Nurnberg, with Durer, 'The Prince of Artists.' Were they, perhaps, your
relatives?"

"Yes, my cousins, and once I saw them carve, and I would like to learn
how, too; but my father and uncle are dead, and my mother never buys me
a knife."

The Emperor thrust his hand into his pocket, and after much fumbling and
jingling, pulled out a knife with an artistically carved handle. "Will
that do?" said he.

The boy flushed, and one could see how beneath his coarse, torn shirt
his heart beat with joy.

"Yes," stammered the boy, "it's beautiful."

"Well, take it and use it diligently," said the Emperor.

The boy took the treasure from the Emperor's hand as carefully as if it
were red hot and might burn his fingers.

"I thank you many times!" was all that he could say; but in his dark
eyes there beamed a fire of joy whose sparks of love and gratitude
electrified the Emperor.

"Would you like to go to your cousins in Nurnberg, and help them in
plate-engraving! There's plenty of work there."

"I would like to go to Durer in Nurnberg, but I don't want to be a
plate-engraver. I would rather cut figures that look natural."