Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/101

Rh her less than any of the other, and now in my need she hath succoured me, and the other have yfailed me; and therefore after my death she shall have mine empire. And so it was done indeed; for after the death of the emperour, the youngest daughter reigned in his stead, and ended peaceably. MS. No. 7333.

This, as the reader will be aware, is the story of Lear in Shakspeare; but there were many popular tales built upon the same story.

CHAPTER XXV.

There was a powerful emperor called Andronicus, before whom a knight was wrongfully accused. When the charge could not be substantiated, his majesty proposed to him certain puzzling questions, which were to be accurately answered, under pain of death. The knight expressed himself ready to do his best. Then said the emperor, 'How far is heaven distant from hell? That is the first question.' 'As far,' replied he, 'as a sigh is from the heart.' Emperor. And how deep is the sea? Knight. A stone's throw.