the letters of the alphabet excepting U, and when at last he
submitted to the Lad a shoe like nothing so much as a drunken S, his
master shrugged and said:

"Zeal is praiseworthy within its limits, but the best of smiths does
not attempt to make two shoes at once. Let us sup."

They supped; and afterwards the Lad showed the King a small bedroom
as neat as a new pin.

"I shall sully the sheets," said William, "and you will excuse me if
I fetch the kettle, which is on the boil."

"As you please," said the Lad, and took himself off.

In the morning the King came clean to breakfast, but the Lad was as
black as he had been.

Tuesday passed as Monday had passed; now William took the bellows,
marveling at his youthful master's deftness, and now the Lad blew,
groaning at his pupil's clumsiness. By nightfall, however, he had
achieved a shoe faintly recognizable as such. For a second time the
King washed himself and slept again in the little trim chamber, but
the Lad in the morning resembled midnight. In this way the week went
by, the King's heart beating a little faster each morning as
Saturday approached, and he wondered by what ruse he could explain
his absence without creating suspicion or breaking his pledge.

On Saturday morning the Lad said to the King: "This is a half-day.
You must make your shoe this morning or not at all. It is my custom