to him the Gryphoness, the oldest and
most discreet of the three, and told her of the departure of the
Princess.

"Hasten southward," he said, "as fast as you can, and follow her, and
do not return to me until you have found out why she left her city,
where she is going, and what she expects to do when she gets there.
Your appearance may frighten her; and, therefore, you must take with
you the Absolute Fool, to whom she will probably be willing to talk;
but you must see that every thing is managed properly."

Having despatched these two, the Inquisitive Dwarf then called the
Water Sprite, who was singing to herself at the edge of a fountain,
and telling her of the departure of the Prince, ordered her to follow
him, and not to return until she had found out why he left his city,
where he was going, and what he intended to do when he got there.

"The road to the north," he said, "lies along the river bank;
therefore, you can easily keep him company."

The Water Sprite bowed, and dancing over the dewy grass to the river,
threw herself into it. Sometimes she swam beneath the clear water;
sometimes she rose partly in the air, where she seemed like a little
cloud of sparkling mist borne onward by the wind; and sometimes she
floated upon the surface, her pale blue robes undulating with the
gentle waves, while her white hands and feet shone in the sun like
tiny crests of foam. Thus, singing to herself, she went joyously and
rapidly on, aided by a full, strong wind from the south. She did not
forget to glance every now and then upon the road which ran along the
river bank; and, in the course of the morning, she perceived the
Prince. He was sitting in the shade of a tree near the water's edge,
while his white horse was grazing near by.

The Water Sprite came very gently out of the river, and seating
herself upon the edge of the grassy bank, she spoke to him. The
Prince looked up in astonishment, but there was nothing in her
appearance to frighten him.

"I came," said the Water Sprite, "at the command of my master, to ask
you why you left your city, where you are going, and what you intend
to do when you get there."

The Prince then told her why he had left his city, and what he
intended to do when he had found the Princess.

"But where I am going," he said, "I do not know, myself. I must
travel and travel until I succeed in the object of my search."

The Water Sprite reflected for a moment, and then she said:

"If I