he
had once wished must remain as he had wished it, in spite of himself;
and as he often wished for things that were bad for him, and oftener
still wished for a thing one day and regretted it the next, his power
was the source of quite as much pain as pleasure to him. Then his
temper was so hot, that he was apt hastily to wish ill to those who
offended him, and afterwards bitterly to regret the mischief that he
could not undo. Thus, one after another, the king appointed his
trustiest counsellors to the charge of his son, who, sooner or later,
in the discharge of their duty, were sure to be obliged to thwart him;
on which the impatient prince would cry, "I wish you were at the
bottom of the sea with your rules and regulations;" and the
counsellors disappeared accordingly, and returned no more.

When there was not a wise man left at court, and the king himself
lived in daily dread of being the next victim, he said, "Only one
thing remains to be done: to find the godfather magician, and persuade
him to withdraw his gift."

So the king offered rewards, and sent out messengers in every
direction, but the magician was not to be found. At last, one day he
met a blind beggar, who said to him, "Three nights ago I dreamed that
I went by the narrowest of seven roads to seek what you are looking
for, and was successful."

When the king returned home, he asked his courtiers, "Where are there
seven roads lying near to each other, some broad, and some narrow?"
And one of them replied, "Twenty-one miles to the west of the palace
is a four-cross road, where three field-paths also diverge."

To this place the king made his way, and taking the narrowest of the
field-paths, went on and on till it led him straight into a cave,
where an old woman sat over a fire.

"Does a magician live here?" asked the king.

"No one lives here but myself," said the old woman. "But as I am a
wise woman I may be able to help you if you need it."

The king then told her of his perplexities, and how he was desirous of
finding the magician, to persuade him to recall his gift.

"He could not recall the other gifts," said the wise woman. "Therefore
it is better that the prince should be taught to use his power
prudently and to control his temper. And since all the persons capable
of guiding him have disappeared, I will return with you and take
charge of him myself. Over me he will have no power."

To this the king consented, and they returned together