The foot only grew worse and worse , and became daily more swollen and painful . After everyone had tried his own particular cure , and found it fail , there came news of a wonderful doctor in some distant land who had healed the most astonishing diseases . On inquiring , it was found that he never left the walls of his own city , and expected his patients to come to see him ; but , by dint of offering a large sum of money , the king persuaded the famous physician to undertake the journey to his own court . On his arrival the doctor was led at once into the king 's presence , and made a careful examination of his foot . ` Alas ! your majesty , ' he said , when he had finished , ` the wound is beyond the power of man to heal ; but though I can not cure it , I can at least deaden the pain , and enable you to walk without so much suffering . ' ` Oh , if you can only do that , ' cried the king , ' I shall be grateful to you for life ! Give your own orders ; they shall be obeyed . ' ` Then let your majesty bid the royal shoemaker make you a shoe of goat-skin very loose and comfortable , while I prepare a varnish to paint over it of which I alone have the secret ! ' So saying , the doctor bowed himself out , leaving the king more cheerful and hopeful than he had been for long . The days passed very slowly with him during the making of the shoe and the preparation of the varnish , but on the eighth morning the physician appeared , bringing with him the shoe in a case . He drew it out to slip on the king 's foot , and over the goat-skin he had rubbed a polish so white that the snow itself was not more dazzling . ` While you wear this shoe you will not feel the slightest pain , ' said the doctor . ` For the balsam with which I have rubbed it inside and out has , besides its healing balm , the quality of strengthening the material it touches , so that , even were your majesty to live a thousand years , you would find the slipper just as fresh at the end of that time as it is now . ' The king was so eager to put it on that he hardly gave the physician time to finish . He snatched it from the case and thrust his foot into it , nearly weeping for joy when he found he could walk and run as easily as any beggar boy . ` What can I give you ? ' he cried , holding out both hands to the man who had worked this wonder . ` Stay with me , and I will heap on you riches greater than ever you dreamed of . ' But the doctor said he would accept nothing more than had been agreed on , and must return at once to his own country , where many sick people were awaiting him .
So king Balancin had to content himself XXXXX ordering the physician to be treated with royal honours , and desiring that an escort should attend him on his journey home .
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