“High-born Lady,” they said, “for by your aspect we know you to be such, we would inform you that we are the soldiers of the King, the outskirts of whose dominions you have reached.  It is our duty to question all travellers, and, if their object in coming to our country is a good one, to give them whatever assistance and information they may require.  Will you tell us why you are come?”

“Impertinent vassals!” cried the Absolute Fool, riding up in a great passion.  “How dare you interfere with a princess who has left her city because it was so dull and stupid, and is endeavoring to find a prince, with whom she has eaten a philopena, in order that she may marry him.  Out of my way, or I will draw my sword and cleave you to the earth, and thus punish your unwarrantable curiosity!”

The soldiers could not repress a smile.

“In order to prevent mischief,” they said to the Absolute Fool, “we shall be obliged to take you into custody.”

This they immediately did, and then requested the Princess to accompany them to the palace of their King, where she would receive hospitality and aid.

The King welcomed the Princess with great cordiality.  He had no son, and he much wished he had one; for in that case it might be his Prince for whom the young lady was looking.  But there was a prince, he said, who lived in a city to the north, who was probably the very man; and he would send and make inquiries.  In the mean time, the Princess would be entertained by himself and his Queen; and, if her servant would make a suitable apology, his violent language would be pardoned.  But the Absolute Fool positively refused to do this.

“I never apologize,” he cried.  “No man of spirit would do such a thing.  What I say, I stand by.”

“Very well,” said the King; “then you shall fight a wild beast.”  And he gave orders that the affair should be arranged for the following day.

In a short time, however, some of his officers came to him and told him that there were no wild beasts; those on hand having been kept so long that they had become tame.

“To be sure, there’s the old lion, Sardon,” they said; “but he is so dreadfully cross and has had so much experience in these fights, that for a long time it has not been considered fair to allow any one to enter the ring with him.”

“It is a pity,” said the King, “to make the young man fight a tame beast; but, under the circumstances, the best thing to do will be to represent the case to him, just as it is.  Tell him we are sorry we have not an ordinary wild beast; but that he can take his choice between a tame one and the lion Sardon, whose disposition and experience you will explain to him.”

When the matter was stated to the Absolute Fool, he refused with great scorn to fight a tame beast.

“I will not be degraded in the eyes of the public,” he said; “I will take the old lion.”