the Wood; "but go and see
for yourself. There is no need to thank me, for any one who takes the
trouble to follow the Wise Woman of the Wood to her home is welcome to
what he may find when he gets there."

Indeed, before he had time to thank her he found himself once more
outside the tree, with his crown lying at his feet and his horse
standing at his side. He was in such a hurry to get back to the Lady
Whimsical, however, that he did not stay to pick up his crown, but rode
bareheaded all through the night and reached the hedge of sweet-briar
and honeysuckle precisely at two hours after sunrise.

"Dear, dear," complained the dragon; "do you mean to say you 've come
back again?"

"I have some good news for you," said King Grumbelo, jovially. "There
is no spell over the Lady Whimsical after all!"

"Of course there is n't," said the dragon, as he slowly unfastened the
gates of apple-blossom. "Did n't I tell you she was n't a Princess?"

King Grumbelo did not stay to argue the point with him, but walked
quickly up the path and stopped in front of the dainty little house all
made of rose leaves.

"Lady Whimsical," he said, very gently and humbly, "will it please you
to smile on me once more? I have discovered that you are the wisest
person in the world, and that I am by far the most foolish."

When the Lady Whimsical looked out of her window and saw the King
standing there so humbly without his crown, the tears came right into
her wonderful eyes and stayed there.

"Oh!" she cried, "I am so glad you have come back! I was afraid you
were never coming back any more."

She held out her two little hands, and the King kissed them. Then she
came running down the stairs as fast as she could; and they sat on the
doorstep side by side, and talked.

"I feel as though I should never stop talking again! Do you mind?"
asked Lady Whimsical.

"I should like nothing better," said King Grumbelo. "But first of all
I must confess to you that I have an extremely ugly name. Do you think
you can bear to hear it?"

"I know it already!" laughed the Lady Whimsical. "Do you suppose I
have n't coaxed it out of my dragon long ago? But I, too, have
something to confess to you. Do you think it will make you angry?"

"I am quite sure I shall never be angry again," declared the King.

"Then," said Lady Whimsical, looking extremely solemn, "to begin with,
I am not a Princess at all."

"As if I did n't know that!" laughed the K