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io4 THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE. |
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band, and come to the window ! Look here, ought you not to be king of all this land ? then I should be queen. Go and tell the fish I want you to be king."
" Ah, wife," he replied, " I don't want to be king, I can't go and ask that."
" Well," she replied, " if you don't care about being king, I wish to be queen, so go and tell the fish what I say."
" It's no use, wife, I cannot."
" Why not ? Come, there's a good man, go at once; I must be queen."
The husband turned away in a sorrowful mood. " It is not right," he said, " it is not right." However, he went, and as he stood on the sea-shore, he noticed that the water looked quite dark and rough, while the waves foamed and dashed against the shore, as if they were angry. But still he said—
H Flounder, flounder, in the sea, Come, I pray, and talk to me ; For my wife, Dame Isabel, Wishes what I fear to tell."
" What r cried the fish, rising to the surface, " she is not content, and she wants to be queen ? Very well, then; go home, and you will find her so."
When he got near home, he found the castle had disappeared, and he saw at a distance a palace, which seemed to grow larger as he approached it. At one end was a large tower, and a noble terrace in front A sentinel stood at the gates, and a band of soldiers, with drums and trumpets, were performing martial music. On arriving at the palace, he found it was built of precious marble. Within no expense had been spared. The furniture was of the most precious materials, and the curtains and carpets fringed with gold. The husband passed through the doors into a state apartment of immense size, and there sat his wife upon a lofty throne ot gold and precious stones. She had a crown of gold upon her head, and a golden sceptre in her hand adorned with jewels. On each side of her stood six pages in a row, each one a head taller than the one next him. He went up to his wife, and said, " Ah, wife, so you are queen now "
" Yes," she said, " I am queen," |
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