"Now we are riding the red horse， higher than the clouds. This is the way it behooves Kings and Queens to go.And this is the way it behooves their Knaves to fol- low."
Yes!That was the end of William's castle，and of the Court Cards. William is still alive， and he washes hishands. It was not his fault that the castle burned.
这篇童话最初发表在1869年1月纽约出版的《青少年河边杂志》上。从1868年到1872年间安徒生陆续给这个刊物提供新的童话，每篇得50美元的稿酬，条件是这篇作品只能在美国发表一个月以后才得在别的地方刊出。所以这篇作品直到 1909年才在丹麦的《圣诞节之书》( Juleboger)上刊出，这已经是安徒生逝世24年以后的事了。