Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/313

Rh "What have I got in my palace," he thought, "of which I know nothing? I thought I knew everything that I possess!" However he consented, and said aloud: "All right, collect the cattle for me, and I will give you the something of which I know nothing."

The man immediately set to work and put all the cattle back into the little red box; the king thanked him, and getting into his ship with the boxes, sailed homewards.

When he arrived home, he found that a little prince had been born, a dear, pretty little fellow; he took the child in his arms and kissed it long and tenderly, but weeping bitterly all the time.

"Why do you weep so bitterly, O king?" asked the queen.

"I weep for you," the king replied; for he was afraid to tell his wife the real truth—that he had to give the little prince away. He then left the room, and taking the small red box he went to the field behind the palace and opened it. Out came a number of immense bulls, cows, sheep and lambs; so many were they, that the fields for miles round were filled with them! This done the king went to the grounds in front of the palace, opened the little green box—and suddenly he beheld a large and beautiful garden all round him! There was every possible kind of tree in it, and all the most lovely flowers imaginable! The king was so delighted that he quite forgot his promise to the man of the sea, and did not give his little son away.

Many, many years went by; when one day the