a daughter-in-law, – he twisted his mustache in thought.
Returning to the palace, he went straight to his son’s chambers. Caught him looking at a present.
– Here, son. I thought I was here and I want to ask you.
– Yes, father, ask.
– You’ve fallen in love and intend to marry, but what about the girl? What other feeling did you take for her love? Or maybe she already has someone else?
The prince jumped up in fright:
– Can not be! Is that possible?! Daddy, we must urgently go there and ask her.
– So it is so, but what will your mother say? She probably won’t be happy.
– But we won’t tell her, – it dawned on the prince.
– Well, first we will find out if the girl loves you, and then I myself will settle with my wife.
And the next day, waking up before everyone else in the palace, they went together to the house of the beauty.
– I won’t go there, I’ll stand behind the trees, I’ll watch, and you yourself talk to her. She will be ashamed of me, – said the king and dismounted, tying his horse to a branch. – And you, son, go, then you will tell me everything.
So they decided.
The prince knocked on the window. His lover appeared at the knock. She saw the prince and threw up her hands in surprise, was delighted and rushed headlong to open the door.
– Prince, are you back? – and for joy did not know what to say.
He took her hand and asked:
– From the first time we met, I thought about you all the time. And now I came to ask: will you marry me?
The girl lowered her eyes, flushed with embarrassment and did not answer. He pressed her hands to his chest, his heart pounding with excitement. He pulled her hands away from him.
– Well, why are you silent… Or do you not like me? Or is there someone else in your heart?
She got scared and shook her head.
– No, no! – she exclaimed, – I have no one.
– Then why don’t you answer?
She lowered her eyes again and took a deep breath.
– Well, I’m not equal to you, I’m a commoner.
The prince was hopeful and again happily grabbed her hand:
– What you? You are more valuable to me than any princess. Yes, I can’t live without you! – exclaimed in the hearts. – Say yes!
– Yes, – she breathed out, barely audible, and clung to his chest.
He gently hugged her at that moment, the king appeared from behind the trees. The girl saw him, got scared and jumped back:
– Oh, – she held out her hand. – There is a merchant coming. Yesterday he wooed me for his nephew.
The prince stood with his back to the forest, turned around and smiled when he saw his father, and then frowned:
So this is my father? Daddy, I’m asking for an explanation. To what kind of nephew were you going to give my fiancee?
Papa slowly approached, giggling guiltily and shrugging his shoulders:
– He-he, well, you know, son, I should have checked your chosen one. Is she worthy of you, is she not greedy for gold. What if for her clothes and jewelry are more valuable than you?
Here the girl pouted her lips. And the king continued:
– And now I see that you deserve each other.
The couple immediately cheered up and exhaled easily. The prince grabbed the bride’s hand, approaching his father, and both knelt down. The son asked his father:
– Bless us, father.
The King touched their foreheads with a satisfied smile and said:
– I bless you, my children, for a long and happy life together.
Her parents arrived from the market. She kindly greeted them, laid a tablecloth on the table for them all. The king and the prince were delighted and immediately wooed the girl, saying that she would marry him. Parents and daughter agreed to have a wedding in the palace. And the king nevertheless decided to tell his wife that he had decided to marry his son to a village girl. And upon returning to the palace, he went straight to her.
– How?! – furrowing her brows and pursing her lips, the queen murmured: – Well, I already found a bride for him, it doesn’t happen more beautifully, just look. Royal bloodlines. Why do we need a rustic? Here, look, her portrait. Check out what a beauty!
The king looked and thought:
– God, it doesn’t get any worse. Does my son deserve better? – and said aloud: – Do not worry, my love. This village girl will not be more beautiful than you anyway. You should only see her: neither your grace, nor sophistication. She doesn’t even know how to wear royal outfits. Where does she reach for you? That’s why I chose the country one, so as not to overshadow you.
– Yes?! – her face smoothed out, she raised her head high and said with mock pride: – You’re right, dear, there is some truth in this.
Her cutesy manner seemed to make her head and shoulders taller. And the king embraced his wife, kissed her on the forehead, that the woman blossomed.
At the imminent wedding, the queen was sitting on the throne, she was surrounded by ladies-in-waiting, preening her, bringing a mirror to check if any curl had fallen. The ceremony was already in full swing, the feast was a mountain, the music was playing. A sea of distinguished guests gathered. The queen did not even look in the direction of her daughter-in-law – she did not care what kind of ugly girl was brought to the palace. She just admired herself in the mirror, saying:
– What a beauty I am, you can’t find such a beauty in the whole wide world, – and as if in time with her speeches, she heard the whisper of the crowd: – Oh, what a beauty!
The queen turned up her nose: yes, I am! But then she heard a continuation of the speech:
– What a lovely couple. What a beautiful bride, and you can’t say that she’s not a princess.
– Bride?! What bride? – the queen raised an eyebrow in surprise and turned towards the newlyweds and, seeing her daughter-in-law, was
