“How, sir soldier?” asked the emperor, “What has this to do with the wind?”
“My lord,” rejoined the soldier, “who knows not that the life of every animal is in its breath, and that breath is air? When my horse looked northward, he breathed fiercely and snorted excessively. Lo, I gave him a potion and turned his head to the east, and now the same breath comes softly and quietly, for the wind is changed.”
“Well done—well done, soldier! for these two answers thou shalt escape the whipping-post. Now resolve me this difficulty: How can fire be carried in the bosom without injury to the person?”
“Look and see, my lord.”
With these words, the soldier stooped towards a fire that burned in the court-yard, and hastily seizing some of the burning wood, placed it in his bosom. Every one expected to see him injured, but after the fire had burned out the soldier threw the wood from his breast and there was neither scar nor burn on his breast.
“Well hast thou performed thy task, O soldier,” said the king. “My daughter is thine according to promise—the inheritance of my kingdom is also thine and hers; now tell me the secret whereby thou didst prevent the fire from burning thee.”
“This stone is the talisman,” replied the soldier, showing a small bright stone that he carried in his right hand. “Whosoever bears this about him shall be able to resist the hottest fire that man can light.”
Loaded with riches and honors, the soldier married the princess, and they succeeded to the throne and the wealth of her father.
“Your princess, Lathom, seems to have been one of those young ladies, who never dream that husbands and wives are born for each other, but regard the former as especially provided for the benefit of the latter.”
“I suspect the old monk, Thompson, thought very little about love matters, but rather looked to the appropriateness of his story for a religious application.”