e of the palace, for from his
former residence there, it was well known to him, that here such
rareties would be purchased by the kitchen-master for the royal table.
Muck had not long been seated, when he saw that dignitary walking
across the court-yard. He examined the articles of the traders who
had placed themselves at the palace-gate; at length his eye fell upon
Muck's little basket.

"Ah! a dainty morsel!" said he, "which will certainly please his
majesty: what wish you for the whole basket?" Muck set a high price
upon them, and the bargain was soon struck. The kitchen-master gave
the basket to his slave, and went his way: meantime Little Muck stole
away, for he feared, when the change should show itself on the heads
of the court, that he, as the one who sold them, would be sought for
punishment.

At table the king was well pleased, and praised his kitchen-master
more than ever, on account of his good kitchen, and the care with
which he always sought the rarest morsels for his table; the officer,
however, who well knew what dainties he had in the back-ground, smiled
pleasantly, and let fall but few words: "The day is not all past till
evening," or "End good, all good;" so that the princesses were very
curious to know what he would still bring on. The moment, however, he
had the fine, inviting figs set upon the table, a universal "Ah!"
escaped the lips of those who were present. "How ripe! how delicate!"
exclaimed the king; "kitchen-master, thou art a whole-souled man, and
deservest our peculiar favor!" Thus speaking, the king, who with such
choice dishes took care to be very sparing, with his own hands
distributed the figs around the table. Each prince and princess
received two; the ladies of the court, the Viziers and Agas, each one;
the rest he placed before himself, and began to swallow them with
great delight.

"In the name of heaven, father, why lookest thou so strange?" suddenly
exclaimed the Princess Amarza. All gazed in astonishment upon the
king; vast ears hung down from his head, a long nose stretched itself
bridge-like, over above his chin; upon themselves also they looked,
one upon another, with amazement and horror; all, more or less, were
adorned with the same strange headdress.

The horror of the court may be imagined. All the physicians in the
city were immediately sent for; they came with a blustering air,
prescribed pills and mixtures, but ears and noses remained. They
operated on one of the