The king was at dinner with his court when the young man entered , and he signed to him to come near . The youth bowed low , and then gazed in surprise at the crowd of little black creatures who were running about the floor , and even on the table itself . Indeed , they were so bold that they snatched pieces of food from the King 's own plate , and if he drove them away , tried to bite his hands , so that he could not eat his food , and his courtiers fared no better . ` What sort of animals are these ? ' asked the youth of one of the ladies sitting near him . ` They are called rats , ' answered the king , who had overheard the question , ` and for years we have tried some way of putting an end to them , but it is impossible . They come into our very beds . ' At this moment something was seen flying through the air . The cat was on the table , and with two or three shakes a number of rats were lying dead round him . Then a great scuffling of feet was heard , and in a few minutes the hall was clear . For some minutes the King and his courtiers only looked at each other in astonishment . ` What kind of animal is that which can work magic of this sort ? ' asked he . And the young man told him that it was called a cat , and that he had bought it for six shillings . And the King answered : ` Because of the luck you have brought me , in freeing my palace from the plague which has tormented me for many years , I will give you the choice of two things . Either you shall be my Prime Minister , or else you shall marry my daughter and reign after me . Say , which shall it be ? ' ` The princess and the kingdom , ' said the young man . And so it was . -LSB- From Islandische Marchen . -RSB-
The Prince Who Would Seek Immortality Once upon a time , in the very middle of the middle of a large kingdom , there was a town , and in the town a palace , and XXXXX the palace a king .
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