u
have drunk from my spring, and I shall not let you go until you promise
to give me the most precious thing your palace contains, which was not
there when you left it.'

Now the only thing that the king much cared for in his palace was the
queen herself, and as she was weeping bitterly on a pile of cushions
in the great hall when he had ridden away, he knew that Kostiei's words
could not apply to her. So he cheerfully gave the promise asked for by
the ugly little man, and in the twinkling of an eye, man, spring, and
cup had disappeared, and the king was left kneeling on the dry sand,
wondering if it was all a dream. But as he felt much stronger and
better he made up his mind that this strange adventure must really have
happened, and he sprang on his horse and rode off with a light heart to
look for his companions.

In a few weeks they began to set out on their return home, which they
reached one hot day, eight months after they had all left. The king was
greatly beloved by his people, and crowds lined the roads, shouting and
waving their hats as the procession passed along. On the steps of the
palace stood the queen, with a splendid golden cushion in her arms, and
on the cushion the most beautiful boy that ever was seen, wrapped about
in a cloud of lace. In a moment Kostiei's words rushed into the king's
mind, and he began to weep bitterly, to the surprise of everybody, who
had expected him nearly to die of joy at the sight of his son. But
try as he would and work as hard as he might he could never forget his
promise, and every time he let the baby out of his sight he thought that
he had seen it for the last time.

However, years passed on and the prince grew first into a big boy, and
then into a fine young man. Kostiei made no sign, and gradually even the
anxious king thought less and less about him, and in the end forgot him
altogether.

There was no family in the whole kingdom happier than the king and queen
and prince, until one day when the youth met a little old man as he
was hunting in a lonely part of the woods. 'How are you my unlooked-for
Prince?' he said. 'You kept them waiting a good long time!'

'And who are you?' asked the prince.

'You will know soon enough. When you go home give my compliments to your
father and tell him that I wish he would square accounts with me. If he
neglects to pay his debts he will bitterly repent it.'

So saying the old man disappeared, and the prince returned to the pal