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THE THREE WHITE SNAKES. 85 |
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over the waves, that they arrived at the king's palace long before his daughter and the captain.
The king wondered greatly when he saw his son-in-law and the servant enter, and asked them what had happened. But when he heard of his daughter's wickedness, he said, "I can scarcely believe she would act so basely. However, the truth will soon be brought to light. For the present, I advise you both to hide yourselves in a private chamber, and make yourselves quite at home till the ship returns."
The master and servant took the king's advice, and a few days afterwards the large ship made its appearance, and the king's guilty daughter appeared before her father with a sorrowful countenance.
"Why have you come back alone?" he asked. "Where is your husband ?"
"Ah! dear father," she replied, "I am come home to you in great sorrow, for, during the voyage, my husband was taken suddenly ill and died, and if the good captain had not stood by me and conducted me home, I cannot tell what evil might have happened to me. He stood by my husband's death-bed, and he can tell you all that occurred."
" Oh !" said the king, " I can restore your dead husband to life again, so do not grieve any longer." He threw open the door of the private room as he spoke, and told his son and the servant to come out
When the wife saw her husband she was thunderstruck, and sank on her knees imploring mercy.
" I can show you no mercy," said the king. " Your husband was not only ready to be buried and die with you, but he used the means which restored you to life, and you have murdered him while he slept, and shall receive the reward you so truly merit."
Then was she with her accomplice placed in a boat full of holes, and driven out to sea, where they were soon overwhelmed in the waves and i. erished |
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