There was only a year between them , and they loved each other so much that they could do nothing apart . When they began to grow up the king gave them a house of their own to live in , with servants and carriages , and everything they could possibly want . For many years they all lived happily together , and then the queen fell ill , and knew that she would never get better . ` Promise me two things , ' she said one day to the king ; ` one , that if you marry again , as indeed you must , you will not choose as your wife a woman from some small state or distant island , who knows nothing of the world , and will be taken up with thoughts of her grandeur . But rather seek out a princess of some great kingdom , who has been used to courts all her life , and holds them at their true worth . The other thing I have to ask is , that you will never cease to watch over our children , who will soon become your greatest joy . ' These were the queen 's last words , and a few hours later she was dead . The king was so bowed down with sorrow that he would not attend even to the business of the kingdom , and at last his Prime Minister had to tell him that the people were complaining that they had nobody to right their wrongs . ` You must rouse yourself , sir , ' went on the minister , ` and put aside your own sorrows for the sake of your country . ' ` You do not spare me , ' answered the king ; ` but what you say is just , and your counsel is good . I have heard that men say , likewise , that it will be for the good of my kingdom for me to marry again , though my heart will never cease to be with my lost wife . But it was her wish also ; therefore , to you I entrust the duty of finding a lady fitted to share my throne ; only , see that she comes neither from a small town nor a remote island . ' So an embassy was prepared , with the minister at its head , to visit the greatest courts in the world , and to choose out a suitable princess . But the vessel which carried them had not been gone many days when a thick fog came on , and the captain could see neither to the right nor to the left . For a whole month the ship drifted about in darkness , till at length the fog lifted and they beheld a cliff jutting out just in front . On one side of the cliff lay a sheltered bay , in which the vessel was soon anchored , and though they did not know where they were , at any rate they felt sure of fresh fruit and water . The minister left the rest of his followers on board the ship , and taking a small boat rowed himself to land , in order to look about him and to find out if the island was really as deserted as it seemed . He had not gone far , when he heard the sound of music , and , turning in its direction , he saw a woman of marvellous beauty sitting on a low stool playing on a harp , while a girl beside her sang . The minister stopped and greeted the lady politely , and she replied with friendliness , asking him why he had come to such an out-of-the way place . In answer he told her of the object of his journey . '
I am XXXXX the same state as your master , ' replied the lady ; ' I was married to a mighty king who ruled over this land , till Vikings -LSB- sea-robbers -RSB- came and slew him and put all the people to death .
On So at beside between from in that to while