The King’s Lesson.
“Well, upon my word,” thought the King, “I had no idea I was such a good fellow. Still, who knows what they say behind my back? Happy thought! I’ll disguise myself, and that will soon show me the truth.” So he dressed himself like a traveller, and got a carriage and pair, and drove all over the country, asking everybody what they thought of the King. Wonder of wonders! they said the same behind his back as they did to his face! That must have been a very nice country to live in, but I am sure I cannot tell where it is.
Now in such a strange country as that, strange things will happen; and so it turned out that, as our King was driving along, he came to a narrow lane sunk between two steep banks, with only just room for the carriage; and right in the middle of this lane another carriage met him. There they stood, both of them, and neither would budge. Our King did not know who was in that carriage, but I will tell you who it was. This was the King of the next country, who was also a good king as kings go, though not so good as the first; and he had got the same idea into his head, that he would wander about in disguise, and find out what people thought of him. Everybody had a good word for him too, it seems; but if he found no one to pick faults in him before, here was one now, as you shall see.
“Get out of the way!” said the driver of the other carriage.
“Get out of the way yourself!” said King Godfrey’s man. “I have a King inside,” said he; you see, he knew who the disguised traveller was, and he thought there was no need to hide it now, when it might save him trouble.
“If you have one King, I have another!” said the other man; and imagine how astonished King Godfrey’s coachman was to hear that.
“Oh dear, oh dear,” he said, “what is to be done? Both Kings! How old is your King?” he added suddenly, hoping, you see, that the younger might be willing to give way.
“Fifty.”