m the liberal payment that they had received that the boy could
be from no common stock, and that he must be of noble birth on either
the father's or the mother's side, but their ideas never soared high
enough to fancy the boy's sallies to be actual truth.

It can easily be imagined how great was the consternation at the palace
when it was discovered in the morning that the prince had been stolen
during the night, and in so strange a manner that no one had heard
anything, and that not the slightest trace of the thief was left behind.
The king wept bitterly for days for his son, whom he loved so tenderly
in remembrance of his mother, and all the more because he was so unhappy
with his new consort. Every place was searched thoroughly for a long
time for some trace of the vanished child, and a great reward was
offered to any one who could give any information; but every effort was
vain, and it seemed as if the boy had been blown away. None of the
searchers found his way to the lonely cottage in the wood where the
prince lived, and no one brought the news to the inhabitants. No one
could discover the secret, and many people thought that the prince had
been carried away by an evil spirit or by witchcraft. But while the
prince was wept for at home as if he was dead, he grew up in the lonely
forest, and prospered wonderfully, till he grew to such an age that he
was fit for work. Meantime he developed such wonderful intelligence,
that his foster-parents were often obliged to admit that the egg was
much cleverer than the hen.

The prince had lived thus for more than ten years, when he became
anxious to associate with other people. He begged his foster-parents to
allow him to earn his bread with his own hands, and said, "I have
strength and understanding enough to keep myself without your help. I
find the time very long during this lonely life here." His
foster-parents opposed the plan at first, but were at length obliged to
consent and to gratify the young fellow's wish. The peasant himself
accompanied him in search of suitable employment. He found a rich farmer
in a village who wanted a herd-boy, and as his foster-son wanted just
such a post, they soon came to an agreement. The arrangement was made
for a year, but it was settled that the boy might leave his employment
at any time and return to his foster-parents. It was also settled that
if the farmer was dissatisfied with the boy, he might send him away
during the course of t