eved that if he
persevered he would conquer in the end.

His Royal Mother was so perturbed and alarmed that at last she made a
confidant of the Court Godmother, who was about to depart on her annual
visit to the Court of Clairdelune. "He _will_ go on with it!" Queen
Selina lamented, "and I _know_ he'll break his neck before long! It does
seem so strange that those horrible horses should behave like this with
Clarence and nobody else. When his poor dear Grandfather was such a good
rider, too! I can't think why they should, Court Godmother, can you?"

The Fairy Vogelflug thought privately that the reason was not very far
to see. The horses of the Royal stud were, she knew, of an exceptional
aristocratic breed. Now poor Clarence, though of Royal blood on his
mother's side, unfortunately had little of the air and appearance which
these intelligent and observant animals probably connected with a true
Prince. It was more than likely that they had failed to recognise that
he was a Prince at all, and so resented being called upon to carry him.

But, though she could be out-spoken enough on occasion, she felt that
this was hardly an explanation she could give to his mother. "Well, my
dear," she said, "it's very trying for you, of course. But I don't know
that there's anything _I_ can do."

"I--I thought perhaps," said Queen Selina, with some natural hesitation,
"that you, as a Fairy, might--er--know some quite simple little spell
which----"

"As I have told you before," interrupted the Fairy, "I make a point of
using my knowledge of Magic as seldom as I can nowadays. I have my
health to consider. And, in any case, I am acquainted with no spell for
making a Prince into a horseman. Princes in Maerchenland," she added,
rather unkindly, "have never needed such aids."

But, after all, she was anxious that this Royal family, whom she had
been largely responsible for importing, should do her as much credit as
possible, and so she applied herself to think of something that might be
of help to the unfortunate Crown Prince. A means occurred to her at
length, but as she was by no means sure that it would be effectual, she
was careful not to commit herself.

She did not even mention it till she was on the point of starting for
Clairdelune, and then, before she stepped into her dove-chariot, she
suddenly said to the Queen, _a propos_ of nothing in particular, "By the
way, my dear, that jewel you were wearing when you first came--I hav