the woman, "is not this worth having?"

"Oh, yes," said the man; "and so let it remain. We will live in this
beautiful palace and be content."

"We will think about that," said his wife, "and sleep upon it."

With that they went to bed.

Next morning the wife woke up first; day was just dawning, and from
her bed she could see the beautiful country around her. Her husband
was still asleep, but she pushed him with her elbow, and said,
"Husband, get up and peep out of the window. See here, now, could we
not be king over all this land? Go to the flounder. We will be king."

"Alas, wife," said the man, "what should we be king for? I don't want
to be king."

"Ah," said his wife, "if thou wilt not be king, I will. Go to the
flounder. I will be king."

"Alas, wife," said the man, "whatever dost thou want to be king for? I
don't like to tell him."

"Why not?" said the woman. "Go thou must. I will be king."

So the man went; but he was quite sad because his wife would be king.

"It is not right," he said; "it is not right."

When he reached the sea, he found it dark, gray, and rough, and
evil-smelling. He stood there and said:

"Flounder, flounder in the sea,
Prythee, hearken unto me:
My wife, Ilsebil, will have her own way
Whatever I wish, whatever I say."

"Now, what does she want?" said the flounder.

"Alas," said the man, "she wants to be king now."

"Go back. She is king already," said the flounder.

So the man went back, and when he reached the palace he found that it
had grown much larger, and a great tower had been added, with handsome
decorations. There was a sentry at the door, and numbers of soldiers
were playing drums and trumpets. As soon as he got inside the house,
he found everything was marble and gold; and the hangings were of
velvet, with great golden tassels. The doors of the saloon were thrown
wide open and he saw the whole court assembled. His wife was sitting
on a lofty throne of gold and diamonds; she wore a golden crown, and
carried in one hand a scepter of pure gold. On each side of her stood
her ladies in a long row, each one a head shorter than the next.

He stood before her, and said, "Alas, wife, art thou now king?"

"Yes," she said; "now I am king."

He stood looking at her for some time, and then he said, "Ah, wife,
it is a fine thing for thee to be king; now we will not wish to be
anything more."

"Nay, husband," she answered, quite uneasily, "I find the time hang