" asked the Owl, who knew
everything in the world except that.

[Illustration: "THE OWL CALLED A COUNCIL OF ROBIN'S BEST FRIENDS"]

Then Robin explained that the lovely princess, whose hair was like spun
gold and whose eyes were like the blue forget-me-nots by the brook, had
lost her precious amulet, given to her by her godmother, which kept her,
as long as it lay on her neck, healthy and beautiful and happy. One day,
when she was playing in the flower-garden, the little gold chain snapped
and the amulet rolled away. Everybody in the palace had searched, the
soldiers had been called out to help, and all the small boys had been
organized into an amulet brigade, for what they cannot see is usually
not worth seeing at all. But no one could find it, and in the meantime
the princess grew pale, and, truth to tell, rather cross. Her hair
dulled a little, and her eyes looked like forget-me-nots drowned in the
brook. When the court philosopher reasoned the matter out and discovered
that the amulet had been carried far away, perhaps outside the kingdom,
the king offered the Prize for Good Luck for its return.

"Now, if I could win the Prize for Good Luck," said Robin, "we should
have bread and milk all the time, and Mother need not work so hard."

Then the Owl in her wisdom called a council of Robin's best friends, and
asked them what they were going to do about it. They waited respectfully
for her advice; and this was her wonderful plan:

"Robin could win the Prize for Good Luck," declared the Owl, "if only he
were wise and swift and clear-sighted and strong enough. Now I will lend
him my wisdom, the Hare shall lend his swiftness, the Eagle shall lend
his eyesight, and the Lion shall lend his strength." And thus it was
agreed.

Then the Owl went back to little Robin's window and explained the plan.

"You must remember," she said warningly, "time is precious. It is almost
morning now. I cannot long spare my wisdom, for who would guide the
feathered folk? If the Hare cannot run, how can he escape the fox? If
the Eagle cannot see, he will dash himself into the cliff if he flies,
and he will starve to death if he sits still. If the Lion's strength is
gone, the wolves will be the first to know it. Return, then, without
delay. At the stroke of nine o'clock to-morrow night, we shall await you
here. Now go quickly, for rather would I die than live like the
feather-brained blue jay."

Immediately Robin felt himself so strong and