There was once a princess, the most beautiful princess that ever was
seen. Her hair was black and soft as the raven's wing; her eyes were
like stars dropped in a pool of clear water, and her speech like the
first tinkling cascade of the baby Nile. She was also wise, graceful,
and gentle, so that one would have thought she must be the happiest
princess in the world.
But, alas! there was one terrible drawback to her happiness. She could
make only three remarks. No one knew whether it was the fault of her
nurse, or a peculiarity born with her; but the sad fact remained, that
no matter what was said to her, she could only reply in one of three
phrases. The first was,--
"What is the price of butter?"