Aglae sat at her chamber window, and looked out upon the road that led towards her father’s palace. “Alas, alas!” she said, “it wants but one day to complete the seven years of my vow. To-morrow, my love promised to be with me again from the Holy Land. To-morrow, the king of Hungary comes to claim me. Ah me, what shall I do, if my love comes not, I must be the king’s bride”; and she bent her face on her hand, and wept sorely.
As the day drew near, the king of Hungary prepared to seek his bride. A great company was gathered together, and many wagons of presents were prepared to accompany the king. But when he saw them, and how slowly they journeyed, he left all his company, and went his way alone, eager to claim Aglae as his bride, so soon as the seven years were ended. The king was royally arrayed in purple, and his steed was clothed in gorgeous trappings. Now, as he drew nigh to Rome, a knight rode after him, who was covered from head to foot in a long black cloak, and bore on his shoulder a white embroidered cross. “Hail, Sir Knight,” said the king, “whither travellest thou; what news from the Holy Land?”
“To Rome, my lord,” rejoined the knight, halting his steed alongside of the king’s, “the Cross has gained the victory.”
“Thither, too, do I travel, Sir Knight; I am the king of Hungary, I go to seek my bride, the emperor’s fair daughter; I pray thee bear me company on the road.”
The knight acceded to the king’s proposal, and as they journeyed, they talked of the holy war in Palestine, and rejoiced that the city of the holy sepulchre was free from the power of the Saracens. As they thus talked together, the sky became cloudy, the wind howled through the woods, and the rain fell so fast, that the king’s apparel was wet through.
“My lord,” said the knight, “ye have done foolishly in that ye have not brought your house with you.”
“My house, Sir Knight! how meanest thou? my house is large and broad, made of stones and mortar; how should I bring with me my house; thou art beside thyself, Sir Knight!”
But the knight said nothing until they came to the bank of a broad stream, into which the king, being out of humor, plunged his horse, at the same time striking his spurs deeply into him, so he missed the ford, and would have been drowned but for the knight’s help.
“My lord,” said the knight, when they were safe on the river’s bank, “thou shouldest have brought thy bridge with thee.”