` It was given me , royal majesty , by my mistress , ' replied Catherine . ` That is not true , ' said the king , ` and if you do not tell me the truth I will have your head cut off this instant . ' So Catherine told him the whole story , and how she had once been as rich as he . Now there lived at the court a wise woman , and she said to Catherine , ` You have suffered much , my poor girl , but at length your luck has turned , and I know by the weighing of the scales through the crown that you will die a queen . ' ` So she shall , ' cried the king , who overheard these words ; ` she shall die my queen , for she is more beautiful than all the ladies of the court , and I will marry no one else . ' And so it fell out . The king sent back the bride he had promised to wed to her own country , and the same Catherine was queen at the marriage feast instead , and lived happy and contented to the end of her life . How the Hermit Helped to Win the King 's Daughter Sicilianische Mahrchen Long ago there lived a very rich man who had three sons . When he felt himself to be dying he divided his property between them , making them share alike , both in money and lands . Soon after he died the king set forth a proclamation through the whole country that whoever could build a ship that should float both on land and sea should have his daughter to wife . The eldest brother , when he heard it , said to the other , ' I think I will spend some of my money in trying to build that ship , as I should like to have the king for my father-in-law . ' So he called together all the shipbuilders in the land , and gave them orders to begin the ship without delay . And trees were cut down , and great preparations made , and in a few days everybody knew what it was all for ; and there was a crowd of old people pressing round the gates of the yard , where the young man spent the most of his day . ` Ah , master , give us work , ' they said , ` so that we may earn our bread . ' But he only gave them hard words , and spoke roughly to them . ` You are old , and have lost your strength ; of what use are you ? ' And he drove them away . Then came some boys and prayed him , `` master , give us work , ' but he answered them , ` Of what use can you be , weaklings as you are ! Get you gone ! ' And if any presented themselves that were not skilled workmen he would have none of them .
At last there knocked at the gate a little old XXXXX with a long white beard , and said , ` Will you give me work , so that I may earn my bread ? '
crowd king land luck man preparations share strength truth use