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How the King Chose His Wife
[Feb.
“I ask not for beauty,” the words that he penned;
“For when youth has departed, that comes to an end,
I care not a straw for manners majestic;
Far better to be just plain and domestic.
And since I know well that my own faults are many,
How can I expect her not to have any?
But (let who will say that my standard is comical}
On this I insist: That she be Economical.
“For when youth has departed, that comes to an end,
I care not a straw for manners majestic;
Far better to be just plain and domestic.
And since I know well that my own faults are many,
How can I expect her not to have any?
But (let who will say that my standard is comical}
On this I insist: That she be Economical.
“No wasteful, extravagant hand will I choose,
My good people’s taxes to squander and lose;
My queen must be willing to guard the state coffer;
To such a one only the crown will I offer.”
He snapped the pearl clasp of his own private book,
So that no prying eyes in its pages could look,
My good people’s taxes to squander and lose;
My queen must be willing to guard the state coffer;
To such a one only the crown will I offer.”
He snapped the pearl clasp of his own private book,
So that no prying eyes in its pages could look,
Next morning the king took his usual ride,
His favorite courtiers close at his side;
Each high-stepping steed with proud arching neck
A-quiver with life and impatient of check;
The laughter and singing, the bugle-calls ringing,
The flowers that before them the children were flinging,
United in making so gay a procession,
Of its beauty words give but a feeble impression,
His favorite courtiers close at his side;
Each high-stepping steed with proud arching neck
A-quiver with life and impatient of check;
The laughter and singing, the bugle-calls ringing,
The flowers that before them the children were flinging,
United in making so gay a procession,
Of its beauty words give but a feeble impression,
The cavalcade passed from the old city gates
To the beautiful roads of the country estates,
Then on to the farms, where the vines and the flowers
Transformed humble dwellings to fair floral bowers,
And stopped at a door where a plump, blooming lass
Peered through the small panes of diamond-shaped glass.
With heart wildly beating, she curtsied her greeting,
“He ’s seeking a wife!” her brain kept repeating.
And the king, who had never looked grander or graver,
Said kindly: “Dear maiden, pray grant me a favor.
To the beautiful roads of the country estates,
Then on to the farms, where the vines and the flowers
Transformed humble dwellings to fair floral bowers,
And stopped at a door where a plump, blooming lass
Peered through the small panes of diamond-shaped glass.
With heart wildly beating, she curtsied her greeting,
“He ’s seeking a wife!” her brain kept repeating.
And the king, who had never looked grander or graver,
Said kindly: “Dear maiden, pray grant me a favor.
“Of course,” he continued, “you know how to bake,
And often make biscuits and cookies and cake?”
She answered with pride which she could not disguise.
“And patties,” he queried, “and tartlets and pies?”
“Your Majesty, yes; even now I am making
Some pies that are very near ready for baking.”
So then he explained that his call appertained
To a wish for the bits of the dough that remained,
As his horse, he averred, had a curious passion
For eating these scraps in a ravenous fashion.
And often make biscuits and cookies and cake?”
She answered with pride which she could not disguise.
“And patties,” he queried, “and tartlets and pies?”
“Your Majesty, yes; even now I am making
Some pies that are very near ready for baking.”
So then he explained that his call appertained
To a wish for the bits of the dough that remained,
As his horse, he averred, had a curious passion
For eating these scraps in a ravenous fashion.
“I ’ll give him a treat, then,” she cried, running toward
The table, where lay the great white molding-board,
And scraping a cupful, she carried it out.
“The quantity pleases,” she thought, “ without doubt.
Though, alas!” and her face grew suddenly doleful,
“Had I known it in time I ’d have saved a whole bowlful.”
But as the gay throng swept laughing along,
She returned to her work with a jubilant song,
And spent the whole day dreaming dreams most romantic,
And building air-castles whose size was gigantic.
The table, where lay the great white molding-board,
And scraping a cupful, she carried it out.
“The quantity pleases,” she thought, “ without doubt.
Though, alas!” and her face grew suddenly doleful,
“Had I known it in time I ’d have saved a whole bowlful.”
But as the gay throng swept laughing along,
She returned to her work with a jubilant song,
And spent the whole day dreaming dreams most romantic,
And building air-castles whose size was gigantic.
From that morning on, the king stopped every day
At some humble cottage along the highway,
And begged for his horse the scraps of rich dough
Which all the fair cooks seemed so glad to bestow;
But, spite of his courtiers’ nudges and winks,
Preserved his own counsel, close-mouthed as a sphinx;
At some humble cottage along the highway,
And begged for his horse the scraps of rich dough
Which all the fair cooks seemed so glad to bestow;
But, spite of his courtiers’ nudges and winks,
Preserved his own counsel, close-mouthed as a sphinx;
