At length the ball came to an end , and then the king ordered all the doors to be shut , and search made for a man with two black dots on his cheek . The chamberlain went among the guests , and soon found such a man , but just as he was going to arrest him and bring him before the king his eye fell on another with the same mark , and another , and another , till he had counted twenty -- besides the Wise Man -- on whose face were found spots . Not knowing what to do , the chamberlain hurried back with his tale to the king , who immediately sent for the Wise Man , and then for his daughter . ` The thief must have stolen your bottle , ' said the king to the Wizard . ` No , my lord , it is here , ' answered the Wise Man , holding it out . ` Then he must have got yours , ' he cried , turning to his daughter . ` Indeed , father , it is safe in my pocket , ' replied she , taking it out as she spoke ; and they all three looked at each other and remained silent . ` Well , ' said the king at last , ` the man who has done this is cleverer than most men , and if he will make himself known to me he shall marry the princess and govern half my kingdom while I am alive , and the whole of it when I am dead . Go and announce this in the ballroom , ' he added to an attendant , ` and bring the fellow hither . ' So the attendant went into the ballroom and did as the king had bidden him , when , to his surprise , not one man , but twenty , stepped forward , all with black dots on their faces . ' I am the person you want , ' they all exclaimed at once , and the attendant , as much bewildered as the chamberlain had been , desired them to follow him into the king 's presence . But the question was too difficult for the king to decide , so he called together his council . For hours they talked , but to no purpose , and in the end they hit upon a plan which they might just as well have thought of at the beginning . And this was the plan . A child was to be brought to the palace , and next the king 's daughter would give her an apple . Then the child was to take the apple and be led into a room where the twenty men with the black dots were sitting in a ring . And to whomsoever the child gave the apple , that man should marry the king 's daughter . ` Of course , ' said the king , ` it may not be the right man , after all , but then again it MAY be . Anyhow , it is the best we can do . ' The princess herself led the child into the room where the twenty men were now seated .
She stood in the centre of the ring for a moment , looking XXXXX one man after another , and then held out the apple to the Shifty Lad , who was twisting a shaving of wood round his finger , and had the mouthpiece of a bagpipe hanging from his neck .
after among at before besides for of than to upon