After respectfully greeting his father and embracing his brothers, he
took out of a jewelled box a nut which he broke. On breaking the
nut he found a cherry stone, the stone was broken and there was the
kernel, in the kernel was a grain of corn, in the grain of corn a
millet seed, and within that a piece of linen so fine that it passed
six times through the smallest needle's eye, and moreover on it were
exquisite paintings of people and places without number.
The King heaved a deep sigh, and turning to his children said,
"Nothing pleases me, in my old age, so much as your deference to my
desires, and I wish to prove you once more. Travel for a year, and he
who at the end of the year brings home the most beautiful girl shall
marry her, and be crowned king on his marriage. I promise you that I
will not defer this reward any longer."
Our Prince saw the injustice of all this; his little dog and piece
of linen were worth ten kingdoms, not only one; but he was too well
brought up to go against his father's wishes, and, mounting into his
chariot, with his retinue, he returned to the White Cat's Castle.
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