So he ordered the merchants to be brought before him , and when they came he said : ` You have travelled much and visited many wonders . I wish to ask you a question , and I beg you to answer truthfully . ` Have you anywhere seen or heard of the daughter of an emperor , king , or a prince , who is as clever and as handsome as I am , and who would be worthy to be my wife and the queen of my country ? ' The merchants considered for some time . At last the eldest of them said : ' I have heard that across many seas , in the Island of Busan , there is a mighty king , whose daughter , the Princess Helena , is so lovely that she can certainly not be plainer than your Majesty , and so clever that the wisest greybeard can not guess her riddles . ' ` Is the island far off , and which is the way to it ? ' ` It is not near , ' was the answer . ` The journey would take ten years , and we do not know the way . And even if we did , what use would that be ? The princess is no bride for you . ' ` How dare you say so ? ' cried the king angrily . ` Your Majesty must pardon us ; but just think for a moment . Should you send an envoy to the island he will take ten years to get there and ten more to return -- twenty years in all . Will not the princess have grown old in that time and have lost all her beauty ? ' The king reflected gravely . Then he thanked the merchants , gave them leave to trade in his country without paying any duties , and dismissed them . After they were gone the king remained deep in thought . He felt puzzled and anxious ; so he decided to ride into the country to distract his mind , and sent for his huntsmen and falconers . The huntsmen blew their horns , the falconers took their hawks on their wrists , and off they all set out across country till they came to a green hedge .
On the other side XXXXX the hedge stretched a great field of maize as far as the eye could reach , and the yellow ears swayed to and fro in the gentle breeze like a rippling sea of gold .
After So as for if in of off on to