TWILIGHT LAND

enter, and he and the old queen served their son and
bowed before him.

' The next morning the young king rode back to his own
land, and then sent attendants with horses and splendid °
clothes, and bade them bring his father and mother to his
own home.

He had a noble feast set for them, with everything
befitting the entertainment of a king; but he ordered that
not a grain of salt should season it.

So the father and the mother sat down to the feast
with their son and his queen, but all the time they did
not know him. The old king tasted the food and tasted
the food, but he could not eat of it.

“Do you not feel hungry ?” said the young king.

“ Alas,” said his father, ‘‘I crave your majesty’s pardon,
but there is no salt in the food.”

“ And so is life lacking of savour without love,” said the
young king; ‘and yet because I loved you as salt you
disowned me and cast me out into the world.”

Therewith he could contain himself no longer, but with
the tears running down his cheeks kissed his father
and his mother; and they knew him, and kissed him
again.

Afterwards the young king went with a great army into
the country of his elder brothers, and, overcoming them,
set his father upon his throne again. If ever the two got
back their crowns, you may be sure that they wore them
more modestly than they did the first time.

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