“Tut, tut!” said the King, “we will see about that!” He bit his lip and bent a frown upon the group before him.  The Hermit saw him whisper a word into the ear of one of his courtiers, who bowed and disappeared.

Now John put Brutus and the wolf through their tricks, which were wonderful indeed; for the dog was very intelligent, and had learned all that the best educated dog nowadays can do, and more beside.  Then the wolf’s leaping was a thing to wonder at, he was so lithe and strong.  Over Brutus he leaped, over John’s head, over the bear, over John standing on the bear’s broad back.

At the end the Prince applauded heartily, and calling up the dog and the wolf, placed a golden collar about the neck of each.

“Good friends,” said the Prince, “you helped to save my life, you and your brothers, and your masters.  I give you these.  But them I never can repay if I live to be as old as Noah, who was the first to gather pets about him.  I hope that in time there may be many pets throughout the kingdom.”

He glanced timidly at the King.

“Hurrah!” shouted the people.  “Long live the Prince.  Long live John and his animals!  Hurrah!  Hurrah!”

“No more of this!” The King made a gesture, and the shouting stopped, changing into sullen murmurs.  The King was not popular, it seemed.  “Let the performance proceed!” he commanded.  “I do not like these interruptions.”

Once more the Hermit saw him whisper to a servant, who went away quickly on some mysterious errand.

Now, with a happy face, John himself stepped forward and showed his skill and strength and grace.  He turned somersaults backward and forward; he stood upon his head and danced upon his hands.  He did all the old tricks which he had learned of the tumblers, and more of his own invention, till the people shouted rapturously, “Bravo!  Bravo!  Hurrah for our John!”

With his eye on the Prince, John began to caper at his merriest.  He danced high, leaping like a grasshopper, and seeming to bound like thistledown.  All the while his eyes twinkled, and the people laughed with delight.

“Bravo!  John, bravo!” shouted the Prince, clapping his hands.  “Come here and let me decorate you, my friend.”  And as John bowed before him the Prince placed upon his bosom a beautiful star of diamonds that gleamed and sparkled like a cobweb full of dew.

“Hurrah!  Hurrah!  Long life to John!  John!  John!” shouted the people, as if they loved the name.

And the Hermit saw that the King turned pale and shook with wrath at the sound.  The next moment he grasped the arms of his chair and stared into the crowd eagerly.

Suddenly he arose, and, waving his sceptre, commanded silence.  John bowed and turned to the King, waiting to hear his pleasure.  But instead of the speech which every one expected, they saw the King gazing down into the crowd before him, and on his lips was a malicious smile.  But he looked very old and sick, and he tottered as he held to the arm of his throne.