In the
presence of both their Majesties, the king, to do her honor,
requested her to sit; but she declined, and stood waiting to hear
what they had to say. Nor had she to wait long, for almost instantly
they began to tell her the dreadful trouble they were in with their
only child; first the king talking, then the queen interposing with
some yet more dreadful fact, and at times both letting out a torrent
of words together, so anxious were they to show the wise woman that
their perplexity was real, and their daughter a very terrible one.
For a long while there appeared no sign of approaching pause. But
the wise woman stood patiently folded in her black cloak, and
listened without word or motion. At length silence fell; for they
had talked themselves tired, and could not think of any thing more
to add to the list of their child's enormities.
After a minute, the wise woman unfolded her arms; and her cloak
dropping open in front, disclosed a garment made of a strange stuff,
which an old poet who knew her well has thus described:--
"All lilly white, withoutten spot or pride,
That seemd like silke and silver woven neare;
But neither silke nor silver therein did appeare.
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