After foaming at the mouth like an open champagne bottle, she replied:—
"The eldest is he that the Princess shall wed."
"'THE ELDEST IS HE THAT THE PRINCESS SHALL WED.'"
The King said he knew that already, and was curtly told that if the replies did not give satisfaction he could go elsewhere. So he went to the wise men and the magicians, and held a levée of them, and they gave him such goodly counsel that the Chief Magician was henceforth honoured with the privilege of holding the Green, Black, and Blue Tricolour over the King's head at mealtimes. Soon after, it being the twelfth moon, the King set forward with a little retinue to meet the Princess of Paphlagonia, whose coming had got abroad; but returned two days later with the news that the Princess was confined to her room, and would not arrive in the city till next year.
"THE CHIEF MAGICIAN."
