The King found, when he had time to look into the affairs of his dominions, that every thing was in the most admirable condition.  The Queen had retained a few of the best officials to carry on the government, and had ordered the rest to fall, one by one, into the line of communication.  The King set himself to work to think about the matter.  It was not long before he came to the conclusion that the main thing which had been wrong in his kingdom was himself.  He was so greatly impressed with this idea that he went down to the court-yard to speak to the Sphinx about it.

“I dare say you are right,” said the Sphinx, “and I don’t wonder that what you learned when you were away, and what you have seen since you came back, have made you feel certain that you were the cause of every thing going wrong in this kingdom.  And now, what do you intend to do about your government?”

“Give it up,” promptly replied the King.

“That is exactly what I should advise,” said the Sphinx.

The King did give up his kingdom.  He was convinced that being a King was exactly the thing he was not suited for, and that he would get on much better in some other business or profession.  He determined to be a traveller and explorer, and to go abroad into other countries to find out things that might be useful to his own nation.  His Queen had shown that she could govern the country most excellently, and it was not at all necessary for him to stay at home.  She had ordered all the men who had made up his line to follow the King’s example and to go into some good business; in order that not being bothered with so many officers, she would be able to get along quite easily.

The King was very successful in his new pursuit, and although he did not this time have a line of followers connecting him with the palace, he frequently sent home messages which were of use and value to his nation.

“I may as well retire,” said the Sphinx to itself.  “As the King has found his vocation and every thing is going all right it is not necessary I should remain where I may be looked upon as a questionable personage.”

 The philopena.

* * * * *

There were once a Prince and a Princess who, when quite young, ate a philopena together.  They agreed that the one who, at any hour after sunrise the next day, should accept any thing from the other—­the giver at the same time saying “Philopena!”—­should be the loser, and that the loser should marry the other.

They did not meet as soon as they had expected the next day; and at the time our story begins, many years had elapsed since they had seen each other, and the Prince and the Princess were nearly grown up.  They often thought of the philopena they had eaten together, and wondered if they should know each other when they met.  He remembered her as a pretty little girl dressed in green silk and playing with a snow-white cat; while she remembered him as a handsome boy, wearing a little sword, the handle of which was covered with jewels.  But they knew that each must have changed a great deal in all this time.