foot touched the earth than he disappeared before the
eyes of the horrified courtiers.

They sought for him far and near, but all in vain, and they were forced
to recognise the power of the evil Fairy, against which the Queen had
warned them on her death-bed. The old King was much grieved when they
brought him the news of his son's disappearance, but as he could do
nothing to free him from his fate, he gave himself up to an old age of
grief and loneliness, cherishing at the same time the hope that some
lucky chance might one day deliver the youth out of the hands of his
enemy.

Hardly had the Prince touched the ground than he felt himself violently
seized by an unseen power, and hurried away he knew not whither. A whole
new world stretched out before him, quite unlike the one he had left.
A splendid castle surrounded by a huge lake was the abode of the Fairy,
and the only approach to it was over a bridge of clouds. On the other
side of the lake high mountains rose up, and dark woods stretched
along the banks; over all hung a thick mist, and deep silence reigned
everywhere.

No sooner had the Fairy reached her own domain than she made herself
visible, and turning to the Prince she told him that unless he obeyed
all her commands down to the minutest detail he would be severely
punished. Then she gave him an axe made of glass, and bade him cross the
bridge of clouds and go into the wood beyond and cut down all the trees
there before sunset. At the same time she cautioned him with many angry
words against speaking to a black girl he would most likely meet in the
wood.

The Prince listened to her words meekly, and when she had finished took
up the glass axe and set out for the forest. At every step he seemed to
sink into the clouds, but fear gave wings to his feet, and he crossed
the lake in safety and set to work at once.

But no sooner had he struck the first blow with his axe than it broke
into a thousand pieces against the tree. The poor youth was so terrified
he did not know what to do, for he was in mortal dread of the punishment
the wicked old Fairy would inflict on him. He wandered to and fro in the
wood, not knowing where he was going, and at last, worn out by fatigue
and misery, he sank on the ground and fell fast asleep.

He did not know how long he had slept when a sudden sound awoke him, and
opening his eyes he saw a black girl standing beside him. Mindful of
the Fairy's warning he did not dare to address