body but
himself and he had never in all his life given up any one of his
comforts that somebody else might have a pleasure. So, of course, he
grew to be selfish and peevish, and by the time he was five years old he
was so disagreeable that nobody loved him. "Dear, dear! what shall we
do?" said the poor Queen mother and the King only sighed and answered
"Ah, what indeed!" They were both very much grieved at heart for they
well knew that little Harweda, although he was a prince, would never
grow up to be a really great King unless he could make his people love
him.

At last they decided to send for his fairy god-mother and see if she
could suggest anything which would cure Prince Harweda of always
thinking about himself. "Well, well, well!" exclaimed the god-mother
when they had laid the case before her--"This is a pretty state of
affairs! and I his god-mother too! Why wasn't I called in sooner?" She
then told them that she would have to think a day and a night and a day
again before she could offer them any assistance. "But," added she, "if
I take the child in charge you must promise not to interfere for a whole
year." The King and Queen gladly promised that they would not speak to
or even see their son for the required time if the fairy god-mother
would only cure him of his selfishness. "We'll see about that," said the
god-mother, "Humph, expecting to be a King some day and not caring for
anybody but himself--a fine King he'll make!" With that off she flew and
the King and Queen saw nothing more of her for a day and a night and
another day. Then back she came in a great hurry. "Give me the Prince,"
said she; "I have his house all ready for him. One month from to-day
I'll bring him back to you. Perhaps he'll be cured and perhaps he won't.
If he is not cured then we shall try two months next time. We'll see,
we'll see." Without any more ado she picked up the astonished young
prince and flew away with him as lightly as if he were nothing but a
feather or a straw. In vain the poor queen wept and begged for a last
kiss. Before she had wiped her eyes, the fairy god-mother and Prince
Harweda were out of sight.

They flew a long distance until they reached a great forest. When they
had come to the middle of it, down flew the fairy, and in a minute more
the young prince was standing on the green grass beside a beautiful
pink marble palace that looked something like a good sized summer
house.

"This is your home," said the g