The Princess of Canterbury[1]
In the old days, when there were more than one king in this country, one of them was king of Canterbury. He had an only daughter, wise, fair, beautiful, and unmarried.
The king had it proclaimed that whoever would watch one night with his daughter and neither sleep nor doze at the time, should have her the next day in marriage. But if he did not stay awake, he should lose his head.
Such bargains were not uncommon in those days. Many knights did their best[2], but failed and lost their lives.
Now a young shepherd, named John, grazing his flock near the road, said to his master, “Sir, I see many gentlemen ride to the court at Canterbury, but I never see them return again.”
“Shepherd,” said his master, “I know not how you should[3], for they try to watch with the king’s daughter, and all who fail lose their heads.”
“Well,” said the shepherd, “I’ll try my worth, folly or luck[4]; so now for a king’s daughter, or a headless shepherd!”
And taking his bottle and bag, he trudged to the court to try his fortune. On his way he had to cross a river. He pulled off his shoes and stockings, and while he was passing over he observed several pretty fish bobbing against his feet. He caught some and put them into his pocket. When he reached the palace, he knocked at the gate loudly with his shepherd’s staff.
As soon as[5] he said why he was visiting, he was taken to a hall where the king’s daughter sat ready, prepared to receive her lovers. He was placed in a luxurious chair, and rich wines and spices were set before him, and all sorts of delicate meals. The shepherd was unused to such fare, and ate and drank plentifully, so that he was nearly dozing before midnight.
“Shepherd,” said the lady, “I have caught you sleeping!”
“No, sweet ally[6], I was busy fishing.”
“Fishing?” said the princess in surprise. “No, shepherd, there is no fish-pond in the hall.”
“No matter that[7], I have been fishing in my pocket, and have just caught one.”
''Oh my![8]” said she. “Let me see it[9].”
The shepherd cleverly drew a fish out of his pocket and showed it to her, and she said it was the finest she had ever seen.
About half an hour afterwards, she said, “Shepherd, do you think you could get me one more?”
He replied, “Maybe,” and after a little while he brought out another. It was finer than the first, and the princess was so delighted that she gave him leave to go to sleep[10], and promised to excuse him to her father[11].
In the morning the princess told the king to his great astonishment that the shepherd must not be beheaded, for he had been fishing in the hall all night. The shepherd agreed.
But when the king heard how the shepherd had caught such beautiful fish out of his pocket, he asked him to catch one in his own royal pocket.
The shepherd agreed, bid the king lie down, and pretended to fish in his pocket while he had another fish hidden and ready in his hand. At last he gave the king a prick with a needle, held up the fish, and showed it to the king.
And even though the king did not delight in such a fishing method, nevertheless the princess and shepherd were united the same day and lived for many years together.