“The Swineherd.” The Yellow Fairy Book, edited by Andrew Lang, London, New York, Bombay: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1906, pp. 249-253.

Tale Summary

There was once a poor Prince with a small Kingdom who wished to be married. He audaciously asked the emperor's daughter to marry him, knowing that many princesses would have gladly said yes to him. A rose tree grew on the grave of the prince's father which bloomed once every five years bearing a single beautiful rose. He also had a nightingale who could sing wonderfully, and each was placed into their own silver casket. They were brought to the Great Hall of the emperor where the princess was playing with her ladies and waiting. She clapped her hands for joy and wished for a cat, but found the rose and all complained that it was not artificial but real. Out of the other casket came the nightingale which sang beautifully, and all who heard it said so, but the princess said she hoped that at least this one was not real. She ordered the bird to fly away and refused to see the prince. He painted his face brown and black and knocked at the door asking for a place as a servant in the castle, and was given a job looking after swine. the whole day he worked to make a pretty little pot with bells so that when the pot boiled they jingled and played the tune:

“ Where is Augustus dear?
 Alas! He's not here here here!”

If one held one's finger into the steam they could smell what dinner was being prepared in any fireplace in the town. The princess walked past with her ladies in waiting and heard the tune and was delighted by it. One of the ladies in waiting went on behalf of the princess to ask the price for the instrument and the prince replied that he would have ten kisses from the princess and nothing less. She gave in and gave him his ten kisses, with the ladies in waiting hiding them so no one would see. She took her pot and amused herself by knowing all the meals throughout the town. Everyday the prince worked making new instruments, and the princess again wanted to buy them from him. His price rose to a hundred kisses, and she reluctantly obliged. The emperor saw the commotion and the kissing, and exiled the two. The girl wept for her misfortune and wished for a beautiful prince. The swineherd hid behind a tree and washed his face, and changed his clothes into something splendid, then presented himself to her. The princess was amazed by him, but the prince taught her a lesson and said that he despised her because she would have nothing to do with a noble prince, and did not understand the rose or the nightingale, but she would kiss a swineherd for the sake of a toy. He went into his kingdom and shut the door in her face.