The day after, the working-girls were ranged on the lawn, and among these, the simplest and the most beautiful, he found the maiden who had given him aid in the hour of need. This maiden he selected to be his wife in preference to the princess in the far country.
He married her and was living happily, when one day a beggar, clothed in rags, made his appearance at the castle-door and asked for alms.
"You seem to have seen trouble," Lovallec said.
"Yes," said the beggar, "and I have deserved it all."
With that he went on to relate, amid tears and sobs, how, many years before, he had robbed a brother of his eyesight. Lovallec had already recognized him, but he permitted the poor man to tell his story, and then made himself known. And after that they both lived happily together in the palace which the gratitude of the people had provided.
V
THE KING AND THE LAPWINGS
One day the great King of the Magicians and Sorcerers was leaving his country to visit a neighboring Queen. He was leaning on his walking-stick, having been travelling since the break of day, when the sun rose and spread his beneficent rays over all nature. The birds sang blithely, and the little crickets in the grass made themselves noisy; but the King, while enjoying the scene and the sounds around him, went forward without delay. The sun shone brightly, the birds were joyous, and all nature seemed to be happy, but the King suffered from fatigue. Great beads of perspiration broke out on his forehead, and he longed for a cloud that would give shade and coolness. The earth seemed to be a furnace. The sun spread its great rays of light and the cloud came not. The King begged for a clump of woods that he might have the benefit of shade, and for a stream of cool and sparkling water that he might quench his thirst. The road was long and dusty, and the wells were dry.
But in the air, far away, appeared the King of the Lapwings. He bore in his beak a draught of water, and his wings were dripping wet. Faster than the wind he made his way to the dying King.