They were thrown into separate dungeons, in default of bail. Not many days elapsed, however, before they were brought forth to be tried by the grand tribunal. The king sat upon a chair of state, with a learned judge at each side, to decide the extraordinary cases that were brought before him. Peter and Catherine were led up to the bar, the latter calm and collected, the former weeping bitterly, and continually crying, "if I had but minded her! if I had but minded her!" This doleful cry, which was continued in spite of the violent vociferations of "order in the court!" at length aroused the king's curiosity, and he inquired what he meant. Amid many sobs, Peter contrived to tell the king the whole story. "Had I minded," said he, in conclusion, "when she advised me not to take the cup to the baron; had I minded when she advised me not to receive it back again; or, had I minded when she advised me to leave Kaboutermannekensburg, I had never gotten myself into this trouble--miserable wretch that I am!" Here he commenced sobbing afresh with great vehemence. The king put on his spectacles and looked at Catherine. "Faith!" said he, "thou art much wiser than most girls of thy age, and--ahem! very pretty, too, I vow!" Then, turning to the baron, "Prefer your charge, baron," said he. Hereupon the baron told how Catherine had given him the goose for her father's freedom and the golden cup, and how she had sworn that every egg it should lay would be of pure gold. "Well," said the king, "did she forswear herself?" "N-no, not exactly," hesitated the baron. "I said that every egg it laid for you should be of pure gold, did I not?" said Kate to the baron. "Yes, you did," snarled the baron, whose anger was commencing to boil. "And I say again," said Kate, calmly, "that every egg it lays for you _shall_ be of pure gold." "Well, then, what _is_ the matter?" said the king, scratching his nose in great perplexity. [Illustration: "THE KING SAT UPON A CHAIR OF STATE, WITH A LEARNED JUDGE AT EACH SIDE."] "Why, your majesty," bellowed the baron, losing all control of himself, "_it is a gander_!" The king burst into a roar of laughter. "Faith!" said he, turning to Kate, "thou art the shrewdest maiden in the world." Then, to the baron: "The maid was right, and every egg the goose lays shall be of pure gold." And so Baron Von Dunderhead and his case were dismissed. Catherine had made a great impression upon the king, both on account of her shrewdness and beauty; so, being a jolly monarch, he conceived the notion of marrying her to the heir apparent. The heir apparent had no objection, and so the ceremony was consummated with great state. Even to this day the good folk of the kingdom of Kaboutermannekensburg look back with longing to the time when Catherine the Wise was queen, and ruled not only her husband, but his kingdom also. As for Peter, he was appointed lord chief justice, for one did not have to be very wise to be a judge in those days.