Little George was much delighted, and took it with the ends of his fingers, as carefully as if it had been made of a spider-web, and could be as easily torn.
The next time they met, George gave the book to the prince, and said, “I will try to read any page that you may please to choose from the first six leaves.” The prince chose a page, and George read it without making a mistake. So the prince gave him the book for his own.
One morning the king came to the hunting castle on horseback, with only one attendant. He wished to see, by himself, what progress his son was making in his studies. At dinner, the prince gave him an account of the bird’s nest, and the noble conduct of the little shepherd.
“In truth,” said the tutor, “that boy is a precious jewel. He would make a most valuable servant for our beloved prince; and as God has endowed him with rare qualities, it is much to be wished that he should be educated. His father is too poor to do anything for him; but with all his talents and nobleness of character, it would be a pity, indeed, that he should be left here, to make nothing but a poor shepherd like his father.”
The king arose from table, and called the tutor to a recess of one of the windows, where they talked long together. After it was ended, he sent to call George to the castle.
Great was the surprise of the poor shepherd-boy, when he was shewn into the rich saloon, and saw the dignified man, who stood there, with a glittering star on his breast. The tutor told him who the stranger was, and George bowed himself almost to the earth.
“My good boy,” said the king in a friendly tone, “I hear you take great pleasure in reading your book. Should you like to study?”
“Ah!” said George, “if nothing was wanting but my liking it, I should be a student to-day. But my father has no money. That is what is wanting.”
“Then we will try whether we can make a student of you,” said the king. “The prince’s tutor here has a friend, an excellent country curate, who takes well-disposed boys into his house to educate. To this curate I will recommend you; and will be answerable for the expenses of your education. How does the plan please you?”
The king expected that George would be very much delighted, and seize his grace with both hands. And, indeed, he began to smile at first, with much seeming pleasure, but immediately after, a troubled expression came over his face, and he looked down in silence.