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Now I cannot tell how it came about,--whether she pretended to be
drowning, or whether he frightened her, or caught her so as to
embarrass her,--but certainly he brought her to shore in a fashion
ignominious to a swimmer, and more nearly drowned than she had ever
expected to be; for the water had got into her throat as often as
she had tried to speak.
At the place to which he bore her, the bank was only a foot or two
above the water; so he gave her a strong lift out of the water, to
lay her on the bank. But, her gravitation ceasing the moment she
left the water, away she went up into the air, scolding and
screaming.
"You naughty, naughty, NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY man!" she cried.
No one had ever succeeded in putting her into a passion before.-
before.--When the prince saw her ascend, he thought he must have
been bewitched, and have mistaken a great swan for a lady. But the
princess caught hold of the topmost cone upon a lofty fir. This
came off; but she caught at another; and, in fact, stopped herself
by gathering cones, dropping them as the stalks gave way. The
prince, meantime, stood in the water, staring, and forgetting to
get out. But the princess disappearing, he scrambled on shore, and
went in the direction of the tree. There he found her climbing down
one of the branches towards the stem. But in the darkness of the
wood, the prince continued in some bewilderment as to what the
phenomenon could be; until, reaching the ground, and seeing him
standing there, she caught hold of him, and said,--
"I'll tell papa."
"Oh no, you won't!" returned the prince.
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