“The king was in great good humour that day, for his dinner had pleased him particularly well and he praised the steward for his excellent catering, but the steward, who had kept the figs back as a surprise, smiled knowingly and quoted several wise saws--‘All’s well that ends well,’ ‘A fine evening may sometimes follow a dull day,’ and so on, until the princesses, becoming curious, questioned him eagerly as to what he had still to set before them. [Illustration: _“Good gracious, Father,” cried the Princess, “whatever is the matter with you?”_ (P. 84.)] “Then with a smile of triumph he set the figs upon the table. “There was a general exclamation of ‘Oh!’ from everyone seated round. “‘What delicious-looking fruit,’ cried the king. ‘How ripe, how luscious! Steward, you have indeed proved yourself to be a first-rate fellow.’ “As he spoke he drew the dish of fruit towards him and began dealing out the dainty with a sparing hand, for he was inclined to be a little greedy. “To the princes and princesses he gave two each, but the ladies-in-waiting and the courtiers received but one a-piece, and then the king set himself to finish the fruit left over. “‘Good gracious, father,’ cried the Princess Amarza suddenly, ‘whatever is the matter with you? You look most peculiar.’ “Everyone stared at the king in astonishment, for he had a couple of enormous ears and a great big nose that stretched far beyond his chin. Next they all began to look at one another in horror and surprise for, more or less, according to the quantity of fruit they had eaten, were they adorned with large nose and ears. “Imagine the consternation that took possession of the whole court! “From far and near doctors were sent for, and they ordered all sorts of pills and draughts, but without avail--they could not reduce the size of the noses and ears of the victims, and even an operation upon one of the princes failed, for no sooner were his nose and ears cut off than they grew again. “Mouk heard from his hiding place the news of the great disaster that had overtaken the court, and deemed that the time had come for him to bargain. With the money he had obtained for the figs he had purchased a fresh disguise, and now, clad in black robes and wearing a long white beard of goat’s hairs, he approached the palace and introduced himself as a foreign doctor of repute, and offered his services to relieve the king and his court of their strange encumbrances. “At first no one paid much heed to him, but one of the princes, having eaten one of the figs he brought as an antidote, speedily felt his nose and ears resume their original size, so then everyone came thronging round him to be cured. “Last of all came the king, and, taking him by the hand, led him into his treasure-chamber and bade him choose whatever he would if he would only free him from the shameful calamity that had overtaken him.