Free The Violet Fairy Book by Andrew Lang

before. He was
almost in despair, when the stranger suddenly appeared, blocking
up his way.
    'Promise you will give me the first thing that comes out of your
house to meet you?'
    But still the king was stiff-necked and would promise nothing.
    For some days longer he wandered up and down the forest, trying
first one path, then another, but his courage at last gave way,
and he sank wearily on the ground under a tree, feeling sure his
last hour had come. Then for the third time the stranger stood
before the king, and said:
    'Why are you such a fool? What can a dog be to you, that you
should give your life for him like this? Just promise me the
reward I want, and I will guide you out of the forest.'
    'Well, my life is worth more than a thousand dogs,' answered the
king, 'the welfare of my kingdom depends on me. I accept your
terms, so take me to my palace.' Scarcely had he uttered the
words than he found himself at the edge of the wood, with the
palace in the dim distance. He made all the haste he could, and
just as he reached the great gates out came the nurse with the
royal baby, who stretched out his arms to his father. The king
shrank back, and ordered the nurse to take the baby away at once.
    Then his great boarhound bounded up to him, but his caresses were
only answered by a violent push.
    When the king's anger was spent, and he was able to think what
was best to be done, he exchanged his baby, a beautiful boy, for
the daughter of a peasant, and the prince lived roughly as the
son of poor people, while the little girl slept in a golden
cradle, under silken sheets. At the end of a year, the stranger
arrived to claim his property, and took away the little girl,
believing her to be the true child of the king. The king was so
delighted with the success of his plan that he ordered a great
feast to be got ready, and gave splendid presents to the foster
parents of his son, so that he might lack nothing. But he did
not dare to bring back the baby, lest the trick should be found
out. The peasants were quite contented with this arrangement,
which gave them food and money in abundance.
    By-and-by the boy grew big and tall, and seemed to lead a happy
life in the house of his foster parents. But a shadow hung over
him which really poisoned most of his pleasure, and that was the
thought of the poor innocent girl who had suffered in his stead,
for his foster father had told him in secret, that he was the
king's son. And the prince determined that when he grew old
enough he would travel all over the world, and never rest till he
had set her free. To become king at the cost of a maiden's life
was too heavy a price to pay. So one day he put on the dress of
a farm servant, threw a sack of peas on his back, and marched
straight into the forest where eighteen years before his father
had lost himself. After he had walked some way he began to cry
loudly: 'Oh, how unlucky I am! Where can I be? Is there no one
to show me the way out of the wood?'
    Then appeared a strange man with a long grey beard, with a
leather bag hanging from his girdle. He nodded cheerfully to the
prince, and said: 'I know this place well, and can lead you out
of it, if you will promise me a good reward.'
    'What can a beggar such as I promise you?' answered the prince.
'I have nothing to give you save my life; even the coat on my
back belongs to my master, whom I serve for my keep and my
clothes.'
    The stranger looked at the sack of peas, and said, 'But you must
possess something; you are carrying this sack, which seems to be
very heavy.'
    'It is full of peas,' was the reply. 'My old aunt died last
night, without leaving money enough to buy peas to give the
watchers, as is the custom throughout the country. I have
borrowed these peas from my master, and thought to take a short
cut across the forest; but I have lost myself, as you see.'
    'Then you are an orphan?' asked the stranger. 'Why should you
not enter my service? I want a sharp fellow in the house, and
you please