Thrust from out his palace, the outcast King was led to some small shed
adjoining the stables. A door was opened, an armful of straw thrown down
within, and here he was bidden to sleep. When he awoke the next morning
he thought to himself it must all have been a dream, but, as he turned
his head, his couch of straw rustled beneath him, and he heard the
horses neighing in the stable hard by. Beside his bed lay cap and bells
and the parti-colored dress of a court-jester and in one corner of the
bare cell sat a shivering, chattering ape. Then King Robert realized
that it was not a dream but a dreadful reality, and that the most
wretched beggar in the kingdom would have scorned to change places with
the poor jester--the butt and laughing-stock of every underling at
court.

Days lengthened into months, and, under the angel's wise government, a
time of prosperity returned to Sicily and the land produced rich
harvests of corn and wine. The people no longer groaned under the burden
of taxation, and the King's ministers rejoiced greatly at the welcome
change which had come over their young master.

Meanwhile the real King Robert yielded sullenly to his fate. Mocked at
by all, his only friend the ape, his food the scraps left by others, his
heart was still haughty, his pride unsubdued. And when sometimes the
angel meeting him would ask, half in jest, half in earnest, "Art thou
the King?" he would draw himself up and fling back the haughty answer:
"I am, I am the King!"

[Illustration]

Almost three years had passed away when there came ambassadors from
Valmond, Emperor of Allemaine, to the King of Sicily, saying that their
brother, Pope Urbane, had summoned them both by letter to the city of
Rome to celebrate Easter week with him there.

The angel received his guests with great joy and gave them rich presents
of velvet cloaks lined with ermine, rings, and rare jewels. Then he made
his preparations and set out with his retinue over the sea to the land
of Italy. Crowds of people came out to watch the progress of the royal
procession. The horses had gold and silver trappings, jeweled bridles,
the knights wore velvet cloaks and waving plumes, and their silver
spurs glittered in the sun. Then came the angel-monarch in rich attire
surrounded by his counselors and the flower of his knights. The
men-at-arms and servants brought up the rear of the procession, and
among them, on a shambling piebald steed, his ape perched behind hi