'Tis true indeed that she awoke. But when
she saw my face she cried out, `Oh, he's black!'
And she ran away and wouldn't marry me--but
went to sleep again somewhere else. So I came
back, full of sadness, to my father's kingdom.
Now I hear that you are a wonderful magician
and have many powerful potions. So I come to
you for help. If you will turn me white, so
that I may go back to The Sleeping Beauty, I
will give you half my kingdom and anything
besides you ask."
"Prince Bumpo," said the Doctor, looking
thoughtfully at the bottles in his medicine-bag,
"supposing I made your hair a nice blonde
color--would not that do instead to make you
happy?"
"No," said Bumpo. "Nothing else will
satisfy me. I must be a white prince."
"You know it is very hard to change the color
of a prince," said the Doctor--"one of the hardest
things a magician can do. You only want
your face white, do you not?"
"Yes, that is all," said Bumpo. "Because I
shall wear shining armor and gauntlets of steel,
like the other white princes, and ride on a
horse."
"Must your face be white all over?" asked the Doctor.
"Yes, all over," said Bumpo--"and I would
like my eyes blue too, but I suppose that would
be very hard to do."
"Yes, it would," said the Doctor quickly.
"Well, I will do what I can for you. You will
have to be very patient though--you know with
some medicines you can never be very sure. I
might have to try two or three times.
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