question, sir.

NIX. What do you mean?

KNAVE. How can the colt be yours when he is mine?

NIX. I'll have you before the judge, sir!

KNAVE. The judge shall speak to you, sir!

[_The_ PRINCE _comes from the castle._]

PRINCE. What is all this noise, sirs? What is all this noise, I say? The
king sent me to ask.

NIX. Farmer Knave does claim my colt, Prince.

PRINCE. How is this, Farmer Knave?

KNAVE. I claim the colt because the colt is mine, Prince.

PRINCE. Now how is this, Farmer Nix?

NIX. The colt is mine, Prince.

KNAVE. The colt is mine I say!

NIX. I say the colt is mine!

PRINCE. Hush, Farmer Nix! Hush, Farmer Knave! I'll tell the king what
both of you do claim. He will decide to whom the colt belongs.

[_The Prince goes._]

KNAVE. See how the colt lies between my oxen! Is not that proof that he
is mine?

NIX. But who can tell what a colt will do?

[_The_ PRINCE _comes._]

PRINCE. Farmers, the king has decided. He says the colt belongs where it
is now lying.

KNAVE. And he lies between my oxen.

PRINCE. That is proof enough, The colt belongs to you, Farmer Knave.

NIX. But, Prince--

PRINCE. Not another word! Go, now, with your wagons and horses and oxen!
The queen comes out to walk. Go, all of you!

[_The Prince enters the castle. The farmers go, Nix last. The_ QUEEN
_and her_ LADIES _come from the castle._]

QUEEN. Go bring Farmer Nix to me.

[_A Lady runs to Nix._]

LADY. The queen wants to see you, sir.

[_Nix goes to the Queen and bows._]

QUEEN. I heard all from the castle window. I know the colt is yours.

NIX. I thank you, my Queen, I thank you!

QUEEN. Now you must show the king that colts cannot belong to oxen,
never have belonged to oxen, and never will belong to oxen.

NIX. I will go to him at once! I will tell him--

QUEEN. Not so fast! I said you must show the king. He would not let you
tell him. No one ever dares to tell things to a king.

NIX. How can I show him?

QUEEN. You must think out the way. I cannot help you more.

NIX. I thank you, my Queen, I thank you.

QUEEN. The king comes out to walk soon.

NIX. I will return to show him.

[_Nix bows to the Queen and goes. The_ KING _and_ PRINCE _come from the
castle._]

QUEEN. 'Tis a pleasant day to walk, dear King.

KING. Oh, 'tis very, very pleasant.

[_Enter_ Nix _with a fishing-net. He throws out the net and draws it
in._]

QUEEN. Why, look you what that foolish man is doing!

KING.