` Who can tell how useful it may be ? ' A little while after this grand preparations were made for the king 's marriage , and all the tailors in the town were busy embroidering fine clothes . The wedding garment was so beautiful nothing like it had ever been seen before , but when it was almost finished the tailor found that he had no more silk . The colour was very rare , and none could be found like it , and the king made a proclamation that if anyone happened to possess any they should bring it to the court , and he would give them a large sum . ` Catherine ! ' exclaimed the lady , who had been to the tailors and seen the wedding garment , ` your ball of silk is exactly the right colour . Bring it to the king , and you can ask what you like for it . ' Then Catherine put on her best clothes and went to the court , and looked more beautiful than any woman there . ` May it please your majesty , ' she said , ' I have brought you a ball of silk of the colour you asked for , as no one else has any in the town . ' ` Your majesty , ' asked one of the courtiers , ` shall I give the maiden its weight in gold ? ' The king agreed , and a pair of scales were brought ; and a handful of gold was placed in one scale and the silken ball in the other . But lo ! let the king lay in the scales as many gold pieces as he would , the silk was always heavier still . Then the king took some larger scales , and heaped up all his treasures on one side , but the silk on the other outweighed them all . At last there was only one thing left that had not been put in , and that was his golden crown . And he took it from his head and set it on top of all , and at last the scale moved and the ball had founds its balance . ` Where got you this silk ? ' asked the king . ` It was given me , royal majesty , by my mistress , ' replied Catherine . ` That is not true , ' said the king , ` and if you do not tell me the truth I will have your head cut off this instant . '
So Catherine told him the whole story , and how she had once been as rich XXXXX he .
At as before by like of on than that to