g to help
him, he told his story. The fairy listened intently, marvelling at the
magician's craftiness.

"'And when must you be there?' she asked.

"'Not one minute later than sunset to-morrow. I set out a day sooner
than needful because of a mysteriously worded message I received,
warning me to make all haste lest I lose my bride,' was the reply.

"'You have an enemy,' said the fairy, 'but we may be able to help you.
You must wait the hour of audience, which is on the stroke of midnight;'
with this she disappeared.

"The young man, left alone, seemed to hear all about him mocking voices
singing:--

"'The ducks and the geese they all swim over--'

"and again and again he went to the water's edge, resolved to attempt to
cross on the rocks, but the sight of the wild torrent told him it would
be certain death.

"As night came on he at length fell into a troubled sleep with his head
against the trunk of the oak tree. He was aroused by soft music and
twinkling lights, and beheld before him, ranged in a semicircle, the
fairy queen and her attendants. The queen addressed him:--

"'Mortal, we have heard your story from Sadonia, one of our ladies, and,
as you have proved yourself kind and true-hearted, we would help you;
but we are bound by a sacred vow not to reveal the secret of the bridge
until sunset to-morrow.'

"'Ah, then it will be too late!' cried the young man.

"One of the attendant fairies now stepped out and knelt before the
queen. It was the one called Sadonia, with whom he had spoken.

"'Your Majesty remembers,' she said, 'that for a certain fault I was
condemned to take the form of a white rabbit, and with my foot in a trap
wait to be released by some kind traveller. When I was in despair, this
mortal freed me, and I ask that I may show my gratitude now by aiding
him.'

"'Can this be done without breaking the vow which binds us all?' asked
the queen.

"'Your Majesty, I promise neither by word or sign to reveal the secret
of the bridge. I shall only ask him to obey me in a single command. The
result rests with himself.'

"The queen was silent for a moment, then she said, 'Is this mortal
courageous enough, is his love deep enough, to keep him unfaltering in
the face of death?'

"'Death met in trying to reach the one I love will be far better than
life without her!' cried the young man.

"'Then,' said the queen, 'Sadonia is permitted to use all her powers to
aid you, but without revealing by w