Page:Tales of old Lusitania.djvu/20

10 to the king, sent for him, and, to try his skill, ordered him to make a dress for one of her attendants. This maiden was a Moorish slave called Isabel, whom the king had taken captive in a war with the Moors. The tailor merely looked at the slave's figure, and said to the queen, "I shall bring the dress finished to-morrow," and then took his leave. The queen was surprised to see him hurrying away without taking her measure, but she was much more astonished when the dress came next day not only well stitched, but exactly fitting the slave's figure. The queen then ordered him to make a robe for herself of rich damask, saying, at the same time, "I shall pay you for all to-morrow."

Punctually next day the tailor brought the robe, and when the queen asked him to present his bill for payment, he replied: "Your majesty owes me nothing." The queen, seeing that the tailor would take no money, opened a valuable casket made of chased gold and covered with precious stones. This casket contained all kinds of beautiful articles made of gold and silver and other costly materials. The queen then said to him: "Take from here whatever pleases you most." The tailor made choice of a dagger, the handle of which was of ivory, most cleverly carved and set with diamonds.

As he was on the point of leaving the chamber, well satisfied and in peace and quietness, the king