One day the King set out with his attendants to hunt in a forest near by.
The huntsmen soon started a deer that bounded away through the forest. The King followed it for a long distance, farther than he had ever gone before. Suddenly he came out on the other side of the forest, and there, in front of him, stood a vast castle with towers and turrets, and a moat around it.
The King called his chief huntsman to him and asked him whether he knew who lived in the castle.
The man replied that it belonged to the Duchess Grognon, and she was said to be so rich that she had never been able to count all her treasures.
As soon as the King heard this, he at once determined to stop at the castle and ask for refreshment. He was not only weary and thirsty from the chase, but he also had a great desire to see any one as rich as the Duchess, and perhaps he would be shown her treasures as well.
Grognon had already seen him from her window, and as soon as he turned toward the castle, she hastened down to meet him. She herself opened the door for him and smiling she bade him welcome.
When the King first looked at her he was amazed. Never had he seen any one so ugly. She was as dark and rough and broad as a toad. Her eyes were little and red, and her mouth was like a slit that stretched from ear to ear. But she was magnificently dressed and so covered with jewels that the King was dazzled by them and quite forgot how hideous was the one who wore them.
The Duchess invited the King to enter and at once commanded that a repast should be brought him with all sorts of cakes and sweets and fruits, and also a pipe of wine.
The King, who was very thirsty, was pleased to hear this order, and when the pipe of wine was brought in he waited impatiently for it to be opened. But when the Duchess struck the head of the pipe, instead of wine a great heap of gold fell out upon the floor.
The Duchess pretended to be very much surprised. “This is a strange thing,” said she. “I cannot imagine how they came to bring this gold instead of the wine I ordered. I pray your Majesty’s pardon for the mistake, which shall be well punished, I promise you.”