Andrew Lang

The Green Fairy Book Andrew Lang

Once upon a time there lived a King who was immensely rich. He had broad lands, and sacks overflowing with gold and silver; but he did not care a bit for all his riches, because the Queen, his wife, was dead. He shut himself up in a little room and knockedhis head against the walls for grief, until his courtiers were really afraid that he wouldhurt himself. So they hung feather-beds between the tapestry and the walls, and thenhe could go on knocking his head as long as it was any consolation to him withoutcoming to much harm. All his subjects came to see him, and said whatever they thoughtwould comfort him: some were grave, even gloomy with him; and some agreeable, evengay; but not one could make the least impression upon him. Indeed, he hardly seemedto hear what they said. At last came a lady who was wrapped in a black mantle, andseemed to be in the deepest grief. She wept and sobbed until even the King's attentionwas attracted; and when she said that, far from coming to try and diminish his grief, she, who had just lost a good husband, was come to add her tears to his, since she knewwhat he must be feeling, the King redoubled his lamentations. Then he told thesorrowful lady long stories about the good qualities of his departed Queen, and she inher turn recounted all the virtues of her departed husband; and this passed the time soagreeably that the King quite forgot to thump his head against the feather-beds, and thelady did not need to wipe the tears from her great blue eyes as often as before. Bydegrees they came to talking about other things in which the King took an interest, andin a wonderfully short time the whole kingdom was astonished by the news that the Kingwas married again to the sorrowful la