140 SLAV TALES

I only escaped death through God’s help, and I have just
come to the palace in my air-car.”

The king made a pretence of being angry with the guilty
chamberlain, and ordered his guards to take him away to the
donjon cell; then, with pretended friendship, he embraced
the fisherman and led him to his own apartments. All the
while he was thinking and thinking what he could do to get
rid of him. The idea of having him, a mere peasant and one
of his own subjects, for a son-in-law was most repugnant to
him, and hurt his kingly pride. At last he said, “The cham-
berlain will most certainly be punished for his crime. As for
you, who have twice been my saviour, you shall be my son-in-
law. Now the customs observed at court demand that you
should send your bride a wedding gift, a jewel, or some other
trifle of value. When this has been observed I promise to
give my blessing on the marriage, and may you both be happy
and live long.”

““T have no jewel worthy of the princess’s acceptance. I
might have given her as much gold as she wished, but your
chamberlain took my magic golden ring from me.”

“Before insisting upon its return something else might
be done. I thoroughly appreciate the value of your marvel-
lous flying carpet—why should not we both sit on it and make
an excursion to the Valley of Diamonds? There we can
obtain stones of the finest water, such as no one in the world
has ever possessed. Afterwards we will return here with your
wedding present for my daughter.”

The king then opened the window, and the fisherman,
spreading out his carpet, repeated the magic words.

Thus they took flight into the air, and after travelling one