Immediately he planned to build a spacious house from carefully selected wood. For the stout rafters he choose heavy English oak and for the floors, smooth Norwegian pine. Beautiful pillars of palmetto were raised to hold the roof, made of cypress shingles and strengthened by oaken eaves and carved gargoyles. After the house was completed, the floors were covered with curious palm-matting, dyed crimson by the stain of tropical logwood. The rooms were furnished with rich chairs, tables, and couches made from rosewood, black walnut, and fragrant sandal-wood. Nothing was lacking in this home of beauty and comfort. The merry prince examined his house with great pride. "Now," said he, "I mean to give a ball, and show his majesty, the king, what luxury is mine even though he left me nothing but the precious trees to furnish my house, clothing, and larder!" Accordingly, invitations were sent to the royal family, and many knights and ladies of high degree. The king was very much surprised to receive word from his banished son. "'Tis a huge joke," said his majesty. "However, we'll accept the invitation, and see what sport the prodigal can offer us." On the night of the ball the prince was dressed in a superb robe, made from the fiber of the cocoa-tree; his fine dancing shoes were made of caoutchouc, and on his brow he wore a coronet of laurel leaves. With princely grace he received the king, knights, and ladies in a large hall brilliantly lighted with candlenuts in sconces. The rooms were fragrant with pink apple-blossoms from Maine, and rich magnolia and orange blossoms from the Southland. The king and his train could not hide their astonishment at the superb beauty of the rooms and decorations. "I wonder what the scapegoat will offer us to eat?" whispered the king to the High Chancellor. "Providing refreshment from trees will tax his wits more than building and furnishing a house," answered the chancellor, smiling. It was not long before the guests were invited into the dining room, where a sumptuous feast awaited them. His majesty looked with astonishment at the variety of luscious fruit heaped on large wooden platters curiously carved. Some of them held the products of the North,—apples, pears, plums, cherries, grapes, and peaches. Others were filled with tempting fruit from the South,—bananas, oranges, pomegranates, figs, dates, ripe olives, juicy soursops, and creamy durions. Delicious breadfruit, from the tropics, and rich cassava cakes from Java were served with luscious guava jam. Beautiful wooden bowls held almonds, English walnuts, filberts, pecans, chestnuts, Chinese nuts, and Brazilian creams. Dainty wicker baskets held sweets made of maple sugar cream covered with chocolate or cocoanut. The king declared that the grape juice and sweet pear cider were daintier than any wine he had ever tasted. After the feast was ended the prince, with merry, twinkling eyes, said to his father: "See what a man banishment has made of me!"