"No more of this!" The King made a gesture, and the shouting stopped,
changing into sullen murmurs. The King was not popular, it seemed.
"Let the performance proceed!" he commanded. "I do not like these
interruptions."

Once more the Hermit saw him whisper to a servant, who went away
quickly on some mysterious errand.

Now, with a happy face, John himself stepped forward and showed his
skill and strength and grace. He turned somersaults backward and
forward; he stood upon his head and danced upon his hands. He did all
the old tricks which he had learned of the tumblers, and more of his
own invention, till the people shouted rapturously, "Bravo! Bravo!
Hurrah for our John!"

With his eye on the Prince, John began to caper at his merriest. He
danced high, leaping like a grasshopper, and seeming to bound like
thistledown. All the while his eyes twinkled, and the people laughed
with delight.

"Bravo! John, bravo!" shouted the Prince, clapping his hands. "Come
here and let me decorate you, my friend." And as John bowed before him
the Prince placed upon his bosom a beautiful star of diamonds that
gleamed and sparkled like a cobweb full of dew.

"Hurrah! Hurrah! Long life to John! John! John!" shouted the
people, as if they loved the name.

And the Hermit saw that the King turned pale and shook with wrath at
the sound. The next moment he grasped the arms of his chair and stared