TSQ-IV: BENECÉ PRODUCCIONS

He lives with a very clever Princess who has read all the books in the world. For
years she longed to be married, but she wanted a husband as clever as herself. She
put advertisements in the newspapers and the news quickly spread all over the
realm. Any young man could come and speak to the Princess, and the one who
spoke best would become her husband.
Ravends of young men came, but none of them were successful. They were all lost
for words, and repeated the last thing the princess had said. It was as if they fell
under a spell in her presence.
For two days the suitors arrived at the palace. On the third day, a young man arrived
on foot, dressed in shabby clothes.
When he walked into the castle, he was not lost for words. He spoke so beautifully
to the Princess that she immediately chose him to be her husband.

“Can you take ... to the castle where he and the
princess are?”
“Yes, I know a secret stairway.”

... led ... to the garden. ...

As ... walked up the secret staircase, she felt as though someone was following
....
Shadowy figures of horsemen rushed past ....
“They are dreams. They have come to carry away the thoughts of the lords and
ladies.”

At last they came to the bedchamber. There were two beds, one was white, and in
this lay the Princess, and the other was red, which was where ....
... onto the Prince’s bed, and woke him up but – oh! ... ...!

The Princess woke too, and asked what was the matter. ...
“Poor little thing!”
They prepared a bed for ... so that ... could rest.

The next day they dressed ... from head to foot in the finest clothes, and begged
... to stay at the palace. But ... asked for a horse-drawn carriage and some shoes.
... didn’t want to waste any time.
The Prince, the Princess ... said goodbye with tears in their eyes. They
wished ... the best of luck in the search ....

... drove ... carriage into the forest, which was thick and full of shadows.
A band of robbers peeped out from behind the trees.
When they saw ..., they thought ... would make a tasty dinner.
(No mention of the slaughtering of the escort.)

... asked after the Prince and Princess, and the little robber girl told ... they had
gone abroad.