There was once a King’s daughter who was so beautiful that nothing in the world could be compared with her. And because she was so beautiful, and because her hair was finer than spun gold and fell in waves to her feet, she was called Princess Goldilocks. She always wore a crown of flowers; her dresses were embroidered with diamonds and pearls; and every one who saw her loved her. [[150]]
In a neighboring country there lived a young King who was not married, and who was very handsome and very rich. When he heard all that was said about fair Goldilocks, before he had ever seen her, he fell so deeply in love with her that he could neither eat nor drink for thinking of her. He determined to send an ambassador to ask for her hand in marriage. He had a splendid coach made for his ambassador, and giving him more than a hundred horses and a hundred servants, he charged him well to bring the Princess back with him.
After the ambassador had departed nothing else was talked of at the court but his mission. The King felt so sure of Goldilocks’s consent that he set his people to making beautiful dresses for her, and splendid furniture for her suite of rooms. Meanwhile the ambassador reached her court and delivered his message. But either the Princess did not happen to be in a good humor that day, or the offer did not suit her fancy, for she told the ambassador that she thanked [[151]]the King, but she had no desire to marry. The ambassador left the Princess’s court feeling very much cast down at his failure. He was bringing back all the gifts that the King had sent her, for the Princess was too well brought up to accept the pearls and diamonds when she was refusing the King; but, in order not to give offense, she kept a little package of English pins.
When the ambassador reached the King’s capital, where the King was waiting impatiently, every one was in great distress because he had not brought fair Goldilocks back with him. The King wept like a child, and no one could console him.
Now there was at the court a young man who was handsomer and more gifted than any one else in the kingdom. Because of his grace and his ready wit he was called Charming. Every one liked him except a few people who were jealous of him because the King showed him favor and made him his confidant. One day Charming was with some people who were talking about the [[152]]ambassador’s return and were saying that his visit did not seem to have done much good. Without thinking very much what he was saying, Charming remarked, “If the King had sent me to Princess Goldilocks I am sure she would have come back with me.”
Then these telltales ran straight to the King and said: “Your Majesty, what do you think Charming has been saying? That if he had been sent to Princess Goldilocks he would have brought her back with him. Did you ever hear of such impudence? He thinks he is handsomer than you, and that she would have fallen so deeply in love with him that she would have followed him anywhere.”
The King was beside himself with anger.
“Ha, ha!” said he; “so this spoiled youngster laughs at my misfortune, does he, and thinks himself better than his King? Go and put him in my great tower, and let him die of hunger.”
The King’s guards went to fetch Charming, who had quite forgotten his idle speech, and dragged him off to prison with all kinds [[153]]of violence. The poor boy had only a little straw for his bed, and he would have died had it not been for a little stream which flowed through the tower, at which he could get water to cool his parched tongue. One day when he was in despair he cried aloud: “What can I have done to offend the King? He has not a more faithful subject than I. I have never done a thing to harm him.”
The King happened to be passing near the tower and heard the voice of his former favorite. He stopped to listen, in spite of the efforts of Charming’s enemies, who tried to persuade him to have nothing to do with the traitor. But the King said: “Let me alone. I want to hear what he is saying.”