nd looking at it,
he blessed Fortune for her kindness, for he saw that it was his own,
which had been given to him by his dead father. He begged the fishermen
to let him have it that he might go to Court and take part in the
tournament, promising that if ever his ill fortunes bettered, he would
reward them well. The fishermen readily consented, and being thus fully
equipped, Pericles set off in his rusty armor to the King's Court.

In the tournament none bore himself so well as Pericles, and he won the
wreath of victory, which the fair Princess herself placed on his brows.
Then at her father's command she asked him who he was, and whence he
came; and he answered that he was a knight of Tyre, by name Pericles,
but he did not tell her that he was the King of that country, for he
knew that if once his whereabouts became known to Antiochus, his life
would not be worth a pin's purchase.

Nevertheless Thaisa loved him dearly, and the King was so pleased with
his courage and graceful bearing that he gladly permitted his daughter
to have her own way, when she told him she would marry the stranger
knight or die.

Thus Pericles became the husband of the fair lady for whose sake he
had striven with the knights who came in all their bravery to joust and
tourney for her love.

Meanwhile the wicked King Antiochus had died, and the people in Tyre,
hearing no news of their King, urged Lord Helicanus to ascend the vacant
throne. But they could only get him to promise that he would become
their King, if at the end of a year Pericles did not come back.
Moreover, he sent forth messengers far and wide in search of the missing
Pericles.

Some of these made their way to Pentapolis, and finding their King
there, told him how discontented his people were at his long absence,
and that, Antiochus being dead, there was nothing now to hinder him from
returning to his kingdom. Then Pericles told his wife and father-in-law
who he really was, and they and all the subjects of Simonides greatly
rejoiced to know that the gallant husband of Thaisa was a King in his
own right. So Pericles set sail with his dear wife for his native land.
But once more the sea was cruel to him, for again a dreadful storm broke
out, and while it was at its height, a servant came to tell him that
a little daughter was born to him. This news would have made his heart
glad indeed, but that the servant went on to add that his wife--his
dear, dear Thaisa--was dead.

While