ith you whatever you want,--gold,
silver, dresses. Take with you also two maids."

52. The queen could not utter a word; silently she let her tears
fall. She thought that bad fortune had come upon her.

53. To be brief, the king got up from his chair and lay down in his
bed. He pretended to go to sleep in order that he might not see the
queen depart.

54. When the queen saw that the king was really sleeping, she covered
him up (in her sorrow), and summoned the servants.

55. She ordered them to lift him up and carry him to the mountains. "In
carrying him, be careful not to wake him until the mountains are
reached."

56. They lifted the bed and took him downstairs; but when they were
carrying it out of the palace, the bed struck against the front
door. The king awoke in surprise.

57. He said, "What is the reason for carrying away a sleeping man?" He
asked them whether they intended to throw away their sovereign.

58. At once he summoned the guards of the palace and ordered the
arrest of the servants; but they protested that they were merely
obeying the orders of the queen.

59. Then the king asked where the queen was who had ordered that. He
had her brought before him, and demanded of her why she wished to
cast him away.

60. The queen answered, reminding him thus: "My husband, my beloved,
what did you tell me some time ago when you were driving me away?

61. "Did you not tell me to select whatever I might desire, including
gold and silver, and take it with me? You are my choice.

62. "Even if I should become very good and very rich, I should still
be without honor before God and the people.

63. "It would be shameful to the Divine Word for us married people to
separate. You would be taunted by your counsellors for having married
some one beneath you."

64. Her reply reminded the king that whatever might happen, they were
married, and should remain together all their lives.

65. "Forgive me, my wife, light of my eyes! Forgive the wrongs I have
done! I am to blame for the mistake [i.e., for my thoughtlessness]."

66. From then on, they loved each other the more, and were happy
because they never quarrelled further.

TALE B

THE STORY OF RODOLFO.

Rodolfo was the only son of Felizardo and Prisca, who lived in
Valencia. When Rodolfo was seven years old, he was sent to school,
and proved to be an apt scholar; but his father died within a few
years, and the boy was obliged to abandon his studies