They were a queer lot altogether, but for all
their cleverness and for all the tricks and pranks they played, the
princess was just as serious and immovable as ever.
But close to the palace lived a man who had three sons, and they had
also heard that the king had made known that he who could make the
princess laugh should have her and half the kingdom.
The eldest of the brothers wanted to try first, and away he went; and
when he came to the palace, he told the king he wouldn't mind trying to
make the princess laugh.
"Yes, yes! that's all very well," said the king; "but I am afraid it's
of very little use, my man. There have been many here to try their luck,
but my daughter is just as sad, and I am afraid it is no good trying. I
do not like to see any more suffer on that account."
But the lad thought he would try anyhow. It couldn't be such a difficult
thing to make a princess laugh at him, for had not everybody, both grand
and simple, laughed so many a time at him when he served as soldier and
went through his drill under Sergeant Nils.
So he went out on the terrace outside the princess's windows and began
drilling just as if Sergeant Nils himself were there. But all in vain!
The princess sat just as serious and immovable as before, and so they
took him and cut three broad, red stripes out of his back and sent him
home.
He had no sooner arrived home than his second brother wanted to set out
and try his luck.
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