left her
city because it was so dull and stupid, and is endeavoring to find a
prince, with whom she has eaten a philopena, in order that she may
marry him. Out of my way, or I will draw my sword and cleave you to
the earth, and thus punish your unwarrantable curiosity!"

The soldiers could not repress a smile.

"In order to prevent mischief," they said to the Absolute Fool, "we
shall be obliged to take you into custody."

This they immediately did, and then requested the Princess to
accompany them to the palace of their King, where she would receive
hospitality and aid.

The King welcomed the Princess with great cordiality. He had no son,
and he much wished he had one; for in that case it might be his
Prince for whom the young lady was looking. But there was a prince,
he said, who lived in a city to the north, who was probably the very
man; and he would send and make inquiries. In the mean time, the
Princess would be entertained by himself and his Queen; and, if her
servant would make a suitable apology, his violent language would be
pardoned. But the Absolute Fool positively refused to do this.

"I never apologize," he cried. "No man of spirit would do such a
thing. What I say, I stand by."

"Very well," said the King; "then you shall fight a wild beast." And
he gave orders that the affair should be arranged for the following
day.

In a short time, however, some of his officers came to him and told
him that there were no wild beasts; those on hand having been kept so
long that they had become tame.

"To be sure, there's the old lion, Sardon," they said; "but he is so
dreadfully cross and has had so much experience in these fights, that
for a long time it has not been considered fair to allow any one to
enter the ring with him."

"It is a pity," said the King, "to make the young man fight a tame
beast; but, under the circumstances, the best thing to do will be to
represent the case to him, just as it is. Tell him we are sorry we
have not an ordinary wild beast; but that he can take his choice
between a tame one and the lion Sardon, whose disposition and
experience you will explain to him."

When the matter was stated to the Absolute Fool, he refused with
great scorn to fight a tame beast.

"I will not be degraded in the eyes of the public," he said; "I will
take the old lion."

The next day, the court and the public assembled to see the fight;
but the Queen and our Princess took a ride into the country