` Come along then , ' said the king , ` choose whom you will . ' And he took the lute player through the prison himself . The queen walked about amongst the prisoners , and at length she picked out her husband and took him with her on her journey . They were long on their way , but he never found out who she was , and she led him nearer and nearer to his own country . When they reached the frontier the prisoner said : ` Let me go now , kind lad ; I am no common prisoner , but the king of this country . Let me go free and ask what you will as your reward . ' ` Do not speak of reward , ' answered the lute player . ` Go in peace . ' ` Then come with me , dear boy , and be my guest . ' ` When the proper time comes I shall be at your palace , ' was the reply , and so they parted . The queen took a short way home , got there before the king and changed her dress . An hour later all the people in the palace were running to and fro and crying out : ` Our king has come back ! Our king has returned to us . ' The king greeted every one very kindly , but he would not so much as look at the queen . Then he called all his council and ministers together and said to them : ` See what sort of a wife I have . Here she is falling on my neck , but when I was pining in prison and sent her word of it she did nothing to help me . ' And his council answered with one voice , ` Sire , when news was brought from you the queen disappeared and no one knew where she went . She only returned to-day . ' Then the king was very angry and cried , ` Judge my faithless wife ! Never would you have seen your king again , if a young lute player had not delivered him .
I shall remember him XXXXX love and gratitude as long as I live . '
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