The next morning Catherine set out earlier than usual for the mountain , and her lady 's Destiny took the girl by the hand and led her to her sister , who lay under the seven coverlids . And her Destiny held out to Catherine a ball of silk , saying , ` Keep this -- it may be useful some day ; ' then pulled the coverings over her head again . But Catherine walked sadly down the hill , and went straight to her lady and showed her the silken ball , which was the end of all her high hopes . ` What shall I do with it ? ' she asked . ` It is not worth sixpence , and it is no good to me ! ' ` Take care of it , ' replied her mistress . ` 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 XXXXX the other outweighed them all .
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