Part 6 (1/2)
”I believe I'd almost be willing to be pretty again,” said Linda Branca to herself. ”Perhaps it has some advantages.”
She knew very well that the pretty maid was not as tired as she that night.
The next day there was to be a great feast which was to last for two days. Linda Branca asked the queen if she might be allowed to attend.
”Ask my son,” said the queen. ”It is he who rules here.”
”May I go to the feast?” asked Linda Branca when she was blacking the king's boots.
”Look out or I'll throw my boot at you,” said the king.
That night when the feast had already begun, she dressed herself carefully in the robe of blue trimmed with silver. It was indeed a pleasure to remove the ugly mask and find that she was still just as lovely as when the crowds of suitors sang about her great beauty.
That night at the feast every one talked about the beauty of the mysterious stranger in the dress of blue trimmed with silver. The king himself danced with her. He was completely captivated by her charm.
”Where do you come from, lovely lady?” he asked.
”I come from the land of the boot,” replied Linda Branca with a gay laugh.
The king was completely mystified, for he did not know where the land of the boot was. He asked the queen and all the wis.e.m.e.n of the court, but there was not a single one of them who had ever heard of that country. The next day they hunted through all the books and all the maps, but there was no book or map which mentioned it.
”She is the most beautiful maiden I have ever seen!” cried the king.
”I'd like to marry her, but how can I ever see her again if I can't find out the location of the land she comes from!”
He was in deep despair, and every one in the royal palace was nearly distracted. It was decidedly embarra.s.sing to have the king fall in love with a stranger from a country n.o.body could find on a map or in a book.
When the king returned from the feast he saw the ugly little maid he had hired busy at her work about the palace. The next day she again asked the queen's permission to go to the feast that night.
”Ask my son,” was the queen's reply.
When Linda Branca asked the king's permission, he replied: ”Look out or I'll hit you with my hairbrush.”
That night Linda Branca again removed her ugly mask and dressed herself in the beautiful gown of blue embroidered in gold. She was even lovelier than the night before.
When she entered the grand ball room the king was almost wild with joy.
He ran to her side at once and kept dancing with her the entire evening.
”What country do you come from?” he asked again.
”I'm from the land of the hairbrush,” replied Linda Branca.
”Where is that land?” asked the king, but Linda Branca would not tell him.
”Where is the land of the hairbrush?” asked the king of the queen mother, and of all the wise men of the court.
n.o.body could tell him, and n.o.body could find the land of the hairbrush upon any map or in any book.
”Stupid ones!” cried the king. ”I don't believe you have half tried to find it!”