and Christine thrust her hand into her pocket and
brought it forth. Then the King took a great bite of it, and as soon as
he had done so he looked at Christine and thought that he had never seen
such a pretty girl. As for her rags, he minded them no more than one
minds the spots on a cherry; that was because he had eaten of the apple
of contentment.

And were they married? Of course they were! and a grand wedding it was,
I can tell you. It is a pity that you were not there; but though you
were not, Christine's mother and sisters were, and, what is more, they
danced with the others, though I believe they would rather have danced
upon pins and needles.

"Never mind," said they; "we still have the apple of contentment at
home, though we cannot taste of it." But no; they had nothing of the
kind. The next morning it stood before the young Queen Christine's
window, just as it had at her old home, for it belonged to her and to no
one else in all of the world. That was lucky for the King, for he needed
a taste of it now and then as much as anybody else, and no one could
pluck it for him but Christine.

Now, that is all of this story. What does it
mean? Can you not see? Prut! rub
your spectacles and look again!

THE END

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