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King Frederick was restive. Through the whole night, he saw his brother, shaped like a toad, trying to catch a fly. He was looking out the window of his bed chambers when the chamberlain entered.
“A good morrow sire! Sleep well, I trust?” The chamberlain did not expect an answer, and prattled on as he did every morning, making the wash basin warm for the water, getting the tea ready for drinking, and jabbering on about nothing in particular.
“I did not rest so well. I had an odd dream.”
“Well, perhaps the carnival will cheer you up. There will be a lot of people there, buying and selling as they always do. It should really be quit a …” It was always the chamberlain's custom to talk about nothing of particular importance, and the king liked it. Nothing like something unimportant to take one's mind off of what is too important. The chamberlain let the king become accustomed to the day's affairs, and Frederick forgot about the toad in his dream.
The day was cool, but sunny, as it always was in early October. Winter was whispering his arrival. The village was filled with people from all around the country. Farmers and merchants were here to sell what they can. Frederick chose to ware clothes that would not say “he is king.”
King Frederick passed the gypsy's camp. The music seemed to call to him. “I think I'd fancy a visit to a gypsy's tent. Her fantacy story ought to be a nice distraction.”
He entered a tent with humorous resolve. The patchouly and rose assailed his nostrils as his eyes focused on the dark interior.
“Some fortune teller.” He mused to himself. “She didn't even know I was coming. Ha!”
Just then, he heard muffling in the back of the tent. A smile crept into his aged face as he imagined what the muffled sounds might be.
“Your majesty!?” The king jumped, as he turned to the tent's entry to see a young maiden. “His majesty is wondering about his dreams, me thinks? Cross my palm with a silver coin, and your fortune you may know.”
They sat at a table. The gypsy made a humming mumbo jumbo that Frederick could hardly make out. She looked up at the king from time to time with a smile that said, “I know something you want to know.” The young miss shuffled the deck of cards and set them before the king to be cut.
“His majesty is in good fortune today! His fortunes will look to his health, me thinks.” Frederick gave that good humor smile that he gave his chamberlain as he prattled, and cut the deck.
The gypsy began to lay the cards out. “The King of rods. That is his majesty.” Frederick was mildly amused at this time.
“The five of cups. The dreams are a warning of trouble to come.” The King began to take more interest.
“There it is, the King of Swords. Your brother is on his head! He has ambitions for your throne.” Frederick began to lean forward.
She laid out the five of Swords, “He has secret plans for you.”
The eight of rods, “Rebellion, he means to kill you!”
The moon, “Tonight!”
The king thanked the young woman. He felt he had his money's worth, but she would not allow him to pay any more. He thought to himself, “How strange that she should say such things.”
Later that same evening, the king held a banquette, and invited his brother. His brother went up to shake Frederick's hand, he pulled a knife out of his jacket. As he lifted his hand for the kill, smoke and brimstone filled the air. The knife hit the floor. The air cleared, and the king's brother was nowhere to be seen. Where the brother had been, a toad was now seen. Just beyond, in the crowd of nobles, he saw the young gypsy, (but now she looked so much older,) and her eyes glowed with her dark power. She smiled at the king, and disappeared into the crowd before he could thank her.
The king looked down at the toad just in time to see him catch a fly.
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