Children -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Children's stories; Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction
Then the young girl took the rest of the draught, and was immediately
relieved.
"Ah! I am better," she exclaimed. "I feel my strength returning.
Thanks! thanks! my benefactor!"
The next day Lovallec presented her with the heart of the frog, cooked
according to the Lion's directions.
"Eat this meat," the young man said, "and all your troubles will be
over."
Then the sick girl ate bravely of the queer morsel, and was
immediately restored to health.
"My father! my father!" she cried, "here is your daughter who is
restored to you. See my bright eyes and my rosy cheeks." Then she
laughed and sang, and with a smile she again thanked her benefactor.
The old King was nearly crazed with joy, and more than once he went
to the young man and embraced him; but that seemed insufficient as an
expression of the gratitude that he owed the doctor, and he was loaded
with presents of all sorts. He had caskets of gold, precious stones,
villages and castles, and more riches than he could wish for. One day
the King said to him:
"My son, I want to give you my daughter's hand in marriage, and my
crown, if you will accept it."
"Your Majesty," said Lovallec, "permit me to think over your
proposition. I desire to return to a foreign country to arrange my
affairs, and later I can give you an answer."
"Go, my son," said the King, "but return quickly. The hours seem long
to those who love and wait."
The young man went away that very day. Where he was going he alone
knew, but his horses seemed to know where his heart turned, and he soon
found himself on the way to Offemborough, where one poor woman had
had pity on him. It was not long before he had reached the end of his
journey. He stopped at the best hotel and had a magnificent dinner set
before him. After dining he said to the landlord:
"My friend, what is new in the city?"
"Nothing," said the landlord, "except that the marvellous palace,
built for the saviour of this city has been completed."
"What is his name?" inquired Lovallec.
"Alas! no one knows," said the landlord. "He was merely passing through
this land to a foreign country, where he had other good deeds to
perform. When he returns we hope to have him remain with us, and it is
our purpose to give him the most beautiful woman of the country for his
bride."
"Good-night, good-night," said Lovallec, with a smile, and went to bed.
But the news of his arrival spread through the village, and on all
sides the grateful people came to see him and congratulate him. The
mayor of the town called on him, made a beautiful speech, and invited
him to take possession of the marvellous palace.
"What will I do with it?" asked Lovallec. "I am alone and have no
family."
"Then get you a wife," said the mayor.
"You are right," said Lovallec. "To-morrow I will choose me a wife from
the beautiful girls of this village."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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