A House of Pomegranates

A House of Pomegranates is a collection of short stories, including the following tales: The Young King, The Birthday of the Infanta, The Fisherman and his Soul, and The Star-child. It was the night before the day fixed for his coronation, and the young King was sitting alone in his beautiful chamber. His courtiers had all taken their leave of him, bowing their heads to the ground, according to the ceremonious usage of the day, and had retired to the Great Hall of the Palace, to receive a few last lessons from the Professor of Etiquette; there being some of them who had still quite natural manners, which in a courtier is, I need hardly say, a very grave offence.