The Strange Tale of the Snake Ring by John Holroyd

protesting, the prince was marched off by the soldiers. If anyone in the crowd had recognised the prince, no one was saying.
    Thomas followed them up the hill to the castle, where he arranged that the prince should be put into the same cell where he himself had spent the night on his last visit to the castle. Then he presented himself at the main door, where the steward showed him into the Great Hall. Here he was politely greeted by the princess.
    â€œI am very sorry that my husband is not here to welcome you,” she said, “but he often has to go on important journeys and has to be away for some days at a time.”
    It was clear that his wife did not know of the prince’s spying activities, and Thomas thought it best not to tell her.
    â€œI hope you are able to stay till he returns,” continued the princess, “and I will order the very best guest room to be made ready for you. Then perhaps you will do me the honour of being my guest for supper.”
    So Thomas, who had been a poor farm boy, dined with the princess, and was not ill at ease, as he had been taught before he left the Shining Kingdom how a person of his rank should behave.
    A wonderful banquet had been prepared, and before he retired to the comfort of the large four-poster bed in the guest room, Thomas asked whether he could congratulate the cook on the quality of the meal he had enjoyed.
    â€œCertainly,” said the princess, “I will send for him at once and perhaps you will then excuse me if I retire to my bed. I hope you sleep well, and I hope to see you in the morning.”
    â€œI cannot promise that,” replied Thomas. “I have a long day’s ride before me tomorrow, and I must set out at dawn. So if I do not see you, I thank you for your hospitality. Please give my regards to your husband when he returns. Perhaps he will be back tomorrow, and so, goodnight.”
    Soon after the princess had left, the cook came into the room. Of course, he did not recognise Thomas as the boy who had worked in his kitchen and had been thrown into prison by the prince.
    The cook bowed. “Your Highness sent for me?”
    â€œLook at my face!” ordered Thomas. The cook did so, and as he recognised who it was, gave a gasp of surprise.
    â€œYes, it is really I,” said Thomas. “I have had great good fortune, and I am now really what I appear to be – the greatest prince in the land.”
    The cook was too surprised to reply.
    â€œWhen I was here before,” continued Thomas, “you were kind to me. You gave me work when I badly needed it. You let me out of prison as soon as you were able. So I am going to give you ten gold pieces as a reward. There is a man in the same cell in which I was imprisoned. You are to let him out early tomorrow morning. As you do so you are to say these words to him: ‘One night only, that is fair’. Will you do this?”
    â€œYes, Your Highness, I will do it,” said the cook. “But what if my prince is angry because I have let a prisoner go free?”
    â€œI can tell you,” replied Thomas, “that your prince will be only too pleased that you have let this man free.”
    When Thomas had given the cook the gold pieces he had promised, he dismissed him and went to bed.
    He arose before dawn, collected his horse from the stables, and was on his way before anyone in the castle was awake.

Chapter 12
    The Robbers

    As Thomas approached the forest, he was feeling quite pleased with himself. Perhaps he was a little too pleased with himself. He was still smiling as he pictured the Peculiar Prince being released from prison by the cook. When the ring on his chest began to tremble, he took little heed. He recognised it as a warning, but thought to himself,
I passed through the forest before, when I was on foot and unarmed; now I am a knight on horseback. Besides, the only way to avoid the forest is to take the mountain track, making my journey two