She did not wish to
lose Dorothy, who was a great help to her; still, she had no doubt that
a suitor would soon appear for her eldest daughter, if arrayed in so
beautiful a bridal gown as that. She reflected how she might have a
tea-party and invite all the neighbors, and display the robe, and how
all the sons would come flocking to the door. Finally she consented,
and Dorothy, as soon as her mistress's back was turned, ran out and away
to the hedge, under which she knew the Persian princess to be concealed.
The princess looked up and rubbed her eyes. She had slept late, although
the birds were singing loudly all around her. Dorothy courtesied and
said that she had come for the robe. "Very well," replied the princess,
"I will give it to you; then you must carry it and hang it over Dame
Betsy's gate, and run back to me as fast as you are able."
Then the princess blew on the wallet until it became a trunk, and she
took out the splendid robe and gave it to Dorothy, who carried it and
hung it over Dame Betsy's gate just as she had been bidden. But as she
was about to run away, she saw the little boy who lived next door
peeping through his fence, so she stopped to bid him good-bye. He felt
so sad that he wept, and Dorothy herself had tears in her eyes when she
ran to join the princess.
Dorothy and the princess then set off on their travels; but nobody
except Dorothy herself knew that there was a princess.
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