eek, causing it to blush a faint pink.
Then the Prince seized the girl's hand and cried out, 'This is the
Princess Hyacinthia!'

[Illustration]

'You're right again,' said the Magician in amazement; 'but I've still
another task for you to do. Before this candle, which I shall light,
burns to the socket, you must have made me a pair of boots reaching to
my knees. If they aren't finished in that time, off comes your head.'

The Prince returned to his room in despair; then the Princess Hyacinthia
came to him once more changed into the likeness of a bee, and asked him,
'Why so sad, Prince Milan?'

'How can I help being sad? Your father has set me this time an
impossible task. Before a candle which he has lit burns to the socket, I
am to make a pair of boots. But what does a prince know of shoemaking?
If I can't do it, I lose my head.'

'And what do you mean to do?' asked Hyacinthia.

'Well, what is there to be done? What he demands I can't and won't do,
so he must just make an end of me.'

'Not so, dearest. I love you dearly, and you shall marry me, and I'll
either save your life or die with you. We must fly now as quickly as we
can, for there is no other way of escape.'

With these words she breathed on the window, and her breath froze on the
pane. Then she led Milan out of the room with her, shut the door, and
threw the key away. Hand in hand, they hurried to the spot where they
had descended into the lower world, and at last reached the banks of the
lake. Prince Milan's charger was still grazing on the grass which grew
near the water. The horse no sooner recognised his master, than it
neighed loudly with joy, and springing towards him, it stood as if
rooted to the ground, while Prince Milan and Hyacinthia jumped on its
back. Then it sped onwards like an arrow from a bow.

In the meantime the Magician was waiting impatiently for the Prince.
Enraged by the delay, he sent his servants to fetch him, for the
appointed time was past.

The servants came to the door, and finding it locked, they knocked; but
the frozen breath on the window replied in Prince Milan's voice, 'I am
coming directly.' With this answer they returned to the Magician. But
when the Prince still did not appear, after a time he sent his servants
a second time to bring him. The frozen breath always gave the same
answer, but the Prince never came. At last the Magician lost all
patience, and commanded the door to be burst open. But when his servants