ery good sherbet," said Wiggs, to encourage him.

"I'm sure it is, my dear. But the question is, Do I like sherbet?"

"You can't help knowing if you like _sherbet_."

"Don't bother him, Wiggs," said Hyacinth, "a venison sandwich, dear
Prince?"

"The question is, Do I like venison sandwiches?"

"_I_ do," announced Woggs to any one who was interested.

"You see," explained Udo, "I really don't know _what_ I like."

They were all surprised at this, particularly Woggs. Belvane, who was
enjoying herself too much to wish to do anything but listen, said
nothing, and it was the Princess who obliged Udo by asking him what he
meant. It was a subject upon which he was longing to let himself go
to somebody.

"Well," he said, expanding himself a little, so that Wiggs had to
remove his tail this time from the custard, "what am I?"

Nobody ventured to offer an opinion.

"Am I a hare? Then put me next to the red currant jelly, or whatever
it is that hares like."

The anxious eye of the hostess wandered over the table.

"Am I a lion?" went on Udo, developing his theme. "Then pass me
Wiggs."

"Oh, please don't be a lion," said Wiggs gently, as she stroked his
mane.

"But haven't you a feeling for anything?" asked Hyacinth.

"I have a great feeling of emptiness. I yearn for _something_, only I
don't quite know what."

"I hope it isn't sardines," whispered Wiggs to Woggs.

"But what have you been eating on the way?" asked the Princess.

"Oh, grass and things chiefly. I thought I should be safe with
grass."

"And were you--er--safe?" asked Belvane, with a great show of anxiety.

Udo coughed and said nothing.

"I know it's silly of me," said Hyacinth, "but I still don't quite
understand. I should have thought that if you were a--a----"

"Quite so," said Udo.

"--then you would have known by instinct what a--a----"

"Exactly," said Udo.

"Likes to eat."

"Ah, I thought you'd think that. That's just what I thought when
this--when I began to feel unwell. But I've worked it out since, and
it's all wrong."

"This _is_ interesting," said Belvane, settling herself more
comfortably. "_Do_ go on."

"Well, when----" He coughed and looked round at them coyly. "This is
really rather a delicate subject."

"Not at all," murmured Hyacinth.

"Well, it's like this. When an enchanter wants to annoy you he
generally turns you into an animal of some kind."

Belvane achieved her first blush since she was sev