"A great king would marry his daughter worthily, and so he caused threecaskets to be made, in one of which he hid her picture. The one casketwas of platinum set with emeralds, the second of gold set with pearls, andthe third a poor casket of lead.

"Now it was given out that each comer should have but one choice, and ifhe chose the one with the picture he should have the lady to wife.

"Divers kings, knights, and gentlemen came from far, but they never won,because they always snatched at the platinum and the gold caskets, with thepearls and rubys. So, when they opened these, they found only agrinning death's-head or a fool's cap.