y bruised his
fists and hurt his toes. He grew quite angry now. How dare any one shut
him, a prince, up in a dark prison like this! He abused his fairy
god-mother, calling her all sorts of horrid names. Then he upbraided his
father and mother, the King and Queen, for letting him go away with such
a god-mother. In fact, he blamed everybody and everything but himself
for his present condition, but it was of no use. The sound of his own
voice was his only answer. The whole of the outside world seemed to have
forgotten him.

As he felt his way back to his couch he knocked over one of the golden
jars which had held the liquid perfume, but the perfume was all gone now
and only an empty jar rolled over the floor. He laid himself down on the
divan but its soft pillows had been removed and a hard iron frame-work
received him. He was dismayed and lay for a long time thinking of what
he had best do with himself. All before him was blank darkness, as black
as the darkest night you ever saw. He reached out his hand to get some
fruit to eat, but only one or two withered apples remained on the
table--was he to starve to death? Suddenly he noticed that the tinkling
music of the fountain had ceased. He hastily groped his way over to it
and he found in place of the dancing, running stream stood a silent pool
of water. A hush had fallen upon everything about him, a dead silence
was in the room. He threw himself down upon the floor and wished that he
were dead also. He lay there for a long, long time.

At last he heard, or thought he heard, a faint sound. He listened
eagerly. It seemed to be some tiny creature not far from him, trying to
move about. For the first time for nearly a month he remembered the bird
in its gilded cage. "Poor little thing," he cried as he sprang up, "You
too are shut within this terrible prison. This thick darkness must be as
hard for you to bear as it is for me." He went towards the cage and as
he approached it the bird gave a sad little chirp.

"That's better than nothing," said the boy, "you must need some water to
drink, poor thing," continued he as he filled its drinking cup. "This
is all I have to give you."

Just then he heard a harsh, grating sound, as of rusty bolts sliding
with difficulty out of their sockets, and then faint rays of light not
wider than a hair began to shine between the heavy plate mirrors. Prince
Harweda was filled with joy. "Perhaps, perhaps," said he softly, "I may
yet see the lig