Page:Zangwill-King of schnorrers.djvu/363

349 THE QUEEN'S TRIPLETS. 349

gladness ran through the Presence Chamber, for all had suffered much from the annual incursions of the monster. And the King's heart was fain of the gallant spirit of the Princes.

" Tis well," said he. "To-morrow, at the first dawn of the new year, shall ye fare forth together ; when ye reach the river ye shall part, and for eight moons shall ye wander whither ye will ; only, when the ninth moon rises, shall ye return and tell me how ye have fared. Hasten now, there- fore, and equip yourselves as ye desire, and if there be aught that will help you in the task, ye have but to ask for it."

Then, answering quickly before his brothers could speak, the Black Prince cried : " Sire, I would crave the magic boat which saileth under the sea and destroyeth mighty armaments."

" It is thine," replied the King.

Then the Green Prince said : " Sire, grant me the magic car which saileth through the air over the great seas."

The Black Prince started and frowned, but the King answered, " It is granted." Then, turning to the Blue Prince, who seemed lost in meditation, the King said : " Why art thou silent, my son? Is there nothing I can give thee? "

"Thanks, I will take a little pigeon," answered the Blue Prince abstractedly.

The courtiers stared and giggled, and the Black Prince chuckled, but the Blue Prince was seemingly too proud to back out of his request.

So at sunrise on the morrow the three Princes set forth, journeying together till they came to the river where they had agreed to part company. Here the magic boat was floating at anchor, while the magic car was tied to the trunk of a plane-tree upon the bank, and the little pigeon, fastened by a thread, was fluttering among the branches.