was the proper way to behave on such a grand occasion. Then Rosimond asked him how many sons he had.
‘Two,’ replied he.
‘I wish to see them,’ said Rosimond. ‘Send for them at once. I desire to take them both to Court, in order to make their fortunes.’
The father hesitated, then answered: ‘Here is the eldest, whom I have the honour to present to your Highness.’
‘But where is the youngest? I wish to see him too,’ persisted Rosimond.
‘He is not here,’ said the father. ‘I had to punish him for a fault, and he has run away.’
Then Rosimond replied, ‘You should have shown him what was right, but not have punished him. However, let the elder come with me, and as for you, follow these two guards, who will escort you to a place that I will point out to them.’
Then the two guards led off the father, and the Fairy of whom you have heard found him in the forest, and beat him with a golden birch rod, and cast him into a cave that was very deep and dark, where he lay enchanted. ‘Lie there,’ she said, ‘till your son comes to take you out again.’
Meanwhile the son went to the King’s palace, and arrived just when the real prince was absent. He had sailed away to make war on a distant island, but the winds had been contrary, and he had been shipwrecked on unknown shores, and taken captive by a savage people. Rosimond made his appearance at Court in the character of the Prince, whom everyone wept for as lost, and told them that he had been rescued when at the point of death by some merchants. His return was the signal for great public rejoicings, and the King was so overcome that he became quite speechless, and did nothing but embrace his son. The Queen was even more delighted, and fêtes were ordered over the whole kingdom,
One day the false Prince said to his real brother, ‘Bramintho, you know that I brought you here from your native village in order to make your fortune; but I have found out that you are a liar, and that by your deceit you have been the cause of all the troubles of your brother Rosimond. He is in hiding here, and I desire that you shall speak to him, and listen to his reproaches.’
Bramintho trembled at these words, and, flinging himself at the Prince’s feet, confessed his crime.
‘That is not enough,’ said Rosimond. ‘It is to your brother that
