The crimson fairy book . uch food, though, in dread that heshould die and escape his tormentors, the king orderedhis head cook to send him dishes from the royal table. The gold-bearded man had been in captivity about amonth, when the king was forced to make war upon aneighbouring country, and left the palace, to take com-mand of his army. But before he went he called his step-son to him and said : Listen, boy, to what I tell you. While I am awayI trust the care of my prisojier to you. See that he hasplenty to eat and drink, but be careful that he does notescape, or even walk about the room. If
The crimson fairy book . uch food, though, in dread that heshould die and escape his tormentors, the king orderedhis head cook to send him dishes from the royal table. The gold-bearded man had been in captivity about amonth, when the king was forced to make war upon aneighbouring country, and left the palace, to take com-mand of his army. But before he went he called his step-son to him and said : Listen, boy, to what I tell you. While I am awayI trust the care of my prisojier to you. See that he hasplenty to eat and drink, but be careful that he does notescape, or even walk about the room. If I return andfind him gone, you will pay for it by a terrible death. The young prince was thankful that his stepfatherwas going to the war, and secretly hoped he might nevercome back. Directly he had ridden off the boy went tothe room where the cage was kept, and never left it nightand day. He even played his games beside it. One day he was shooting at a mark with a silver bow;one of his arrows fell into the golden Gives UP fche KTrotxP ^ ig^ THE GOLD-BEABDED MAN 203 Please give me my arrow, said the prince, runningup to him ; hut the gold-hearded man answered ; No, I shall not give it to you unless you let me outof my cage. I may not let you out, replied the hoy, for if I domy stepfather says that I shall have to die a horribledeath when he returns from the war. My arrow can beof no use to you, so give it to me. The man handed the arrow through the bars, butwhen he had done so he begged harder than ever that theprince would open the door and set him free. Indeed,he prayed so earnestly that the princes heart was touched,for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows ofother people. So he shot back the bolt, and the gold-bearded man stepped out into the world. I will repay you a thousand fold for that good the man, and then he vanished. The prince beganto think what he should say to the king when he cameback ; then he wondered whether it would be wise to
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherlondon, bookyear190
