ake him
a perfectly accomplished Prince. Accordingly, to the delight of his
teachers, he made the most rapid progress in his education, constantly
surpassing everyone's expectations. Before he was many years old,
however, he had the great sorrow of losing his mother, whose last words
were to advise him never to undertake anything of importance without
consulting the Fairy under whose protection she had placed him.

The Prince's grief at the death of his mother was great, but it
was nothing compared to that of the King, his father, who was quite
inconsolable for the loss of his dear wife. Neither time nor reason
seemed to lighten his sorrow, and the sight of all the familiar faces
and things about him only served to remind him of his loss. He therefore
resolved to travel for change, and by means of his magic art was able
to visit every country he came to see under different shapes, returning
every few weeks to the place where he had left a few followers.

Having travelled from land to land in this fashion without finding
anything to rivet his attention, it occurred to him to take the form of
an eagle, and in this shape he flew across many countries and arrived
at length in a new and lovely spot, where the air seemed filled with the
scent of jessamine and orange flowers with which the ground was thickly
planted. Attracted by the sweet perfume he flew lower, and perceived
some large and beautiful gardens filled with the rarest flowers, and
with fountains throwing up their clear waters into the air in a hundred
different shapes. A wide stream flowed through the garden, and on it
floated richly ornamented barges and gondolas filled with people dressed
in the most elegant manner and covered with jewels.

In one of these barges sat the Queen of that country with her only
daughter, a maiden more beautiful than the Day Star, and attended by
the ladies of the Court. No more exquisitely lovely mortal was ever seen
than this Princess, and it needed all an eagle's strength of sight to
prevent the King being hopelessly dazzled. He perched on the top of a
large orange tree, whence he was able to survey the scene and to gaze at
pleasure on the Princess's charms.

Now, an eagle with a King's heart in his breast is apt to be bold,
and accordingly he instantly made up his mind to carry off the lovely
damsel, feeling sure that having once seen her he could not live without
her.

He waited till he saw her in the act of stepping ashore,