Half an hour later the king, with his crown comfortably pushed back on
his head, and a smile very much all over his ruddy face, burst into the
queen's sitting-room. He held a tangle of golden hair in one hand and a
sheet of blue note-paper in the other.
"My dear, my dear, what do you think has happened? Here, written by her
own hand, the hand of the Princess Madge, are the happy words which
drive away all our fears. She will marry, my dear, she will marry; and
listen: she cares not what may be his rank or age or condition--he must
be a _contented_ man, that is all. Oh, what a child, what a child!"
"Oh, Rudolpho, my love, is it true? Why, why, I am so happy! Is it
really true? Do give me my fan. Yes, thank you. Fan me, dear; a little
faster. It quite took my breath away. Just to think of that! Now go at
once and issue a royal edict summoning every contented man in this
kingdom and in all the surrounding kingdoms to a grand feast here in the
palace. After the feast we will hold a trial, and the Princess Madge
shall be the judge."
Away rushed the king, the pages in waiting outside the door vainly
trying to catch the end of his fluttering robe.
The next day a cavalcade of heralds set out from the palace gates,
bearing posters which were hung in the market-place of every village for
leagues about. In blue letters on a gold ground were these words:
Ho, ye! Hear, ye! Ho, ye!
On the twenty-third day of the month now present, every
_contented_ man throughout the universe is summoned to the
court of King Rudolpho for a feast and a trial for the hand
of the Princess Madge. He among you all who is absolutely
contented shall have the princess's hand in marriage, together
with half the kingdom. Every man will be tried by the princess
herself. Every man who falls short and stands not the test
shall never again enter King Rudolpho's court.
My hand + My seal +.
RUDOLPHO, _Rex_.
The day dawned, brilliant and glorious. How the contented men jostled
each other, and frowned at each other, and scolded each other as
they thronged through the palace gates! They all gathered in the
banquet-hall, where a wonderful feast was spread--a roasted ox, with
wild boar and lamb and turkey and peacock, and a hundred kinds of
fruit, and fifty kinds of ice-water; but as a dinner-party it was not a
success. Conversation was dull, each man glowered at his neighbor, and
all seemed eager to finish the feast and begin the trial.
Finally it was over, and five hundred and fifty contented men assembled
in the royal court-room. The king and queen were seated on their
thrones, but the princess was nowhere to be seen. There was a moment of
breathless waiting--then suddenly a door at the side of the court-room
opened and the Princess Madge, carrying Pussy Willow, entered and was
followed by her train-bearers and maids of honor. She wore a wonderful
gown all white and gold down the front, with the foamiest of sea-foam
green trains hanging from her shoulders away out behind her. Slowly,
majestically, she walked across the room, and stopped before a table on
which lay a golden gavel. A quick tap of the gavel silenced the little
murmur that had arisen at her entrance. The king glanced at the queen,
and they both smiled with pride in their stately daughter. The princess
tapped again and began:
"Princes, baronets, honorables, commons of this kingdom and our
neighboring kingdoms, I bid you welcome. You have come to sue for my
hand and my fortune. I know full well, my noble men, that if I asked
it you would gladly give me some great proof of your bravery and
goodness--but I ask you to take no risk and make no sacrifice. I merely
wish to know whether I can find in any of you that secret of all true
courage and happiness--contentment. Now let every man of you who is
contented, _thoroughly contented_, rise. Remember, there are no degrees
in contentment; it is absolute."
The black-robed throng arose--some eagerly, some impatiently, some
disdainfully, some few slowly and thoughtfully, but they all stood and
waited in utter silence.
[Illustration: THE PRINCESS MADGE ENTERS]
"As I put the test question, if there is any one who cannot answer it,
let him go quietly out through yonder door and never again show his
discontented face in this court. You say you are contented--happy,
unselfish, and satisfied with what the gods have given you. Answer me
this! Why, then, do you scowl and jostle one another? Why do you want to
marry any one--least of all, a princess with half the riches of a great
kingdom as a dowry, to spoil your happiness? Greedy fortune-hunters! Do
you call that contentment?"
The contented men stood a moment in baffled silence, then turned, one
and all, and slowly marched out of the room. As the door closed upon the
last one of the disappointed suitors, the princess picked up her pretty
kitten and, turning to her father and mother, said:
"Would you have me marry one of _those_? Why, they aren't half so
contented as a common, everyday pussy-cat. Good-by!" And she laughed a
merry laugh, threw a kiss at the astonished king and queen, and ran from
the room.