Ting-a-ling

Ting-a-ling, by Frank Richard
Stockton,

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Title: Ting-a-ling
Author: Frank Richard Stockton

Release Date: March 16, 2007 [eBook #20836]
Language: English
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TING-A-LING
by
FRANK R. STOCKTON.
Illustrated by E. B. Bensell

[Illustration]

New York. Charles Scribner's Sons. 1921
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by Frank R.
Stockton, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern
District of Pennsylvania.
Copyright, 1882, by Charles Scribner's Sons. Copyright, 1910, by
William S. Stockton.

TO THE MEMORY OF ALL GOOD GIANTS, DWARFS, AND
FAIRIES This Book IS GRATEFULLY DEDICATED.

TING-A-LING.
In a far country of the East, in a palace surrounded by orange groves,
where the nightingales sang, and by silvery lakes, where the soft

fountains plashed, there lived a fine old king. For many years he had
governed with great comfort to himself, and to the tolerable satisfaction
of his subjects. His queen being dead, his whole affection was given to
his only child, the Princess Aufalia; and, whenever he happened to
think of it, he paid great attention to her education. She had the best
masters of embroidery and in the language of flowers, and she took
lessons on the zithar three times a week.
A suitable husband, the son of a neighboring monarch, had been
selected for her when she was about two hours old, thus making it
unnecessary for her to go into society, and she consequently passed her
youthful days in almost entire seclusion. She was now, when our story
begins, a woman more beautiful than the roses of the garden, more
musical than the nightingales, and far more graceful than the plashing
fountains.
One balmy day in spring, when the birds were singing lively songs on
the trees, and the crocuses were coaxing the jonquils almost off their
very stems with their pretty ways, Aufalia went out to take a little
promenade, followed by two grim slaves. Closely veiled, she walked in
the secluded suburbs of the town, where she was generally required to
take her lonely exercise. To-day, however, the slaves, impelled by a
sweet tooth, which each of them possessed, thought it would be no
harm if they went a little out of their way to procure some sugared
cream-beans, which were made excellently well by a confectioner near
the outskirts of the city. While they were in the shop, bargaining for the
sugar-beans, a young man who was passing thereby stepped up to the
Princess, and asked her if she could tell him the shortest road to the
baths, and if there was a good eating-house in the neighborhood. Now
as this was the first time in her life that the Princess had been addressed
by a young man, it is not surprising that she was too much astonished
to speak, especially as this youth was well dressed, extremely
handsome, and of proud and dignified manners,--although, to be sure, a
little travel-stained and tired-looking.
[Illustration]
When she had somewhat recovered from her embarrassment, she raised

her veil, (as if it was necessary to do so in speaking to a young man!)
and told him that she was sure she had not the slightest idea where any
place in the city was,--that she very seldom went into the city, and
never thought about the way to any place when she did go,--that she
wished she knew where those places were that he mentioned, for she
would very much like to tell him, especially if he was hungry, which
she knew was not pleasant, and no doubt he was not used to it, but that
indeed she hadn't any idea about the way anywhere, but--
There is no knowing how long the Princess might have run on thus
(and her veil up all the time) had not the two slaves at that moment
emerged from the sugar-bean shop. The sight of the Princess actually
talking to a young man in the broad daylight so amazed them, that they
stood for a moment dumb in the door. But, recovering from their
surprise, they drew their cimeters, and ran toward the Prince (for such
his every action proclaimed him