The woman was mightily puzzled (женщина была весьма озадачена); but she did not give up (но она не сдалась). As she proceeded with her cooking (пока она продолжала со своей готовкой), she set herself to contriving devices (она пускалась на придумывание трюков; to set to — приниматься за что-то; to contrive — изобретать) to surprise the boy into betraying his real secret (чтобы застать мальчика врасплох в то, чтобы выдать свою настоящую тайну = чтобы хитростью заставить мальчика выдать свою настоящую тайну; to surprise — удивить, взять врасплох; to betray — выдать, предать). She talked about cattle (она говорила о скоте) — he showed no concern (он не выказывал никакого интереса); then about sheep (затем об овцах) — the same result (тот же результат) — so her guess that he had been a shepherd boy (так что ее догадка, что он раньше был пастушком) was an error (была ошибкой); she talked about mills (она говорила о мельницах); and about weavers (и о ткачах), tinkers (лудильщиках), smiths (кузнецах), trades and tradesmen (торговле и купцах) of all sorts (всех сортов); and about Bedlam (и о Бедламе /сумасшедшем доме/), and jails (и тюрьмах), and charitable retreats (и благотворительных приютах); but no matter (но независимо от этого), she was baffled (она была сбита с толку) at all points (по всем пунктам). Not altogether, either (не совсем, все же); for she argued (ибо она утверждала) that she had narrowed the thing down (что она сузила вещь = поиски; to narrow down — сузить) to domestic service (до домашней службы). Yes, she was sure (да, она была уверена) she was on the right track now (что она была на правильном пути теперь) — he must have been a house-servant (он, должно быть, раньше был домашней прислугой). So she led up to that (так что она повела к этому; to lead up — вести к чему-то). But the result was discouraging (но результат был разочаровывающий). The subject of sweeping appeared to weary him (вопрос подметания, казалось, утомляет его); fire-building failed to stir him (разжигание огня не смогло расшевелить его; to fail — не смочь); scrubbing and scouring (оттирание и чистка) awoke no enthusiasm (не пробудила никакого энтузиазма; to awake — будить, просыпаться). Then the goodwife touched (затем хозяйка коснулась), with a perishing hope (с умирающей надеждой), and rather as a matter of form (и скорее для формы), upon the subject of cooking (вопроса готовки). To her surprise (к ее удивлению), and her vast delight (и ее вящей радости), the king's face lighted at once (лицо короля осветилось сразу же)! Ah, she had hunted him down at last (ах, она поймала его наконец; to hunt down — затравить; to hunt — охотиться), she thought (она подумала); and she was right proud, too (и она была очень горда тоже), of the devious shrewdness (той хитроумной проницательностью) and tact (и тактом) which had accomplished it (которые совершили это).

relief [rı`li:f], imagine [ı`mæGın], enthusiasm [ın`θju:zıæz(ə)m]

This settled the matter. His majesty's royalty was accepted without further question or discussion, and the two little girls began at once to inquire into how he came to be where he was, and how he came to be so unroyally clad, and whither he was bound, and all about his affairs. It was a mighty relief to him to pour out his troubles where they would not be scoffed at or doubted; so he told his tale with feeling, forgetting even his hunger for the time; and it was received with the deepest and tenderest sympathy by the gentle little maids. But when he got down to his latest experiences and they learned how long he had been without food, they cut him short and hurried him away to the farmhouse to find a breakfast for him.

The king was cheerful and happy now, and said to himself, 'When I am come to mine own again, I will always honor little children, remembering how that these trusted me and believed in me in my time of trouble; whilst they that were older, and thought themselves wiser, mocked at me and held me for a liar.'

The children's mother received the king kindly, and was full of pity; for his forlorn condition and apparently crazed intellect touched her womanly heart. She was a widow, and rather poor; consequently she had seen trouble enough to enable her to feel for the unfortunate. She imagined that the demented boy had wandered away from his friends or keepers; so she tried to find out whence he had come, in order that she might take measures to return him; but all her references to neighbouring towns and villages, and all her inquiries in the same line, went for nothing — the boy's face, and his answers, too, showed that the things she was talking of were not familiar to him. He spoke earnestly and simply about court matters; and broke down, more than once, when speaking of the late king 'his father'; but whenever the conversation changed to baser topics, he lost interest and became silent.

The woman was mightily puzzled; but she did not give up. As she proceeded with her cooking, she set herself to contriving devices to surprise the boy into betraying his real secret. She talked about cattle — he showed no concern; then about sheep — the same result — so her guess that he had been a shepherd boy was an error; she talked about mills; and about weavers, tinkers, smiths, trades and tradesmen of all sorts; and about Bedlam, and jails, and charitable retreats; but no matter, she was baffled at all points. Not altogether, either; for she argued that she had narrowed the thing down to domestic service. Yes, she was sure she was on the right track now — he must have been a house-servant. So she led up to that. But the result was discouraging. The subject of sweeping appeared to weary him; fire-building failed to stir him; scrubbing and scouring awoke no enthusiasm. Then the goodwife touched, with a perishing hope, and rather as a matter of form, upon the subject of cooking. To her surprise, and her vast delight, the king's face lighted at once! Ah, she had hunted him down at last, she thought; and she was right proud, too, of the devious shrewdness and tact which had accomplished it.

Her tired tongue (ее уставший язык) got a chance to rest now (получил шанс = возможность отдохнуть теперь; to get — получать); for the king's (ибо /язык/ короля), inspired by gnawing hunger (вдохновленный грызущим голодом) and the fragrant smells (и душистыми запахами) that came from the sputtering pots and pans (которые исходили от бурлящих горшков и сковород), turned itself loose (развязался: «обратил = сделал себя свободным»; loose — развязанный) and delivered itself up (и сдался = и расщедрился) to such an eloquent dissertation (на столь красноречивое рассуждение) upon certain toothsome dishes (о некоторых лакомых блюдах), that within three minutes the woman said to herself (что в три минуты женщина сказала себе), 'Of a truth I was right (поистине я была права) — he hath holpen in a kitchen (он помогал на кухне; holpen — устар. форма от to help — помогать)!' Then he broadened his bill of fare (затем он расширил свое меню: «список кушаний»), and discussed it with such appreciation and animation (и обсуждал его с таким пониманием и воодушевлением), that the goodwife said to herself (что хозяйка сказала себе), 'Good lack (Боже мой — устар.)! how can he know so many dishes (как может он знать так много блюд), and so fine ones withal (да таких утонченных к тому же)? For these belong only upon the tables of the rich and great (ведь им место только на столах богатых и великих; to belong — принадлежать, быть «своим»). Ah, now I see (ах, теперь я вижу = понимаю)! ragged outcast as he is (оборванный изгой как он есть = хоть он и оборванный изгой), he must have served in the palace (он, должно быть, служил во дворце) before his reason went astray (прежде чем его ум сбился с пути; astray — заблудившись); yes, he must have helped in the very kitchen of the king himself (да, он, должно быть, помогал аж в кухне самого короля; very — сам)! I will test him (я испытаю его).'