King himself.

"A lost half-hour?" said the King. "No, I am quite sure it has not been
seen in my dominions. Would you mind asking, as you go through the
world, for news of my little daughter?" (Here the poor old King took out
a great green handkerchief and wiped his eyes.) "She was stolen by the
fairies on midsummer eve fifteen years ago. Find her, worthy Bobo, and
an immense reward will be yours."

So Bobo left the proud city of Zizz, and once again rode over the hills
and far away. But never a sign of the lost half-hour did he find,
although he asked thousands of people. His faithful white horse died,
and he continued his way on foot.

Three long years passed, and Bobo grew into a handsome lad, but remained
a simpleton still. Finally, after he had wandered all about Fairyland,
he came to the edge of the sea. Finding a ship moored in a little
harbor, Bobo asked the sailors if they had seen a lost half-hour.

"No," said the sailors, "but we are going to the Isles of Iron;
suppose you go with us. The lost half-hour may be there."

So Bobo went aboard the ship, and sailed out upon the dark sea.

For two days the weather was warm and clear, but on the third day, there
came a dreadful storm, and on the third night the vessel was driven far
off her course into the unknown ocean, and was wrecked upon a mysterious
island of rocks that shone in the night like wet matches. A great wave
swept the decks, and Bobo was borne away from his companions and carried
toward the shining land. Though pounded and battered by the foaming
waves, the simpleton at length managed to reach the beach, and took
refuge in a crevice of the cliff during the stormy night.

When the dawn broke, all sign of the ship had disappeared. Looking
about, Bobo found himself on a lovely island whose heart was a high
mountain mass hidden in the fog still sweeping in from the sea. There
was not a house, a road, or a path to be seen. Suddenly Bobo noticed a
strange little door in the bark of a great lonely tree, and, opening
this door, he discovered a little cupboard in which were a pair of
wooden shoes. Above the shoes was a card, saying simply,--

PUT US ON.

So Bobo sat down on a stone by the foot of the tree, and put on the
wooden shoes, which fitted him very nicely. Now these shoes were magic
shoes, and Bobo had hardly stepped into them before they turned his feet
inland. So Bobo obediently let the shoes guide him. At corners the shoes
always turned