“Ask of me what you will,” said the King to the lad, “you have saved the heir apparent, and I will give you whatever you demand, even to the half of my kingdom.”
“Long live the King!” said the lad. “I desire only the ring on your finger.”
“A plague upon him who advised you!” said the King; “you have demanded the costliest thing I have. But as I have promised I must give it to you.”
So saying he gave the ring to the lad, and ordered his saddlebags to be filled with gold. The lad came back to his aged mother and told her what had happened.
“Well then, son,” said the old woman, “let me go and ask our King to give you his daughter in marriage.”
The lad consented, and the old woman, after buying for herself a new dress and adorning herself as best she could, went to the court.
“What do you want?” said the King.
“Long live the King!” said the old woman. “I have come to ask you by God’s order, to give your daughter in marriage to my son.”
“Good,” said the King; “but has your son the equivalent of the dower that I can give to my daughter?”
“Certainly he has,” answered the woman, “how much do you want him to have?”