hts began to assemble and try their skill. Every one
reached the star and touched it with his spear, but there was no talk of
their carrying it away. Lionbruno came, and with a master-stroke carried
off the star. Then he quickly escaped with his horse to the inn, so that
no one should see him. "Who is he?" "Where is the winner?" No one can
give any news of him. The king was ill-humored about it, and issued the
proclamation again for the next day. But, to cut the matter short, the
same thing occurred the next day. Lionbruno duped them a second time.
Imagine how angry the king was! He issued a third proclamation. But this
time what does the crafty king do? He posts a large number of soldiers
at all the places by which one could escape. The princes and knights
begin their courses. As usual, no one carries away the star, and
Lionbruno carries it off and rides away. But the soldiers, quicker than
he, seize him, arrest him, and carry him to the king. "What do you take
me for, that, not satisfied with duping me twice, you wish to dupe me a
third time?" Thus spoke the king, who was seated on the throne. "Pardon,
Majesty. I did not dare to enter your presence." "Then you ought not to
have undertaken to carry away the star. Now you have done so, and must
become my daughter's husband." Lionbruno, _nolens volens_, was obliged
to marry the princess. The king prepared a magnificent feast for the
wedding, and invited all the princes, counts, and barons,--all sorts of
persons. When the hall was filled with these gentlemen, Lionbruno,
before marrying the princess, said to the king: "Majesty, it is true
that your daughter is a very beautiful girl, but I had a bride by whose
side your daughter could not stand for beauty, grace, everything."
Imagine how the king felt when he heard these words. The poor princess,
at this affront in the presence of so many noblemen, became as red as
fire. The king, greatly disturbed, said: "Well, if it is so, we wish to
see your wife, if she is as beautiful as you say." "Yes, yes!" cried all
the noblemen; "we, too, wish to see her; we wish to see her!" Poor
Lionbruno was in a tight place. What could he do? He had recourse to
the ruby. "Ruby mine, make fairy Colina come here." But this time he was
mistaken. The ruby could do everything, but it could not compel the
fairy to come, for it was she who had given it its magic power. The
summons, however, reached the fairy Colina; but she did not go. "My
friend has do