1
Once upon a time, in a dainty little kingdom all parks and rivers
and cottages and flowers, there lived a jolly, red-faced king named
Rudolpho. Every one of his subjects loved him, the surrounding kings
were his loyal friends, and the neighboring kingdoms were on the best
of terms with him. Indeed, they had a happy way, these old kings, of
exchanging thrones for a week now and then, just as some preachers
nowadays exchange pulpits--to prove, I suppose, how very good their own
is, after all. This king about whom I am telling you was fat, of course,
and looked very like our good friend Santa Claus.
Yet, strange as it may seem, with all these blessings--a rich kingdom,
faithful subjects, and a loving wife--this good king was not happy.
There was one cloud, a very pretty silver-edged cloud, but yet a cloud,
which hung just in front of the sun of his happiness and cast a great
big shadow.
The king had a daughter, the Princess Madge, his only child; and though
she was obedient in everything else, she just wouldn't, _wouldn't_,
marry. Now the king was very anxious for her to marry and settle down on
the throne, because he was growing old. Every morning for three weeks,
just before breakfast, he had had three separate twinges of pain. The
queen said it was because of his rheumatism, but he knew better; he was
sure that it was old age, and it made him very eager to have the kingdom
in the hands of the new son-in-law king before he died.
Of course there were plenty of princes and dukes and barons and lords
who would gladly have wedded the pretty princess for her own sweet sake
alone, to say nothing of the prospect of being king some day, but she
wouldn't have one of them. There was not a man in the kingdom nor in any
of the surrounding kingdoms who suited her capricious fancy. Princes of
haughty mien, princes of gentle manner, handsome princes, ugly princes,
tall princes, short princes, fat princes, lean princes, had been
introduced at the court, had been encouraged by the king and queen, and
had sought to gain her favor. She had been showered with gifts of rare
flowers and precious stones, and had received thousands of little
letters smelling of perfume; but from prince, from jewels, and from
written vows of love she turned away with the same cheerful
determination.
A princess is a lonely little body, you know, and custom was so rigid in
the time of the Princess Madge that she had no one to talk to excepting
Pussy Willow, the royal kitten. She had no brother, no sister, no
cousin, and no dearest friend. She didn't even have a chance to speak
freely to her own father and mother. It is true, she took breakfast with
them every morning at eleven in the great breakfast-room, but the
butlers and waiters and pages and flunkies were always standing about,
with their ears pricked up and their eyes bulging out, so that no one
dared whisper a secret or have even the jolliest little family quarrel.
It is true her royal mama came at precisely ten o'clock to kiss her good
night every evening, but there were always a dozen maids and ladies in
waiting, and it was impossible to have a real good talk. But Pussy
Willow was her constant companion, and to Pussy she told everything.
That friendly cat was the only living thing in the whole kingdom that
really knew that the princess intended to marry sometime. That was what
worried the king and queen so much; Madge made them believe that she
would never marry any one, never, _never_, NEVER, but would live alone
to the end of her days and leave the kingdom to any one who wished for
it.
[Illustration: "Came at precisely ten o'clock to kiss her good-night"]
"Pussy, I wouldn't tell a story to the king and queen for the world, but
isn't it fun to see them take on so? If I really thought that papa was
ill and likely to die, I would be as good as gold; but those little
pains of his are only rheumatism, I am sure, so I don't mind teasing
him just a little. You know, Pussy, that when my ideal comes--oh, you
needn't look up and blink in such surprise, for I really have an ideal,
and I will tell you all about him!" Whereupon Pussy shook her head till
her gold-bell necklace tinkled loudly, then she yawned a little and
began to wash her face. She looked very wise as she sat there stroking
her whiskers and thumping thoughtfully on the floor with her bunchy
tail. After thinking thus seriously for a few minutes, she suddenly
began a sympathetic little purr-song which seemed to say:
"Go on, little mistress; I am all ready to listen, and I'll not tell a
soul." Then Princess Madge continued:
"I don't care whether he is prince or pauper, high or low, handsome or
plain; but he must in any case be contented. You know what contented
means, Pussy--satisfied with what he has until he deserves and can get
something better. If he is like that he will always be unselfish and
happy. Oh, yes, and I shall be happy, too. Now I am going to write a
letter to papa and tell him that I will marry if he will find me a
contented man."
Quick as thought, the princess opened her rose-wood and gold desk, drew
out some paper with her crest on it and a jeweled pen, and wrote
daintily and carefully. It took her a very long time, Pussy Willow
thought.
"Now, kitty, listen; I will read it to you:
"To his Majesty the King, from her Royal Highness, the Princess
Madge.
"DEAR OLD PAPA: I have at last decided to be married if you can
find a man to suit me. Now read, my dear papa, and remember
that this decision is final. I will marry the first contented
man you can find, no matter who he is. Read this little poem;
it is my guiding star at this very serious time:
"'There is a jewel which no Indian mine can buy,
No chemic art can counterfeit.
It makes men rich in greatest poverty,
Makes water wine, turns wooden cups to gold.
Seldom it comes, to few from heaven sent,
That much in little, all in naught--_content_.'
"What I have written, I have written.
"Your own MADGE.
"That sounds very well, doesn't it, Pussy? I am going to fold it so, and
so, then cut off a strand of my hair--see, Pussy, it is nearly a yard
long, and it will go around and around this letter and tie in a great
golden knot. When the king sees that he will know it is very important.
Now I will go to the door and tell the page to run with this to papa,
and then--oh, I wonder what he will say!"
She ran to the door, spoke a few words to the page who stood just
outside, then returned to the great cushioned chair by the window. Pussy
climbed into her lap. They both winked a few times and blinked a few
times and then fell fast asleep.