To-night it is late . Go to sleep ; to-morrow I will tell you . ' Early the following morning the prince received a message that Kostieï was ready to see him . He got up and dressed , and hastened to the presence chamber , where the little king was seated on his throne . When the prince appeared , bowing low before him , Kostieï began : ` Now , Prince , this is what you have to do . By to-night you must build me a marble palace , with windows of crystal and a roof of gold . It is to stand in the middle of a great park , full of streams and lakes . If you are able to build it you shall be my friend . If not , off with your head . ' The prince listened in silence to this startling speech , and then returning to his room set himself to think about the certain death that awaited him . He was quite absorbed in these thoughts , when suddenly a bee flew against the window and tapped , saying , ` Let me come in . ' He rose and opened the window , and there stood before him the youngest princess . ` What are you dreaming about , Prince ? ' ' I was dreaming of your father , who has planned my death . ' ` Fear nothing . You may sleep in peace , and to-morrow morning when you awake you will find the palace all ready . ' What she said , she did . The next morning when the prince left his room he saw before him a palace more beautiful than his fancy had ever pictured . Kostieï for his part could hardly believe his eyes , and pondered deeply how it had got there . ` Well , this time you have certainly won ; but you are not going to be let off so easily .
To-morrow all my twelve daughters shall stand in a row XXXXX you , and if you can not tell me which of them is the youngest , off goes your head . '
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