At
the head of the landing rows of courtiers were collected in
magnificent attire, who stared at the queer old figure, and called to
her, and explained to her, with every kind of sign, that it was
strictly forbidden to mount those steps. But their stern words and
forbidding gestures made no impression whatever on the old woman, and
she resolutely continued to climb the stairs, bent on carrying out her
son's orders. Upon this some of the courtiers seized her by the arms,
and held her back by sheer force, at which she set up such a yell that
the King himself heard it, and stepped out on to the balcony to see
what was the matter. When he beheld the old woman flinging her arms
wildly about, and heard her scream that she would not leave the place
till she had laid her case before the King, he ordered that she should
be brought into his presence. And forthwith she was conducted into the
golden presence chamber, where, leaning back amongst cushions of royal
purple, the King sat, surrounded by his counsellors and courtiers.
Courtesying low, the old woman stood silent before him. 'Well, my good
old dame, what can I do for you?' asked the King.

'I have come,' replied Martin's mother--'and your Majesty must not be
angry with me--I have come a-wooing.'

'Is the woman out of her mind?' said the King, with an angry frown.

But Martin's mother answered boldly: 'If the King will only listen
patiently to me, and give me a straightforward answer, he will see
that I am not out of my mind. You, O King, have a lovely daughter to
give in marriage. I have a son--a wooer--as clever a youth and as good
a son-in-law as you will find in your whole kingdom. There is nothing
that he cannot do. Now tell me, O King, plump and plain, will you give
your daughter to my son as wife?' The King listened to the end of the
old woman's strange request, but every moment his face grew blacker,
and his features sterner; till all at once he thought to himself, 'Is
it worth while that I, the King, should be angry with this poor old
fool?' And all the courtiers and counsellors were amazed when they saw
the hard lines round his mouth and the frown on his brow grow smooth,
and heard the mild but mocking tones in which he answered the old
woman, saying:

'If your son is as wonderfully clever as you say, and if there is
nothing in the world that he cannot do, let him build a magnificent
castle, just opposite my palace windows, in four and twenty hours. The
palace