TWILIGHT LAND

great lords were waiting for their coming, some of whorn
helped him to dismount from the horse, for by this time
- the beggar was so overcome with wonder that he stared
like one moon-struck, and as though his wits were addled.
Then, leading the way up the palace steps, they conducted
him from room to room, until at last they came to one
more grand and splendid than all the rest, and there sat
the king himself waiting for the beggar’s coming.

The beggar would have flung himself at the king’s feet,
but the king would not let him; for he came down from
the throne where he sat, and, taking the beggar by the
hand, led him up and sat him alongside of him. Then
the king gave orders to’ the attendants who stood about,
and a feast was served in plates of solid gold upon a
table-cloth of silver—a feast such as the beggar had never
dreamed of, and the poor man ate as he had never eaten
in his life before.

All the while that the king and the beggar were eating,
musicians played sweet music and dancers danced and
singers sang.

Then when the feast was over there came ten young
men, bringing flasks and flagons of all kinds, full of the
best wine in the world ; and the beggar drank as he had
never drank in his life before, and until his head spun
like a top.

So the king and the beggar feasted and made merry,
until at last the clock struck twelve and the king arose
from his seat. ‘My friend,” said he to the beggar, ‘‘all
these things have been done to show you that Luck and
Fate, which have been against you for all these years, are
now for you. Hereafter, instead of being poor you shall
be the richest of the rich, for I will give you the greatest

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