Tales of Giants from Brazil | Page 9

He changed clothes with a poor fisherman whom he met by
the river, for he did not wish to be recognized as the prince.
Dressed as a poor fisherman he wandered from one kingdom to another.
He caught fish for his food, and he soon recognized the fact that the net
which the fisherman had given him as part of his outfit was a most
wonderful net. The biggest fish in the sea could not break through.
"This net must have the special blessing of Nossa Senhora upon it,"
said the prince.
In the course of his wanderings the prince arrived at a city where a
great festa was being held. The palace was decked with gay banners.
Every afternoon the messenger of the king rode up and down the city
streets proclaiming, "The princess of our kingdom is the most beautiful
princess in all the world."
The prince remembered the beautiful princess who had let him out of
the giant's cave. "Surely this princess cannot be as beautiful as she,"
said the prince. "I am going to see this princess with my own eyes and
find out."
Accordingly the prince went to the palace gate to watch for the princess.
Soon she came to the balcony and leaned over the railing. She was very
beautiful, but her nose was just a tiny bit crooked. She did not compare
at all with the princess of the cave.

"This princess is not by any means the most beautiful one in the
world," said the prince dressed as a fisherman. "I know where there is a
princess who is much more beautiful."
The people standing by heard him. His words were at once reported to
the royal guards. They seized him roughly and took him to the king.
"So you are the fisherman who says that my daughter is not the most
beautiful princess in the world?" said the king sternly. "You say, I hear,
that you know a princess who is much more beautiful. I am a just king
or else I should order that you be put to death immediately. As it is, I'll
give you the chance to prove what you say. If you are unable to fulfil
your boast and show me this princess who in the opinion of my court is
more beautiful than my daughter, you shall lose your life. Remember
that you will have to bring her here to my court to have her beauty
proven."
"Thanks, your majesty," said the prince. "If you will allow me two
weeks to fulfil the contract, and if you'll prepare a festa for the night
two weeks hence, I'll endeavour to present the most beautiful princess
in the world to your assembled court."
The king was astonished at the fisherman's words, for he had not
thought that a poor fisherman like him knew many princesses.
However, he allowed him to depart in search of the princess.
Then the prince hurried home and once more walked toward the forest
by the same path he had gone the day he went in search of the hare for
his father's broth. He soon found the place where the hare had crossed
his path, and he did his best to remember the course they had followed
as he pursued her into the forest.
In the forest he saw evidences of what looked like a flood. The water
had washed away every trace of the entrance of the cave. He dug and
dug at the place where he thought it ought to be. He found nothing
which seemed like the cave's entrance.
He dug and dug at a new place near by and soon he found his way

barred by a massive door. The entrance to the cave was securely shut
by it. The prince knocked at the door with all his might.
Soon the door was opened a tiny bit and the face of a little old woman
looked out. "I am the ama of the princess," she said. "I think you are
the prince she was expecting to return to deliver her from all the terrible
calamities which have befallen her."
"What has happened to my beautiful princess who saved my life?"
asked the prince. "I am indeed the prince, but I am surprised that you
should recognize me in my fisherman's garb."
"The princess told me that I would know you by the smile in your
eyes," replied the old ama. "I did not look at your clothes at all. I
looked at your eyes. You have the smile in them though your face is
sad. Come into the cave, and I will tell you all that has happened."
When the prince was inside the cave she hastily barred the door and
said, "When the giant returned he was terribly angry at