PRINCESS (meekly). I don't want to be married. (Hastily) I mean, not
to any of those three.
WOODCUTTER. You can't help yourself.
PRINCESS. I know. That's why I wanted _you_ to help me.
WOODCUTTER (going up to her). Can a simple woodcutter help a Princess?
PRINCESS. Well, perhaps a simple one couldn't, but a clever one might.
WOODCUTTER. What would his reward be?
PRINCESS. His reward would be that the Princess, not being married to
any of her three suitors, would still be able to help him chop his
wood in the mornings. . . . I _am_ helping you, aren't I?
WOODCUTTER (smiling). Oh, decidedly.
PRINCESS (nodding). I thought I was.
WOODCUTTER. It is kind of a great lady like yourself to help so humble
a fellow as I.
PRINCESS (meekly). I'm not _very_ great. (And she isn't. She is the
smallest, daintiest little Princess that ever you saw.)
WOODCUTTER. There's enough of you to make a hundred men unhappy.
PRINCESS. And one man happy?
WOODCUTTER. And one man very, very happy.
PRINCESS (innocently). I wonder who he'll be. . . . Woodcutter, if _you_
were a Prince, would you be my suitor?
WOODCUTTER (scornfully). One of three?
PRINCESS (excitedly). Oo, would you kill the others? With that axe?
WOODCUTTER.
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