Atondido Stories
something, for at least you would be a princess! But only to be
his sister-in-law—ha! ha!—what does that amount to?"
And they laughed with amusement and made nasty evil
jokes until poor little Linka had to put her hands to her ears not
to hear them.
The next day Peter came to the castle. The older sisters when
they saw how black he was were glad enough they had refused
to marry him. As for Linka, the moment she looked at him she
fainted dead away.
When she revived the prince led her over to Peter and gave
Peter her hand. She was trembling violently and her hand was
cold as marble.
"Don't be afraid, little princess," Peter whispered to her gen-
tly. "I know how awful I look. But perhaps I won't always be so
ugly. I promise you, if you marry me, I shall always love you
dearly."
Linka was greatly comforted by the sound of his pleasant
voice, but each time she looked at him she was terrified anew.
Peter saw this and made his visit short. He handed out to the
prince as much money as he needed and then, after agreeing to
return in eight days for the wedding, he hurried off.
He went to the place where he had met the Devil the first
time and called him by name with all his might.
The Devil instantly appeared.
"What do you want, little brother-in-law?"
"I want to look like myself again," Peter said. "What good
will it do me to marry a sweet little princess and then have the
poor girl faint away every time she looks at me!"
"Very well, brother-in-law. If that is how you feel about it,
come along with me and I'll soon make you into a handsome
young man."
410