Poa Now there was at the court a young man, who

WITH
GOLDEN
LOCKS

was very clever and very handsome. His name
was Charming. Most people liked him, and he
was a favourite with the king, but for that very
reason several of the courtiers were envious and
sought his destruction.
One day Charming said without consideration,
that if he had been sent to Golden Land, he would
not have returned with a refusal.
This was quite enough for his enemies. They at
once went to the king and said : ‘Charming has been
talking in a very insolent manner. He says he is
such a good-looking fellow that Princess Golden-
locks would never have refused him
When the king heard this, he was inflamed with
rage, and gave immediate orders that Charming
should be thrown into prison and fed with only
one slice of bread without butter on it, and plain
water every day, till he grew old and grey and ugly.
So the guards seized on Charming and carried him
away to the dungeon. There he lay for many days
on straw, and ate only the piece of dry bread and
drank only the pipkin of water allowed him.
One day he said sadly to himself: ‘How is it that
I have offended the king? I am his most faithful
servant, and have done nothing against him.’
The king chanced to be walking by the tower
when he said this, and he overheard the words of
Charming.
The enemies of the young man tried to make him
walk on, and disregard what he had heard, but the
king insisted on Charming being brought before
him. The young man was released, and bending
on one knee, he kissed the king’s hand, and asked
how he had offended.
‘You made a moclk of me and my ambassador,’
said the king, ‘and you declared that if you had
been sent you would not have returned without the
fair maid with golden locks.’

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