THE CHASTISED QUEEN
There was once a king honest as gold, strong and bold as Samson. Every morning, after mass, he gave great alms, and did good justice to the poor as well as to the rich. Unfortunately, the queen hardly resembled him. Never have we seen, never will we see a more miserly and meaner woman.
The king and queen had only one son. Until the age of twenty-one, his father watched him closely. At the slightest fault, he summoned him to his side.
"Listen," he said to him. "When I am dead, you will command in my place. Then there will be no one to chastise you. As long as I'm at it, I'll do my duty."
And the king took a stick and struck with great force. This done, he sent his son to prison, to sleep on the ground, with water to drink, with black bread to eat. This is why the young man quickly became so wise, so honest, that everyone said:
“The son is worth the father, and the father is worth the son. When the king is dead, we know who will keep the land in justice and peace."
One evening, at the end of supper, the king said to his son:
"Listen. I love you, because you are wise, just, strong and bold. Tomorrow you will be twenty-one. I am old. Soon, I will make you king in my place. In the meantime, take all the horses, all the dogs, all the money you want. Hunt, run the popular feasts, and have a good time. In six months, I want you to be married. Choose a brave girl to your liking. I won't be happy until I see her command as mistress at the castle.
“Thank you, father. You will be obeyed."
The queen listened silently. But she thought:
“Oh! In six months, I will no longer be mistress at the chateau. We will see."
After supper, she took her son aside.
“Listen, my son. Hunt, run the popular feasts, and have a good time. But you're still too young to get married. Take mistresses. Pretty girls abound."
The young man lowered his head, without answering. The next day he left for the hunt before dawn, and did not return until nightfall. Every day, the same life began again. The king was not happy, and very often he said:
“My son, you come home every evening loaded with hares and partridges. When will you bring us, all alive, a brave and pretty daughter-in-law?"
“Be patient, father. No hurry."
Finally, the king could bear it no longer.
“Oh!" he thought, "you don't want to choose a wife. Well ! I will choose one for you."
Indeed, seven days later, the king of a neighboring country arrived on a visit to the castle, with his daughter, a princess beautiful as the day, and wise as a saint. The princess sang like a siren all kinds of songs. So the king's son forgot the hunt. From morning to evening, he remained seated near the beautiful princess.
“Sing, princess. Sing again."
And the young girl was singing, so softly, so softly, that the boy said to himself, looking at her:
"She will be my wife. Otherwise, I am capable of making great misfortunes."
Finally, the visitors returned to their castle. Then the boy became very sad. But the old king had never been so pleased.
"So off they go," he said, "in the evening at supper. God leads them, and grant that they do not return for a long time."
The young man turned pale as death.
“Father, please don’t talk like that any more. I love the princess more than I can tell you. If you refuse her to me as a wife, I am capable of causing great misfortunes."
"Idiot! The agreements are made. So you don't understand it? Tomorrow evening, we are all leaving for their castle. In a week, I want her to order here."
“Thank you, father. May the Good Lord bless you!"
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