" And then he thought, "What shall I do?" and he
remembered the King her father was a priest; so he went into the
temple, and sacrificed a weasel and a hare.
Presently the news got about; and the two lads and the first King
were called into the presence of the King who was a priest, where
he sat upon the high seat.
"Little I reck of gear," said the King who was a priest, "and
little of power. For we live here among the shadow of things, and
the heart is sick of seeing them. And we stay here in the wind
like raiment drying, and the heart is weary of the wind. But one
thing I love, and that is truth; and for one thing will I give my
daughter, and that is the trial stone. For in the light of that
stone the seeming goes, and the being shows, and all things besides
are worthless. Therefore, lads, if ye would wed my daughter, out
foot, and bring me the stone of touch, for that is the price of
her."
"A word in your ear," said the younger son to his father. "I think
we do very well without this stone."
"A word in yours," said the father. "I am of your way of thinking;
but when the teeth are shut the tongue is at home." And he smiled
to the King that was a priest.
But the elder son got to his feet, and called the King that was a
priest by the name of father. "For whether I marry the maid or no,
I will call you by that word for the love of your wisdom; and even
now I will ride forth and search the world for the stone of touch.
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