"I will not tell father till I have searched a long time,"
said she to herself.

So, down the road she went, looking anxiously on either side. "If
only I could come in sight of her, browsing in the clover, beside the
wall," sighed she; but she did not.

After a while, she saw a great cloud of dust in the distance. It
rolled nearer and nearer, and finally she saw the King on horseback,
with a large party of nobles galloping after him. The King, who was
quite an old man, had a very long, curling, white beard, and had his
breast completely covered with orders and decorations. No convenient
board fence on a circus day was ever more thoroughly covered with
elephants and horses, and trapeze performers, than the breast of the
King's black velvet coat with jeweled stars and ribbons. But even
then, there was not room for all his store, so he had hit upon the
ingenious expedient of covering a black silk umbrella with the
remainder. He held it in a stately manner over his head now, and it
presented a dazzling sight; for it was literally blazing with gems,
and glittering ribbons fluttered from it on all sides.

When the King saw Drusilla courtesying by the side of the road, he
drew rein so suddenly, that his horse reared back on its haunches, and
all his nobles, who always made it a point to do exactly as the King
did--it was court etiquette--also drew rein suddenly, and all their
horses reared back on their haunches.

"What will you, pretty maiden?" asked the King graciously.

"Please, your Majesty," said Drusilla courtesying and blushing and
looking prettier than ever, "have you seen my gold-horned cow?"

"Pardy," said the King, for that was the proper thing for a King to
say, you know, "I never saw a gold-horned cow in my life!"

Then Drusilla told him about her loss, and the King gazed at her while
she was talking, and admired her more and more.

You must know that it had always been a great cross to the King and
his wife, the Queen, that they had never had any daughter. They had
often thought of adopting one, but had never seen any one who exactly
suited them. They wanted a full-grown Princess, because they had an
alliance with the Prince of Egypt in view.

The King looked at Drusilla now, and thought her the most beautiful
and stately maiden he had ever seen.

"What an appropriate Princess she would make!" thought he.

"Suppose I should find the gold-horned cow for you," said he to
Drusilla, when she had finished