But pleased though the boy was , he determined not to tell anyone about it , particularly not his mother , who never could keep anything from her neighbours . Still , in spite of his resolutions , he could not hide altogether that something had happened , and when he went in to breakfast his mother asked him what was the matter . ` Oh , mother , I had such a nice dream last night , ' said he ; ` but I ca n't tell it to anybody . ' ` You can tell it to me , ' she answered . ` It must have been a nice dream , or you would n't look so happy . ' ` No , mother ; I ca n't tell it to anybody , ' returned the boy , 'till it comes true . ' ' I want to know what it was , and know it I will , ' cried she , ` and I will beat you till you tell me . ' But it was no use , neither words nor blows would get the secret out of the boy ; and when her arm was quite tired and she had to leave off , the child , sore and aching , ran into the garden and knelt weeping beside his little sword . It was working round and round in its hole all by itself , and if anyone except the boy had tried to catch hold of it , he would have been badly cut . But the moment he stretched out his hand it stopped and slid quietly into the scabbard . For a long time the child sat sobbing , and the noise was heard by the king as he was driving by . ` Go and see who it is that is crying so , ' said he to one of his servants , and the man went . In a few minutes he returned saying : ` Your Majesty , it is a little boy who is kneeling there sobbing because his mother has beaten him . ' ` Bring him to me at once , ' commanded the monarch , ` and tell him that it is the king who sends for him , and that he has never cried in all his life and can not bear anyone else to do so . ' On receiving this message the boy dried his tears and went with the servant to the royal carriage . ` Will you be my son ? ' asked the king . ` Yes , if my mother will let me , ' answered the boy . And the king bade the servant go back to the mother and say that if she would give her boy to him , he should live in the palace and marry his prettiest daughter as soon as he was a man . The widow 's anger now turned into joy , and she came running to the splendid coach and kissed the king 's hand . '
I hope you will be more obedient XXXXX his Majesty than you were to me , ' she said ; and the boy shrank away half-frightened .
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