majesty and that her love for him would have made her follow him wherever he went.”  This put the king into a violent rage.  “What!” said he, “does this youngster make a jest at my misfortune, and pretend to set himself above me?  Go and put him immediately in my great tower, and there let him starve to death.”  The king’s guards went and seized Avenant who thought no more of what he had said, dragged him to prison, and used him in the most cruel manner.

One day when he was almost quite spent, he said to himself, fetching a deep sigh, “Wherein can I have offended the king?  He has not a more faithful subject than myself; nor have I ever done any thing to displease him.”  The king happened at that time to pass by the tower; and stopped to hear him, notwithstanding the persuasions of those that were with him; “Hold your peace,” replied the king, “and let me hear him out.”  Which having done, and being greatly moved by his sufferings, he opened the door of the tower, and called him by his name.  Upon which Avenant came forth in a sad condition, and, throwing himself at the king’s feet, “What have I done, sir,” said he, “that your majesty should use me thus severely?” “Thou hast ridiculed me and my ambassador,” replied the king; “and hast said, that if I had sent thee to the Fair One with Locks of Gold, thou couldst have brought her with thee.”  “It is true, sir,” replied Avenant, “for I would have so thoroughly convinced her of your transcending qualities, that it should not have been in her power to have denied me; and this, surely, I said in the name of your majesty.”  The king found in reality he had done no injury; so, he took him away with him, repenting heartily of the wrong he had done him.  After having given him an excellent supper, the king sent for him into his cabinet.  “Avenant,” said he, “I still love the Fair One with Locks of Gold; I have a mind to send thee to her, to try whether thou canst succeed,” Avenant replied, he was ready to obey his majesty in all things, and would depart the very next morning.  “Hold,” said the king, “I will provide thee first with a most sumptuous equipage.”  “There is no necessity for that,” answered Avenant; “I need only a good horse and your letters of credence.”  Upon this the king embraced him; being overjoyed to see him so soon ready.

It was upon a Monday morning that he took leave of the king and his friends.  Being on his journey by break of day, and entering into a spacious meadow, a fine thought came into his head; he alighted immediately, and seated himself by the bank of a little stream that watered one side of the meadow, and wrote the sentiment down in his pocket book.  After he had done writing, he looked about him every way, being charmed with the beauties of the place, and suddenly perceived a large gilded carp, which stirred a little, and that was all it could do, for having attempted to catch some little flies, it had leaped so far out of the water, as to throw itself upon the grass, where it