do tell us ! ' cried they all . And when they had settled themselves comfortably , the city swallow began : ` You must know , then that our king fell in love with the youngest daughter of a tailor , who was as good and gentle as she was beautiful . His nobles hoped that he would have chosen a queen from one of their daughters , and tried to prevent the marriage ; but the king would not listen to them , and it took place . Not many months later a war broke out , and the king rode away at the head of his army , while the queen remained behind , very unhappy at the separation . When peace was made , and the king returned , he was told that his wife had had two babies in his absence , but that both were dead ; that she herself had gone out of her mind and was obliged to be shut up in a tower in the mountains , where , in time , the fresh air might cure her . ' ` And was this not true ? ' asked the swallows eagerly . ` Of course not , ' answered the city lady , with some contempt for their stupidity . ` The children were alive at that very moment in the gardener 's cottage ; but at night the chamberlain came down and put them in a cradle of crystal , which he carried to the river . ` For a whole day they floated safely , for though the stream was deep it was very still , and the children took no harm . In the morning -- so I am told by my friend the kingfisher -- they were rescued by a fisherman who lived near the river bank . ' The children had been lying on the bench , listening lazily to the chatter up to this point ; but when they heard the story of the crystal cradle which their foster-mother had always been fond of telling them , they sat upright and looked at each other . ` Oh , how glad I am I learnt the birds ' language ! ' said the eyes of one to the eyes of the other . Meanwhile the swallows had spoken again . ` That was indeed good fortune ! ' cried they . ` And when the children are grown up they can return to their father and set their mother free . ' ` It will not be so easy as you think , ' answered the city swallow , shaking her head ; ` for they will have to prove that they are the king 's children , and also that their mother never went mad at all .
In fact , it is so difficult that there is only one way XXXXX proving it to the king . '
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