this world, there was once a young man who spent all
his time in travelling. One day, as he was walking along, he picked up a
snuff-box. He opened it, and the snuff-box said to him in the Spanish
language, 'What do you want?' He was very much frightened, but, luckily,
instead of throwing the box away, he only shut it tight, and put it in
his pocket. Then he went on, away, away, away, and as he went he said to
himself, 'If it says to me again "What do you want?" I shall know better
what to say this time.' So he took out the snuff-box and opened it, and
again it asked 'What do you want?' 'My hat full of gold,' answered the
youth, and immediately it was full.
Our young man was enchanted. Henceforth he should never be in need of
anything. So on he travelled, away, away, away, through thick forests,
till at last he came to a beautiful castle. In the castle there lived a
King. The young man walked round and round the castle, not caring who
saw him, till the King noticed him, and asked what he was doing there.
'I was just looking at your castle.' 'You would like to have one like
it, wouldn't you?' The young man did not reply, but when it grew dark he
took his snuff-box and opened the lid. 'What do you want?' 'Build me a
castle with laths of gold and tiles of diamond, and the furniture all of
silver and gold.' He had scarcely finished speaking when there stood in
front of him, exactly opposite the King's palace, a castle built
precisely as he had ordered. When the King awoke he was struck dumb at
the sight of the magnificent house shining in the rays of the sun. The
servants could not do their work for stopping to stare at it. Then the
King dressed himself, and went to see the young man. And he told him
plainly that he was a very powerful Prince; and that he hoped that they
might all live together in one house or the other, and that the King
would give him his daughter to wife. So it all turned out just as the
King wished. The young man married the Princess, and they lived happily
in the palace of gold.
[Illustration: ?QUE PESEA USTED?]
But the King's wife was jealous both of the young man and of her own
daughter The Princess had told her mother about the snuff-box, which
gave them everything they wanted, and the Queen bribed a servant to
steal the snuff-box. They noticed carefully where it was put away every
night, and one evening, when the whole world was asleep, the woman stole
it and brought it to her old mistress. Oh
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