“‘May it please your Majesty, the young princes, your Majesty’s incomparable sons—may their shadows never be less!—are tired of their ponies, and want horses instead.’
“The king was a little disappointed at this, and actually laid down his pipe to talk.
“‘Is anything the matter with the ponies?’ he asked.
“‘May it please your Majesty, no; only that your incomparable sons call them slow.’
“‘Spirited lads!’ thought the king, quite consoled, and gave the answer as usual:—
“‘Then get them horses instead.’ But when only a few days afterwards he was informed that his incomparable sons had wearied of their horses, because they also were ‘slow,’ and wished to ride on elephants instead, his Majesty began to feel disturbed in mind, and wonder what would come next, and how it was that the teaching of the tutors did not make his sons more moderate in their desires.
“‘Nevertheless,’ said he, ‘what saith the proverb, “Thou a man, and lackest patience?” And again,
“Early ripe, early rotten,
Early wise, soon forgotten.”
My sons are but children yet.’
“After which reflection he returned to his pipe as before, and disturbed himself as little as possible, when messenger after messenger arrived, to announce the fresh vagaries of the young princes.