Lapplandische Mahrchen.]

The Prince and the Three Fates

Once upon a time a little boy was born to a king who ruled over a great
country through which ran a wide river. The king was nearly beside
himself with joy, for he had always longed for a son to inherit his
crown, and he sent messages to beg all the most powerful fairies to come
and see this wonderful baby. In an hour or two, so many were gathered
round the cradle, that the child seemed in danger of being smothered;
but the king, who was watching the fairies eagerly, was disturbed to see
them looking grave. 'Is there anything the matter?' he asked anxiously.

The fairies looked at him, and all shook their heads at once.

'He is a beautiful boy, and it is a great pity; but what IS to happen
WILL happen,' said they. 'It is written in the books of fate that he
must die, either by a crocodile, or a serpent, or by a dog. If we could
save him we would; but that is beyond our power.'

And so saying they vanished.

For a time the king stood where he was, horror-stricken at what he had
heard; but, being of a hopeful nature, he began at once to invent plans
to save the prince from the dreadful doom that awaited him. He instantly
sent for his master builder, and bade him construct a strong castle on
the top of a mountain, which should be fitted with the most precious
things from the king's own palace, and every kind of toy a child could
wish to play with. And, besides, he gave the strictest orders that a
guard should walk round the castle night and day.

For four or five years the baby lived in the castle alone with his
nurses, taking his airings on the broad terraces, which were surrounded
by walls, with a moat beneath them, and only a drawbridge to connect
them with the outer world.

One day, when the prince was old enough to run quite fast by himself,
he looked from the terrace across the moat, and saw a little soft fluffy
ball of a dog jumping and playing on the other side. Now, of course, all
dogs had been kept from him for fear that the fairies' prophecy should
come true, and he had never even beheld one before. So he turned to the
page who was walking behind him, and said:

'What is that funny little thing which is running so fast over there?'

'That is a dog, prince,' answered the page.

'Well, bring me one like it, and we will see which can run the faster.'
And he watched the dog till it had disappeared round the corner.

The page was much pu