But the baron he say NO’?”
“Be it as it may,” said Lathom, “we will solace our friend with an example or two of the approved ways of lady-winning in the tenth century. Which shall it be, the case of a successful racer or a clever resolver of riddles?”
“Oh, I will answer for Reginald; pray leave Miss Atalanta for the present, and favor us with the resolver of hard questions.”
Here begins the tale of
THE KNIGHT AND THE THREE QUESTIONS.
A certain emperor had a very beautiful, but wilful daughter, and he much wished to marry her, for she was his heir, but to all his wishes she was deaf. At last she agreed to marry that person who should answer succinctly these three questions. The first question was: “What is the length, breadth, and depth of the four elements?” The second required a means of changing the north wind; and the third demanded by what means fire might be carried to the bosom without injury to the person.
Many and many were the nobles, knights, and princes that endeavored to answer the princess’s questions. It was all in vain: some answered one, some another, but no one resolved all three, and each reserved his secret from his competitor, in the hopes of another and more successful trial. The emperor began to grow angry with his daughter, but she still persisted in her intentions, and her father did not like to compel her. At length, after many years, came a soldier from a foreign land, and when he heard of the questions of the princess, he volunteered for the trial. On the appointed day, the soldier entered the court of the palace accompanied by one attendant, who led an extremely fiery horse by the bridle. The king descended to the gate of the inner court-yard, and demanded the soldier’s wishes.
“I come, my lord, to win thy daughter, by rightly answering her three questions; I pray thee propose them to me.”
“Right willingly,” rejoined the emperor. “If thou succeedest, my daughter and the succession to my throne are thine; but mark me, if thou failest, a sound whipping awaits thee as an impudent adventurer. Shall I propose the questions?”
“Even so, my lord—I am ready; a crown and a wife, or the whipping-post.”