Page:Tales of old Lusitania.djvu/46

36 As they continued their journey the princess complained of thirst, saying she would be glad to find a spring of water to drink from; the negro replied that there was a ditch by the roadside, from which she could drink if she was so parched, as there was no sign of any other water near. The princess drank from the muddy ditch, and again cried, "Oh, Count of Paris, Count of Paris, your words have come true!" and the negro repeated his question, "Why would you not love him then?" As they journeyed along, the negro said that as they must do something to gain their livelihood, he would go to the Count of Paris and ask him to take them into his service; and, if he could do nothing better for them, to admit them into his stables for the night.

On arriving at the palace travel-worn and exhausted, they were told they might take shelter in the hay-loft, and there rest and recruit their strength—of which the wretched princess stood so much in need that she was thankful to get even so mean a shelter. The negro after a while left her alone, and did not return until late at night, when he brought her a mess of meal in a common cup, and said that he had had a difficulty to get what he brought from the palace people, who as a great favour allowed him to cook it; but that he had promised to return the cup immediately to the kitchen, and as he could not wait for her to finish her meal, she could pour it out on some of the