with thee," she added wistfully, taking Lionel's
hand. "No vile creature can harm me when thou art by my side!"

Her innocent, confiding words captivated Lionel's heart, and he
exclaimed, "I will protect you, Lady Lilias, from every danger."

Then she led him to the great artificial lake at the back of the royal
mansion; and there, sure enough, lay the king stretched out his full
length upon the bank, with his fishing-rod dangling in the water.

Near the margin of the lake grew lovely white water-lilies, and the Lady
Lilias stooped to gather them. But her father was all alarmed on
beholding her approach the spot which fate had connected with so much
danger for his child.

"My daughter, my Lilias!" he cried out, "when I have fished up the
creature from below the lake that waits to marry thee, I will kill it,
and then thou may'st wander as thou wilt. But oh, keep far from the
water's edge, my child!"

"Ah, here is a _Lion_ will guard thy _Lily_, father dear," returned the
girl laughing, and she presented young Lionel to the king.

But, at this instant, a violent tugging was perceptible at the end of
the monarch's angling-rod; and he rose in great excitement to draw in
his line, which this time seemed to have hooked some extraordinary
booty.

Lionel ran forward, and assisted the king to land it.

And what was the wondrous fish? A little tiny fairy-body all laughing
and shining like a mermaid.

"I have come," she began gaily, "from the bottom of the lake, but your
Majesty need not fear that fair Lady Lilias will fall in love with an
old fairy like me. Yet there stands one at her side, my godson, young
Lionel, old Martin the gardener's son, who has indeed come also from
beneath the lake; and deeper down than I. For you must know that below
your Majesty's feet, and below the royal palace and this park and pond,
there are workmen grovelling sordidly for gold, and the danger is, that
some fine morning both the palace and the hamlet may be undermined, and
fall into the pit that they are digging."

"Oh," cried the king greatly relieved, "then my Lilias shall marry young
Lionel! He is a goodly youth; and my heart shall be at rest about my
daughter. And now, good Fairy, that I fear no longer an ugly monster for
my child, I shall fish no more to-day, but inquire into these things,
that threaten the safety of my kingdom!"

Lady Lilias and "My Lord Lionel," as he was now called, were married at
once; for the good fairy d