CHAPTER XVIII.
When they had granted this to the girl she went with them. Afterwards they came into a city in which was the castle of a very famous prince, who had a house for the reception of guests. Hither they went to tarry; but the girl went and gained entrance to the wife of the prince, and finding her weeping and sad, she asked the cause of her weeping. Wonder not at my weeping, said she, for I am oppressed with a great sorrow, which I have not yet ventured to tell to anyone. Perhaps, said the girl, if you make it known and reveal it to me, I shall have a remedy for it. The wife of the prince answered, Hide it then, and tell this secret to no one. I am married to this prince, who is a king, and in whose dominion are many cities; I lived with him a long time, but he never had a son by me. But when at last I bore a son he was a leper, so he turned away from the sight of him, and said to me, Either kill him, or give him to a nurse to bring him up in some place whence no tidings of him shall ever come. Now I am a stranger to thee, and I shall never see thee again. Hence am I perplexed and oppressed with sorrow. Alas, my son! Alas, my husband! Have I not told thee, said the girl, I have found a remedy for thy affliction? which I will show thee. For I was also leprous, but God, which is Jesus, son of lady Mary,
