Page:Danish fairy and folk tales.djvu/54



NCE there was a king whose only son was the most beautiful youth ever seen. He was a tender-hearted and noble-minded boy, but haughty and conceited on account of his rank, his beauty and accomplishments. As he was himself handsome, he liked all that was fair and graceful, but hated anything ugly or hideous; he would always say that he grew sick when looking at what was displeasing to his eyes.

It happened one day, when he went hunting with his comrades, and the party was camping near the high-road to enjoy a good breakfast, that they noticed an old man who came along the road riding a miserable mare. This old man was very unpleasant to look at, as he was hump-backed and one-eyed, had a crooked neck, and of course was poorly dressed. The mare was not prettier than her rider; she was a small, fleshy, long-haired jade, lame in one fore-leg.

"Pooh," said the prince, "get that ugly old fellow and his hideous mare out of the way. I cannot endure the sight of anything so shocking." The