ed with a little sharp crick-crack, and the rim turned up all round
till it was breast-high; for meantime the cloak had grown and grown, and
become quite large enough for one person to sit in it as comfortable as
if in a boat.

The Prince watched it rather anxiously; it was such an extraordinary,
not to say a frightening, thing. However, he was no coward, but a
thorough boy, who, if he had been like other boys, would doubtless have
grown up daring and adventurous--a soldier, a sailor, or the like. As
it was, he could only show his courage morally, not physically, by being
afraid of nothing, and by doing boldly all that it was in his narrow
powers to do. And I am not sure but that in this way he showed more real
valor than if he had had six pairs of proper legs.

He said to himself: "What a goose I am! As if my dear godmother would
ever have given me anything to hurt me. Here goes!"

So, with one of his active leaps, he sprang right into the middle of the
cloak, where he squatted down, wrapping his arms tight round his knees,
for they shook a little and his heart beat fast. But there he sat,
steady and silent, waiting for what might happen next.

Nothing did happen, and he began to think nothing would, and to feel
rather disappointed, when he recollected the words he had been told to
repeat--"Abracadabra, dum dum dum!"

He repeated them, laughing all the while, they seemed such nonsense. And
then--and then----

Now I don't expect anybody to believe what I am going to relate, though
a good many wise people have believed a good many sillier things. And as
seeing's believing, and I never saw it, I cannot be expected implicitly
to believe it myself, except in a sort of a way; and yet there is truth
in it--for some people.

The cloak rose, slowly and steadily, at first only a few inches, then
gradually higher and higher, till it nearly touched the skylight. Prince
Dolor's head actually bumped against the glass, or would have done so
had he not crouched down, crying "Oh, please don't hurt me!" in a most
melancholy voice.

Then he suddenly remembered his godmother's express command--"Open the
skylight!"

Regaining his courage at once, without a moment's delay he lifted up
his head and began searching for the bolt--the cloak meanwhile remaining
perfectly still, balanced in the air. But the minute the window was
opened, out it sailed--right out into the clear, fresh air, with nothing
between it and the cloudless blue.