licate in his appetite
that he lived mostly on fruit and cakes. Well, well, there was no
knowing what people would come to; and, anyhow, he must obey at once,
if he wished to keep his head on his shoulders. Perhaps, after all, it
was love which had driven him mad, and, if so, by-and-by he might come
right again.

Whatever excuses his old servants might invent for their master, by
the time the procession reached the Swan's fairy capital there were no
more horses left, and they were forced to walk up to the palace on
foot. Hiding their surprise as best they could, they begged the king
to follow them, dismounting from their own horses, as he, they
supposed, preferred to walk. They soon perceived the Swan fairy and
her daughter awaiting them on a low balcony, under which the king
stopped.

'Madam,' he said, 'you may be surprised that I have come to ask your
daughter's hand in so unceremonious a fashion; but the journey is
long, and I was hungry and ate my horse, which is the best meat in the
world; and I forced my courtiers to eat theirs also. But for all that
I am a great king, and wish to be your son-in-law. And now that is
settled, where is Hermosa?'

[Illustration: ISMENOR BRINGS LINO TO RIQUETTE]

'Sire,' answered the queen, not a little displeased as well as
amazed at the king's manner, which was so different from anything she
had been led to expect. 'You possess my daughter's portrait, and it
can have made but little impression on you if you don't recognise her
at once.'

'I don't remember any portrait,' replied Rabot; 'but perhaps it may be
in my pocket after all.' And he searched everywhere, while the
ladies-in-waiting looked on with astonishment, but of course found
nothing. When he had finished he turned to the princess, who stood
there blushing and angry, and said:

'If it is you whom I have come to marry, I think you are very
beautiful, and I am sure if I had even seen your portrait I should
have remembered it. Let us have the wedding as soon as possible; and,
meantime, I should like to go to sleep, for your country is very
different from mine, and I can assure you that after walking over
stones and sand for days and days one needs a little rest.'

And without waiting for a reply he bade one of the pages conduct him
to his room, where he was soon snoring so loud that he could be heard
at the other end of the town.

As soon as he was out of their sight the poor princess flung herself
into her mothe