army, and kill, wound, or take captive him and all his people. He sent in all directions for men and arms: he ordered cannon to be cast. Everybody trembled with fear. They said, "With whom is he going to war? He will give him no quarter." "When everything was ready, he marched towards the country of King Joyeux, who at this bad news speedily took measures for his defence. The Queen was frightened to death, and crying said, "Sire, we must fly—let us collect as much money as we can, and go to the other end of the world." The King replied, "Fie, Madam, I have too much courage for that. It is better to die than be branded as a coward." He assembled all his men-at-arms, took an affectionate farewell of his wife, mounted his beautiful horse, and departed. When she lost sight of him, she began to weep sadly, and clasping her hands together, said, "Alas! if I should have an infant, and the King should be killed in battle, I shall be a widow and a prisoner, and the wicked King will inflict a thousand cruelties upon me. This thought prevented her from eating and sleeping. She wrote to him every day; but one morning, looking from the battlements, she saw a courier coming at full speed. She called to him, "Ho, Courier, ho! What news?" "The King is dead," said he; "the battle is lost; the wicked King will be here immediately." The poor Queen swooned, and they carried her to bed. All her ladies were around her, crying one for her father, another for her son, and tearing their hair: it was the most distressing thing in the world. All on a sudden they heard cries of "Murder! Thieves!" It was the wicked King, who had arrived with all his wretched followers, killing every one they met with. He entered the Royal Palace in complete armour, and ascended to the Queen's chamber. When she saw him enter, she was so frightened that she hid herself in the bed, and pulled the counterpane over her head. He called to her two or three times, but she never spoke a word. He grew angry, and said very fiercely, "Dost thou make sport of me! dost know that I might strangle thee instantly?" He pulled the bed-clothes off her, and tore off her cap: her beautiful hair fell all about her shoulders; he twisted it three times round his hand, and threw her over his shoulders like a sack of corn; he carried her thus down-stairs, and mounted with her upon his large black horse. She entreated him to have
