The king was very much surprised to receive word from his banished son.
"'Tis a huge joke," said his majesty. "However, we'll accept the invitation, and see what sport the prodigal can offer us."
On the night of the ball the prince was dressed in a superb robe, made from the fiber of the cocoa-tree; his fine dancing shoes were made of caoutchouc, and on his brow he wore a coronet of laurel leaves. With princely grace he received the king, knights, and ladies in a large hall brilliantly lighted with candlenuts in sconces. The rooms were fragrant with pink apple-blossoms from Maine, and rich magnolia and orange blossoms from the Southland.
The king and his train could not hide their astonishment at the superb beauty of the rooms and decorations.
"I wonder what the scapegoat will offer us to eat?" whispered the king to the High Chancellor.
"Providing refreshment from trees will tax his wits more than building and furnishing a house," answered the chancellor, smiling.
It was not long before the guests were invited into the dining room, where a sumptuous feast awaited them. His majesty looked with astonishment at the variety of luscious fruit heaped on large wooden platters curiously carved. Some of them held the products of the North,—apples, pears, plums, cherries, grapes, and peaches. Others were filled with tempting fruit from the South,—bananas, oranges, pomegranates, figs, dates, ripe olives, juicy soursops, and creamy durions. Delicious breadfruit, from the tropics, and rich cassava cakes from Java were served with luscious guava jam. Beautiful wooden bowls held almonds, English walnuts, filberts, pecans, chestnuts, Chinese nuts, and Brazilian creams. Dainty wicker baskets held sweets made of maple sugar cream covered with chocolate or cocoanut. The king declared that the grape juice and sweet pear cider were daintier than any wine he had ever tasted.
After the feast was ended the prince, with merry, twinkling eyes, said to his father: "See what a man banishment has made of me!"
To the youth's astonishment, his majesty smiled graciously, and, in the presence of the High Chancellor and all the knights and ladies, the king embraced his son and said, "Banishment has made a man of you! And, furthermore, you have taught all of us the wonders of the woodland. Welcome back to my heart, O Prince!"
And the High Chancellor, knights, and ladies of high degree all said, "Long live our plucky Prince."