A king can’t really be happy without a queen. There was never a king yet that didn’t have one, or, if he lived alone and refused to take a queen, he was faithless to his people. If you want to find a grouchy king, look through history for one that never had a queen to advise and soothe him.

Bumper wasn’t thinking so much of doing a great honor to Fuzzy Wuzz in asking her to be his queen as he was of making himself happy. Fuzzy Wuzz had become very dear to him. She seemed to understand him, and they were both happy when they were together.

So one day, when he asked her to be his queen, and help him to preside over his people, she modestly consented. She thought as much of Bumper as he did of her. They made an ideal couple. But a king can’t marry without the consent of his people, and Bumper took up the question with Old Blind Rabbit first. He was very modest and uncertain about it, and you can imagine his nervousness.

107“A king can marry, Old Blind Rabbit, and bring a queen home with him to reign by his side, can’t he?” he began.

Old Blind Rabbit showed a little surprise at this question, and after a while answered: “A queen, O Bumper, is generally selected by the people. She must be one that they all like.”

“Isn’t the king consulted?” asked Bumper.

“Not always. Of course, sometimes he is, but his choice must be the same as that of his people.”

“It seems to me, then,” remarked Bumper, “that a king must have a hard time selecting a queen.”

“He has, O Bumper, and that is one reason why a king isn’t always happy. He must think of his people first, and of his own happiness second.”

Bumper bowed meekly, and thought once more that being a king was not as agreeable as he had always thought.

“And if his queen is not the one the people choose,” he added, “what becomes of her and the king?”

“They’re often dethroned, O Bumper, driven away into exile!” There was a threat in the Old Blind Rabbit’s voice as he said this. His blind, sightless eyes seemed to go through Bumper and read his thoughts.

108“You wish to select a queen?” continued Blind Rabbit.

Bumper said yes, and blushed the color of his eyes.

Old Blind Rabbit looked distressed. “You should not have thought of that,” he said severely, “without first consulting your people. I have already selected a queen for you!”

Bumper’s heart dropped. This blunt announcement took away all his happiness. Then a slow sense of anger and rebellion came into his mind. He wasn’t going to submit to any such dictation.

“And I have selected one for myself!” he replied, stubbornly.

“Then you must give her up, O Bumper! The queen the people select must be the one to reign with you.”

Bumper’s stubborn nature immediately came to the surface. Rather than give up Fuzzy Wuzz and take a queen that Old Blind Rabbit had chosen for him, he would abdicate his throne, and leave the woods. He said as much to Old Blind Rabbit, who was greatly distressed.

“Think well of your words, O Bumper!” he said. “If you disobey the rules of your people, they will banish you, and drive you into exile. A king cannot be above his people.”

109“I told you that I would banish myself rather than submit to this,” was the stubborn reply. “I shall choose my own queen or have none. I must live with her, and not you.”

This outburst of defiance became a king, and in a good cause it would have received Old Blind Rabbit’s approval; but just now it ran against his wishes, and he saw nothing but rebellion in it. It was little short of treason.

“Even if you banish yourself,” Blind............