his guard, who came in quickly and seized John the True.
When the King saw who it was he asked John if he had any explanation of his conduct, and John said:
"That I may not say."
"This is more than I can bear," said the King. Perhaps love has turned thy brain."
And turning to the captain of his guard, the King said, "Let him be executed in the morning in our presence."
When the morning came everything was ready for John's execution, when he stood forth and said to the King:
"If your Majesty wills, I will explain my conduct."
"So be it," said the King; "I trust thou wilt prove that thou art indeed John the True."
And John the True told the King and the Queen and the courtiers all that had occurred and what he had heard from the ravens, and how he had saved the life of the King and the Queen by wounding the dragon on the preceding night. But as he told why he killed the horse his legs became marble up to the knees. And when he explained why he had dashed the poisoned wine-cup from the King's hand, the marble came up to his waist. And when he explained how he had turned the dragon from the bridal chamber, his whole body became marble from head to foot.
