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way to find them : however, as she was remarkably 

 handsome, she kept her thoughts to herself, swal- 

 lowed the story like so much butter, and assured 

 him of her protection. < My father/ said she, 

 * will again ask you which is the youngest daughter; 

 and as he suspects me of having assisted you 

 before, he threatens to chop off my head instead 

 of yours, should I disobey him a second time. 

 He will, therefore, watch me too closely to allow 

 of my making any sign to you ; but still I will con- 

 trive something to distinguish me from my sisters ; 

 and do you examine us narrowly till you find it.' 

 As she had foretold, the headman no sooner saw 

 his destined son-in-law enter, than he told him 

 that he should immediately receive his bride ; but 

 that if he did not immediately point her out, the 

 laws of the kingdom sentenced him to lose his 

 head. Upon which the door opened, and in walked 

 three large black cats, so exactly similar in every 

 respect, that it was utterly impossible to distinguish 

 one from the other. The youth was at length on 

 the point of giving up the attempt in despair, 

 when it struck him, that each of the cats had a 

 slight thread passed round its neck ; and that while 

 the threads of two were scarlet, that of the third 

 was blue. * This is your youngest daughter;' 

 cried he, snatching up the cat with the blue thread. 

 The headman was utterly at a loss to conceive by 

 what means he had made the discovery ; but could 

 not deny the fact, for there stood the princesses in 



