The Unlooked-for Prince

A long time ago there lived a king and queen who had no children, although they both wished very much for a little son.

They tried not to let each other see how unhappy they were, and pretended to take pleasure in hunting and hawking and all sorts of other sports; but at length the king could bear it no longer, and declared that he must go and visit the furthest corners of his kingdom, and that it would be many months before he should return to his capital...