forth frowned on Ethelried.

To each of his other sons he gave a portion of his kingdom, armor and
plumes, a prancing charger, and a trusty sword; but to Ethelried he gave
nothing. When the poor Prince saw his brothers riding out into the world
to win their fortunes, he fain would have followed. Throwing himself on
his knees before the King, he cried, "Oh, royal Sire, bestow upon me
also a sword and a steed, that I may up and away to follow my brethren."

But the King laughed him to scorn. "Thou a sword!" he quoth. "Thou who
hast never done a deed of valor in all thy life! In sooth thou shalt
have one, but it shall be one befitting thy maiden size and courage, if
so small a weapon can be found in all my kingdom!"

Now just at that moment it happened that the Court Tailor came into the
room to measure the King for a new mantle of ermine. Forthwith the
grinning Jester began shrieking with laughter, so that the bells upon
his motley cap were all set a-jangling.

"What now, Fool?" demanded the King.

"I did but laugh to think the sword of Ethelried had been so quickly
found," responded the Jester, and he pointed to the scissors hanging
from the Tailor's girdle.

"By my troth," exclaimed the King, "it shall be even as thou sayest!"
and he commanded that the scissors be taken from the Tailor, and buckled
to the belt of Ethelried.

"Not until thou hast proved thyself a prince with these, shalt thou come
into thy kingdom," he swore with a mighty oath. "Until that far day, now
get thee gone!"

So Ethelried left the palace, and wandered away over mountain and moor
with a heavy heart. No one knew that he was a prince; no fireside
offered him welcome; no lips gave him a friendly greeting. The scissors
hung useless and rusting by his side.

One night as he lay in a deep forest, too unhappy to sleep, he heard a
noise near at hand in the bushes. By the light of the moon he saw that a
ferocious wild beast had been caught in a hunter's snare, and was
struggling to free itself from the heavy net. His first thought was to
slay the animal, for he had had no meat for many days. Then he bethought
himself that he had no weapon large enough.

While he stood gazing at the struggling beast, it turned to him with
such a beseeching look in its wild eyes, that he was moved to pity.

"Thou shalt have thy liberty," he cried, "even though thou shouldst rend
me in pieces the moment thou art free. Better dead than this craven life
to which