cannot do that,” she said; “but give me back my wings now, and if you will come to the shore at such a place to-morrow, I will bring a ship, and you can come away with me.”  So he gave her back her habit, and she took the form of a swan again and flew away.

’The next day he was making ready for his journey before he would go to meet her; and the old woman that was in the house, and that was over eighty years old, came and asked could she go with him.  So at last he gave her leave, and they went down to the shore to wait.  And the nurse said:  “Lie down now and put your head in my lap and rest awhile.”  So he laid his head in her lap; and when he did that, she took a sleeping-pin and put it in his ear, and he fell into a heavy sleep.

’And when he was asleep, the ship came over the sea, with music and playing in it, and came near the land.  And when there was no one to meet it there, it went away again.

’The king’s son awoke then, and the nurse said:  “It is making a fool of you she was, for we have waited here all the day, and there has no ship come.”