n the bee got up and carefully brushed every scrap of
dust off his velvet coat and buzzed loudly in the boy's ear to waken
him.

'Take a single hair from one of my wings,' said he, 'and if you are in
danger just wish yourself a bee and you will become one. One good turn
deserves another, so farewell, and thank you for your supper.' And
the bee departed after the boy had pulled out the hair and wrapped it
carefully in a leaf.

'It must feel quite different to be a bee from what it does to be a lion
or bear,' thought the boy to himself when he had walked for an hour or
two. 'I dare say I should get on a great deal faster,' so he pulled out
his hair and wished himself a bee.

In a moment the strangest thing happened to him. All his limbs seemed
to draw together, and his body to become very short and round; his head
grew quite tiny, and instead of his white skin he was covered with the
richest, softest velvet. Better than all, he had two lovely gauze wings
which carried him the whole day without getting tired.

Late in the afternoon the boy fancied he saw a vast heap of stones a
long way off, and he flew straight towards it. But when he reached the
gates he saw that it was really a great town, so he wished himself back
in his own shape and entered the city.

He found the palace doors wide open and went boldly into a sort of
hall which was full of people, and where men and maids were gossiping
together. He joined their talk and soon learned from them that the king
had only one daughter who had such a hatred to men that she would never
suffer one to enter her presence. Her father was in despair, and had
had pictures painted of the handsomest princes of all the courts in the
world, in the hope that she might fall in love with one of them; but it
was no use; the princess would not even allow the pictures to be brought
into her room.

'It is late,' remarked one of the women at last; 'I must go to my
mistress.' And, turning to one of the lackeys, she bade him find a bed
for the youth.

'It is not necessary,' answered the prince, 'this bench is good enough
for me. I am used to nothing better.' And when the hall was empty he
lay down for a few minutes. But as soon as everything was quiet in the
palace he took out the hair and wished himself a bee, and in this shape
he flew upstairs, past the guards, and through the keyhole into the
princess's chamber. Then he turned himself into a man again.

At this dreadful sight the pr