TRUSTY　JOHN
  ONCE　upon　a　time　there　was　an　old　king　who　was　so
  ill　that　he　thought　to　himself；　〃I　am　most　likely　on　my
  death…bed。〃　Then　he　said；　〃Send　Trusty　John　to　me。〃
  Now　Trusty　John　was　his　favorite　servant；　and　was　so
  called　because　all　his　life　he　had　served　him　so　faithfully。
  When　he　approached　the　bed　the　King　spake　to　him：
  〃Most　trusty　John；　I　feel　my　end　is　drawing　near；　and　I
  could　face　it　without　a　care　were　it　not　for　my　son。　He
  is　still　too　young　to　decide　everything　for　himself；　and
  unless　you　promise　me　to　instruct　him　in　all　he　should
  know；　and　to　be　to　him　as　a　father；　I　shall　not　close　my
  eyes　in　peace。〃　Then　Trusty　John　answered：　〃I　will
  never　desert　him；　and　will　serve　him　faithfully；　even
  though　it　should　cost　me　my　life。〃　Then　the　old　King
  said：　〃Now　I　die　comforted　and　in　peace〃；　and　then　he
  went　on：　〃After　my　death　you　must　show　him　the　whole
  castle；　all　the　rooms　and　apartments　and　vaults；　and　all
  the　treasures　that　lie　in　them；　but　you　must　not　show
  him　the　last　room　in　the　long　passage；　where　the　picture
  of　the　Princess　of　the　Golden　Roof　is　hidden。　When　he
  beholds　that　picture　he　will　fall　violently　in　love　with　it
  and　go　off　into　a　dead　faint；　and　for　her　sake　he　will
  encounter　many　dangers；　you　must　guard　him　from　this。〃
  And　when　Trusty　John　had　again　given　the　King　his
  hand　upon　it　the　old　man　became　silent；　laid　his　head
  on　the　pillow；　and　died。
  When　the　old　King　had　been　carried　to　his　grave
  Trusty　John　told　the　young　King　what　he　had　promised
  his　father　on　his　death…bed；　and　added：　〃And　I　shall
  assuredly　keep　my　word；　and　shall　be　faithful　to　you　as
  I　have　been　to　him；　even　though　it　should　cost　me　my
  life。
  Now　when　the　time　of　mourning　was　over；　Trusty
  John　said　to　him：　〃It　is　time　you　should　see　your
  inheritance。　I　will　show　you　your　ancestral　castle。〃　So
  he　took　him　over　everything；　and　let　him　see　all　the　riches
  and　splendid　apartments；　only　the　one　room　where　the
  picture　was　he　did　not　open。　But　the　picture　was　placed
  so　that　if　the　door　opened　you　gazed　straight　upon　it；
  and　it　was　so　beautifully　painted　that　you　imagined　it
  lived　and　moved；　and　that　it　was　the　most　lovable　and
  beautiful　thing　in　the　whole　world。　But　the　young
  King　noticed　that　Trusty　John　always　missed　one　door；
  and　said：　〃Why　do　you　never　open　this　one　for　me？〃
  〃There　is　something　inside　that　would　appall　you；〃　he
  answered。　But　the　King　replied：　〃I　have　seen　the　whole
  castle；　and　shall　find　out　what　is　in　there〃；　and　with
  these　words　he　approached　the　door　and　wanted　to　force
  it　open。　But　Trusty　John　held　him　back；　and　said：
  〃I　promised　your　father　before　his　death　that　you
  shouldn't　see　what　that　room　contains。　It　might　bring
  both　you　and　me　to　great　grief。〃　〃Ah！　no；〃　answered
  the　young　King；　〃if　I　don't　get　in；　it　will　be　my　certain
  destruction；　I　should　have　no　peace　night　or　day　till　I
  had　seen　what　was　in　the　room　with　my　own　eyes。　Now
  I　don't　budge　from　the　spot　till　you　have　opened　the
  door。
  Then　Trusty　John　saw　there　was　no　way　out　of　it；　so
  with　a　heavy　heart　and　many　sighs　he　took　the　key　from
  the　big　bunch。　When　he　had　opened　the　door　he　stepped
  in　first；　and　thought　to　cover　the　likeness　so　that　the
  King　might　not　perceive　it；　but　it　was　hopeless：　the　King
  stood　on　tiptoe　and　looked　over　his　shoulder。　And　when
  he　saw　the　picture　of　the　maid；　so　beautiful　and　glittering
  with　gold　and　precious　stones；　he　fell　swooning　to　the
  ground。　Trusty　John　lifted　him　up；　carried　him　to　bed；
  and　thought　sorrowfully：　〃The　curse　has　come　upon　us；
  gracious　heaven！　what　will　be　the　end　of　it　all？〃　Then
  he　poured　wine　down　his　throat　till　he　came　to　himself
  again。　The　first　words　he　spoke　were：　〃Oh！　who　is　the
  original　of　the　beautiful　picture？〃　〃She　is　the　Princess
  of　the　Golden　Roof；〃　answered　Trusty　John。　Then　the
  King　continued：　〃My　love　for　her　is　so　great　that　if　all
  the　leaves　on　the　trees　had　tongues　they　could　not　express
  it；　my　very　life　depends　on　my　winning　her。　You　are
  my　most　trusty　John：　you　must　stand　by　me。〃
  The　faithful　servant　pondered　long　how　they　were　to
  set　about　the　matter；　for　it　was　said　to　be　difficult　even
  to　get　into　the　presence　of　the　Princess。　At　length　he
  hit　upon　a　plan；　and　spoke　to　the　King：　〃All　the　things
  she　has　about　hertables；　chairs；　dishes；　goblets；　bowls；
  and　all　her　household　furnitureare　made　of　gold。　You
  have　in　your　treasure　five　tons　of　gold；　let　the　goldsmiths
  of　your　kingdom　manufacture　them　into　all　manner
  of　vases　and　vessels；　into　all　sorts　of　birds　and　game
  and　wonderful　beasts；　that　will　please　her。　We　shall　go
  to　her　with　them　and　try　our　luck。〃　The　King　summoned
  all　his　goldsmiths；　and　they　had　to　work　hard
  day　and　night；　till　at　length　the　most　magnificent　things
  were　completed。　When　a　ship　had　been　laden　with　them
  the　faithful　John　disguised　himself　as　a　merchant；　and
  the　King　had　to　do　the　same；　so　that　they　should　be
  quite　unrecognizable。　And　so　they　crossed　the　seas　and
  journeyed　till　they　reached　the　town　where　the　Princess
  of　the　Golden　Roof　dwelt。
  Trusty　John　made　the　King　remain　behind　on　the
  ship　and　await　his　return。　〃Perhaps；〃　he　said；　〃I　may
  bring　the　Princess　back　with　me；　so　see　that　everything
  is　in　order；　let　the　gold　ornaments　be　arranged　and　the
  whole　ship　decorated。〃　Then　he　took　a　few　of　the　gold
  things　in　his　apron；　went　ashore；　and　proceeded　straight
  to　the　palace。　When　he　came　to　the　courtyard　he　found
  a　beautiful　maiden　standing　at　the　well；　drawing　water
  with　two　golden　pails。　And　as　she　was　about　to　carry
  away　the　glittering　water　she　turned　round　and　saw　the
  stranger；　and　asked　him　who　he　was。　Then　he　replied：
  〃I　am　a　merchant；〃　and　opening　his　apron；　he　let　her
  peep　in。　〃Oh！　my；〃　she　cried；　〃what　beautiful　gold
  wares！〃　she　set　down　her　pails；　and　examined　one　thing
  after　the　other。　Then　she　said：　〃The　Princess　must　see
  this；　she　has　such　a　fancy　for　gold　things　that　she　will
  buy　up　all　you　have。〃　She　took　him　by　the　hand　and
  let　him　into　the　palace；　for　she　was　the　lady's　maid。
  When　the　Princess　had　seen　the　wares　she　was　quite
  enchanted；　and　said：　〃They　are　all　so　beautifully　made
  that　I　shall　buy　everything　you　have。〃　But　Trusty
  John　said：　〃I　am　only　the　servant　of　a　rich　merchant；
  what　I　have　here　is　nothing　compared　to　what　my　master
  has　on　his　ship；　his　merchandise　is　more　artistic　and　costly
  than　anything　that　has　ever　been　made　in　gold　before。〃
  She　desired　to　have　everything　brought　up　to　her；　but
  he　said：　〃There　is　such　a　quantity　of　things　that　it
  would　take　many　days　to　bring　them　up；　and　they　would
  take　up　so　many　rooms　that　you　would　have　no　space
  for　them　in　your　house。〃　Thus　her　desire　and　curiosity
  were　excited　to　such　an　extent　that　at　last　she　said：
  〃Take　me　to　your　ship；　I　shall　go　there　myself　and　view
  your　master's　treasures。〃
  Then　Trusty　John　was　quite　delighted；　and　brought
  her　to　the　ship；　and　the　King；　when　he　beheld　her；　saw
  that　she　was　even　more　beautiful　than　her　picture；　and
  thought　every　moment　that　his　heart　would　burst。　She
  stepped　on　to　the　ship；　and　the　King　led　her　inside。　But
  Trusty　John　remained　behind　with　the　steersman；　and
  ordered　the　ship　to　push　off。　〃Spread　all　sail；　that　we
  may　fly　on　the　ocean　like　a　bird　in　the　air。〃　Meanwhile
  the　King　showed　the　Princess　inside　all　his　gold　wares；
  every　single　bit　of　itdishes；　goblets；　bowls；　the　birds
  and　game；　and　all　the　wonderful　beasts。　Many　hours
  passed　thus；　and　she　was　so　happy　that　she　did　not
  notice　that　the　ship　was　sailing　away。　After　she　had
  seen　the　last　thing　she　thanked　the　merchant　and
  prepared　to　go　home；　but　when　she　came　to　the　ship's　side
  she　saw　that　they　were　on　the　high　seas；　far　from　land；
  and　that　the　ship　was　speeding　on　its　way　under　full
  canvas。　〃Oh！〃　she　cried　in　terror；　〃I　am　deceived；
  carried　away　and　betrayed　into　the　power　of　a　merchant；
  I　would　rather　have　died！〃　But　the　King　seized　her
  hand　and　spake：　〃I　am　no　merchant；　but　a　king　of　as
  high　birth　as　yourself；　and　it　was　my　great　love　for　you
  that　made　me　carry　you　off　by　stratagem。　The　first
  time　I　saw　your　likeness　I　fell　to　the　ground　in　a　swoon。〃
  When　the　Princess　of　the　Golden　Roof　heard　this　she
  was　comforted；　and　her　heart　went　out　to　him；　so　that
  she　willingly　consented　to　become　his　wife。
  Now　it　happened　one　day；　while　they　were　sailing　on
  the　high　seas；　that　Trusty　John；　sitting　on　the　forepart
  of　the　ship；　fiddling　away　to　himself；　observed　three
  ravens　in　the　air　flying　toward　him。　He　ceased　playing；
  and　listened　to　what　they　were　saying；　for　he　understood
  their　language。　The　one　croaked：　〃Ah；　ha！　so　he's
  bringing　the　Princess　of　the　Golden　Roof　home。〃　〃Yes；〃
  answered　the　second；　〃but　he's　not　got　her　yet。〃　〃Yes；
  he　has；〃　spake　the　third；　〃for　she's　sitting　beside　him
  on　the　ship。〃　Then　number　one　began　again　and　cried：
  〃That'll　not　help　hi