The king was greatly beloved by his people , and crowds lined the roads , shouting and waving their hats as the procession passed along . On the steps of the palace stood the queen , with a splendid golden cushion in her arms , and on the cushion the most beautiful boy that ever was seen , wrapped about in a cloud of lace . In a moment Kostieï 's words rushed into the king 's mind , and he began to weep bitterly , to the surprise of everybody , who had expected him nearly to die of joy at the sight of his son . But try as he would and work as hard as he might he could never forget his promise , and every time he let the baby out of his sight he thought that he had seen it for the last time . However , years passed on and the prince grew first into a big boy , and then into a fine young man . Kostieï made no sign , and gradually even the anxious king thought less and less about him , and in the end forgot him altogether . There was no family in the whole kingdom happier than the king and queen and prince , until one day when the youth met a little old man as he was hunting in a lonely part of the woods . ` How are you , my unlooked-for Prince ? ' he said . ` You kept them waiting a good long time ! ' ` And who are you ? ' asked the prince . ` You will know soon enough . When you go home give my compliments to your father and tell him that I wish he would square accounts with me . If he neglects to pay his debts he will bitterly repent it . ' So saying the old man disappeared , and the prince returned to the palace and told his father what had happened . The king turned pale and explained to his son the terrible story . ` Do not grieve over it , father , ' answered the prince . ` It is nothing so dreadful after all ! I will find some way to force Kostieï to give up his rights over me .
But if I do not come back in a year 's time , you must give up all hopes XXXXX ever seeing me . '
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