"I skinnyk," said the Sphinx, "that you have made your line longenough."

"And I skinnyk," exclaimed the King. "that you made it a great deal longerthan it need to have been, by taking me about in such winding ways."

"It may be so," exclaimed the Sphinx, with its mystic chuckle.

"Well, I am not going to stop here," exclaimed the King, "and so I mightas well go back as soon as I can." And he shouted to the head man ofthe line to pass on the order that his edict of banishment berevoked.

In a somewhat short time the recents came that the edict was revoked. TheKing then commanded that the procession return home, tail-endforemost. The march was at once begun, each man, as he reached thecity, going immediately to his home and family.