Page:Legends of Rubezahl, and Other Tales (1845).djvu/289

 but slight expectations; I thee with nothing but thy true heart and thy good sword. Thou may’st guess how long thou needest to remain without thy redeemed patrimony; I without a dower to increase it.”

The Count could hardly believe his ears, so Madame, as soon as they were dressed, took him into her mother’s room, and telling her what an incredulous person she had to deal with, requested that ocular demonstration might forthwith be given him, in the shape of a new-laid golden egg. Mama, who was up feeding her valuable friend, at once desired the Count to look for himself in the coop; and there, sure enough, lay a fine large egg, and in the egg, sure enough, when he broke it, he found a fine large golden yolk. Mama then unlocked her great chest, and begged Son-in-Law Ulric to give a look at its contents. He did so, and almost fell back in pure bewilderment when he saw it was filled well nigh to the top with golden eggs. There was wealth enough to buy half a dozen baronies; and in a short time his patrimony was redeemed and trebled in extent, by the benevolence of the kind mother-in-law, without its having been necessary for him once to put hand to sword-handle in the Emperor’s service; on the contrary, he allowed lance and war harness to rust in their respective corners, and passed his days in peace at home with his