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Hearts , in that time , closed o'er the trace Of vows once fondly poured , And strangers took the kinsman's place At many a joyous board ; Graves which true love had bathed with tears Were left to heaven's bright rain ; Fresh hopes were born for other years — He never smiled again ! Mrs . Hemans . KING JOHN AND THE ABBOT . I . THE THREE QUESTIONS . There was once a king of England whose name was John . He was a bad king ; for he was harsh and cruel to his people , and so long as he could have his own way , he did not care what became of other folks . He was the worst king that England ever had . Now , there was in the town of Canterbury a rich old abbot who lived in grand style in a great house called the Abbey . Every day a hundred noble men sat down with him to dine ; and fifty brave knights , in fine velvet coats and gold chains , waited upon him at his table . When King John heard of the way in which the abbot lived , he made up his mind to put a stop to it . So he sent for the old man to come and see him . " How now , my good abbot ? " he said . " I hear that you keep a far better house than I . How dare you do such a thing ? Don't you know that no man in the land ought to live better than the king ? And I tell you that no man shall . " " O king ! " said the abbot , " I beg to say that I am spending nothing but what is my own . I hope that you will not think ill of me for making things pleasant for my friends and the brave knights who are with me . " " Think ill of you ? " said the king . " How can I help but think ill of you ? All that there is in this broad land is mine by right ; and how do you dare to put me to shame by living in grander style than I ? One would think that you were trying to be king in my place . " " Oh , do not say so ! " said the abbot " For I " — " Not another word ! " cried the king . " Your fault is plain , and unless you can answer me three questions , your head shall be cut off , and all your riches shall be mine . " " I will try to answer them , O king ! " said the abbot . " Well , then , " said King John , " as I sit here with my crown of gold on my head , you must tell me to within a day just how long I shall live . Secondly , you must tell me how soon I shall ride round the whole world ; and lastly , you shall tell me what I think . "
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