THE CHAINED KING
With a twist of the hand, the captain strangled the old queen, opened the window, and threw the carcass into the yard.
Dawn had already come.
In two minutes the captain dressed, strapped on his sword, and went to hang himself on the cord of the bell of the Louvre.
At the sound of the bell, servants came running up, half-dressed.
“Good people, I am the son of the former king. Look. The golden fleur-de-lys is on my tongue. Good people, the old queen is done with evil. Pick up his carcass in the yard. The dogs will enjoy it. Good people, tomorrow morning, at sunrise, we will have our master here. Quick, give some oat to my horse, and put him in the bridle and saddle."
The captain set off at full gallop. At the stroke of noon, he arrived at the head of a bridge, thrown over a wide and deep river. From the other side of the river came the husband of the old queen, mounted on his beautiful white horse.
The captain tugged at the bridle of his mount and put the sword in the sun.
“Ho! Over there, the man with the white horse! Stop. You will not pass like that.
"Horseman, what do you want from me?"
"What I want, scoundrel? I want your life. What do I want, nothing worth? I want the golden key, the unique golden key that hangs night and day around your neck. What I want, bandit. I want to free my poor father, chained in his tower. Let's do battle. »
The riders set off at full gallop. With the first stroke of the sword, the captain laid his enemy dead on the deck. So he dismounted and seized the golden key, the only golden key in the world, which hung night and day around the husband's neck. This done, he lifted the carcass like a feather and threw it into the wide and deep river.
“Here, fish. Make good cheer, with the carcass of this brigand."
The captain jumped on his horse, and galloped off again, leading his enemy's great white horse by the bridle. That same evening, an hour before sunset, he opened the iron door of the tower with the golden key, the unique golden key in the world that he had seized hanging around the husband's neck.
As he entered, he bowed to the ground.
“Hello, King. Those who held you prisoner here have finished doing wrong. Wait, let me break your big iron chain.
"My friend, my heavy iron chain is too strong. You will never break it."
"King, be patient. You'll see."
The captain was strong as hell. In his hands, the heavy iron chain broke, like a straw.
“King, that is done. You are free.
"Thank you, my friend. You are strong. Me, at your age, I would have done as much as you. Tell me, what's your name?"
“King, my name is Louis. My mother was a lumberjack.
"Your name is Louis! Your mother was a lumberjack! Quick, quick, show your tongue."
The captain showed his tongue, marked with a golden fleur-de-lys.
So the old king wept.
“You are my son! You are my son! I'm glad to be the father of a strong and bold boy like you."
“King, we have nothing more to do here. Our horses are waiting for us at the door."
The captain helped the king to mount the great white horse and jumped on his mount.
"Gallop! Gallop!"
The next day, at sunrise, they arrived at the Louvre. At the door, valets and maids were waiting, along with all the people of the country. Then the captain dismounted and saluted the king on the ground.
“King, you are at home. Order. We are all here to obey you."
"My son, I am too old to command. I want you to take my place.
Tomorrow, I am going to become a monk in a convent, to pray there to God until death. And now, to the table! Valets, servants, make all these good people drink and eat."
The next day, the old king went to become a monk in a convent, there to pray to God until death. The son took the place of his father, and commanded, for the justice and the happiness of the country. He married a princess beautiful as the day, and lived a long time happy and quiet, with his wife and children.
Cric, Cric,
My tale is done.
Cric, Crac,
My tale is finished.
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4
Next Tale: The Veiled Man