e boat floated out to sea
and soon was lost to sight; but the prince, having eaten, forgot all
about it, and, worse still, forgot all about the princess in the
giant's castle. When he had eaten enough he descended the tree, and,
turning his back on the sea, set out straight before him. He had not
gone far when he heard the sound of music, and soon after he saw a
number of maidens playing on silver harps coming towards him. When
they saw him they ceased playing, and cried out:

"Welcome! welcome! Prince of the Silver River, welcome to the island
of fruits and flowers. Our king and queen saw you coming over the sea,
and they sent us to bring you to the palace."

The prince went with them, and at the palace gates the king and queen
and their daughter Kathleen received him, and gave him welcome. He
hardly saw the king and queen, for his eyes were fixed on the princess
Kathleen, who looked more beautiful than a flower. He thought he had
never seen anyone so lovely, for, of course, he had forgotten all
about poor Eileen pining away in her castle prison in the lonely
valley. When the king and queen had given welcome to the prince a
great feast was spread, and all the lords and ladies of the court sat
down to it, and the prince sat between the queen and the princess
Kathleen, and long before the feast was finished he was over head and
ears in love with her. When the feast was ended the queen ordered the
ballroom to be made ready, and when night fell the dancing began, and
was kept up until the morning star, and the prince danced all night
with the princess, falling deeper and deeper in love with her every
minute. Between dancing by night and feasting by day weeks went by.
All the time poor Eileen in the giant's castle was counting the hours,
and all this time the dwarfs were winding the balls, and a ball and a
half were already wound. At last the prince asked the king and queen
for their daughter in marriage, and they were delighted to be able to
say yes, and the day was fixed for the wedding. But on the evening
before the day on which it was to take place the prince was in his
room, getting ready for a dance, when he felt something rubbing
against his leg, and, looking down, who should he see but the little
white cat. At the sight of him the prince remembered everything, and
sad and sorry he was when he thought of Eileen watching and waiting
and counting the days until he returned to save her. But he was very
fond of the pri