How the King Chose His Wife

King thinking of best way to choose a wife.

 How the King Chose His Wife by Adele Barney Wilson

Some ages ago‚ a dozen, perhaps‚

In a far-away land that is not on our maps,

There lived a young king whose riches and

greatness

Were only surpassed by his youthful sedate-

ness:

He read and he studied when his work was

all done;

His wisdom and justice amazed every one;

And money he spent with such careful intent

That the national debt was reduced to a cent.

But in the whole kingdom complaining was rife,

Because the young king had ne'er taken a wife.

"It 's all very well while he lives," the folk said,

"But who will rule o'er us when once he is dead ?

Perhaps his proud cousin from over the ocean

Will make us his subjects - we don't like the

notion.

We want him to give us a son for his heir,

To whom our allegiance forever we'll swear."

And one day they vowed they would go in a

crowd

To make known their grievance that hung like

a cloud.

And so they drew up a petition to carry

To the popular king, to persuade him to marry.

The petition was penned by a learned com-

mittee,

And signed by his subjects in country and city;

And when to receive it the king had consented,

The ponderous scroll was duly presented.

He read it all once, then read it once more :

The force of its logic he could not ignore.

"Good people," he said, "to please you I'll wed.

And soon to the altar the bride shall be led;

A wife and a queen I've no cause for refusing.

But I'll have my own way in the method of

choosing."

With satisfied smiles the people withdrew.

But how he 'd select her they did wish they

knew.

Like fair Cinderella, because of her beauty?

Or the poor Sleeping Maid, whom to wake

was a duty?

'T was thus that they chattered as homeward

they clattered,

Until the whole crowd different ways had been

scattered;

While the king took his journal and found a

blank page.

To fill it with comment instructive and sage.

"I ask not for beauty," the words that he

penned;

"For when youth has departed, that comes to

an end.

I care not a straw for manners majestic;

Far better to be just plain and domestic

And since I know well that my own faults are

many,

How can I expect her not to have any?

But (let who will say that ray standard is comi-

cal)

On this I insist: that she be economical.

"And begged for his horse the bits of rich dough" download and color these drawings too!

"No wasteful, extravagant hand will I choose,

My good people's taxes to squander and lose;

My queen must be willing to guard the state

coffer;

To such a one only the crown will I offer."

He snapped the pearl clasp of his own private

book,

So that no prying eyes in its pages could look.

Next morning the king took his usual ride,

His favorite courtiers close at his side;

Each high-stepping steed with proud arching

neck

A-quiver with life and impatient of check;

The laughter and singing, the bugle-calls

ringing,

The flowers that before them the children were

flinging,

United in making so happy a procession.

Of its beauty words give but a feeble impression.

The cavalcade passed from the old city gates

To the beautiful roads of the country estates.

Then on to the farms, where the vines and the

flowers

Transformed humble dwellings to fair floral

bowers.

And stopped at a door where a plump, bloom-

ing lass

Peered through the small panes of diamond-

shaped glass.

With heart wildly beating, she curtsied her

greeting.

"He 's seeking a wife!" her brain kept

repeating.

And the king, who had never looked grander or

graver.

Said kindly: "Dear maiden, pray grant me a

favor.

"Of course," he continued, "you know how to

bake,

And often make biscuits and cookies and

cake?"

She answered with pride which she could not

disguise.

"And patties," he queried, "and tartlets and

pies?"

"Your Majesty, yes; even now I am making

Some pies that are very near ready for baking."

So then he explained that his call appertained

To a wish for the bits of the dough that

remained,

As his horse, he averred, had a curious passion

For eating these scraps in a ravenous fashion.

"I'll give him a treat, then'' she cried, running

toward

The table, where lay the great white molding-

board,

. And scraping a cupful, she carried it out.

"The quantity pleases," she thought, "without

doubt.

Though, alas!" and her face grew suddenly

doleful,

"Had I known it in time I'd have saved a whole

bowlful."

But as the happy throng swept laughing along,

She returned to her work with a jubilant song,

And spent the whole day dreaming dreams most

romantic,

And building air-castles whose size was gigantic.

From that morning on, the king stopped every

day

At some humble cottage along the highway.

And begged for his horse the scraps of rich

dough

Which all the fair cooks seemed so glad to

bestow;

But, spite of his courtiers' nudges and winks.

Preserved his own counsel, close-mouthed as

a sphinx;

While each damsel tried, as a matter of pride.

To see who the largest amount could provide.

And his horse, which seemed to approve the

whole matter.

Kept on every day growing fatter and fatter.

Some weeks had thus passed when the caval-

cade stood

In front of a house at the edge of a wood.

From whose shadows came tripping a shy

little maid.

Abashed by the splendor before her displayed.

She heard with surprise the king's usual ques-

tion.

And gasped with dismay at the very suggestion.

"The scrapings of dough? I 'm sorry it 's so.

But I never have even a crumb left, you know:

My mother has taught me it 's wicked to waste

The least little fragment of pie-crust or paste.

"I measure with care the smallest ingredient.

To make the amount which she thinks is

expedient.

And into the dough she says that I must

Most carefully work every scrap of the crust;

And if all has been planned exactly and true,

My molding-board 's clean when I am quite

through.

Yes; there in the oven are my pies in a row,

And here is my board without one scrap of

dough."

"Economical maid!" the king cried in rapture,

"You 're exactly the one I've been trying to

capture.

Where others are reckless, you take pains to

measure;

The bits they would squander you frugally

treasure;

Their prodigal habits have filled me with scorn.

But such thrift as yours a throne should adorn.

So, unless you object, I command and direct

The people to hail you the king's bride elect.

You shall rule by my side over all this broad

land";

And he bent low to kiss her tiny brown hand.

She trembled and blushed, quite unable to

speak,

And her long lashes lay in a fringe on her

cheek;

While proudly he led her out of the door.

Rejoiced that his search was happily o'er;

And cheer after cheer rent the soft morning

air

From the loyal young courtiers who stood

waiting there.

To the palace they wended, with triumph

attended.

And a great gala-week with a wedding was

ended.

And the king ne'er regretted throughout their

long life

The method he followed for choosing a wife.

The wedding procession for the king's new bride; she is the most economical in all of fairyland.