For a moment, the King was dumb with rage. Then loudly he shouted:"Ho, guards! Annihilate him! Avenge this insult!"

At these words, the sword of every by-stander leaped from itsscabbard; but, before any one could take a step forward, the Princessseized the Absolute Fool by his long and flowing locks, and put spursto her horse. The young man yelled with pain, and shouted toher to let go; but she held firmly to his hair, and as he wasextraordinarily active and fleet of leg, he kept pace with thegalloping horse. A great crowd of people started in pursuit, but asnone of them were mounted, they were soon left behind.

"Let go my hair! Let go my hair!" shouted the Absolute Fool, as hebounded along. "You don't know how it hurts. Let go! Let go!"

But the Princess never relinquished her hold until they were out ofthe King's domain.

"A little more," cried the indignant youth, when she let him go, "andyou would have pulled out a handful of my hair."