the Queen, and saw that she was weeping.

"Dear love, why do you weep?" asked the Prince, who felt sad to see
tears in his lady's lovely eyes.

"I weep to think that in spite of our love we must soon part forever,"
said the Queen.

"Part forever? Dear lady, what can you mean?" said the anxious Prince.

"A cruel fate hangs over us," replied the lady. "Know, dear Prince, that
I am promised in marriage to the Enchanter Dragondel, and that in
exactly eight days, he will come here to claim my hand."

"The Enchanter Dragondel--who is he?" said the Prince.

"Alas," said the Queen, "the Enchanter Dragondel is the most powerful
magician of all the underworld. He is about eight feet tall, has cruel
sunken eyes that burn like dull fires, and dresses entirely in black. We
met at a ball given by the King of the Goblins. Dragondel pursued me
with compliments. A few days afterwards, an iron boat arrived in the
port of Lantern Land, having on board a giant blue dog who is
Dragondel's younger brother. This terrible animal, from whose sight the
people of Lantern Land fled screaming, made his way to the palace, and
dropped at my feet a jeweled casket, which he carried between his jaws.
The casket contained Dragondel's request for my hand, and added that,
were I to refuse him, he would let loose a legion of ghosts and other
winged spirits against the lanterns of Lantern Land. I had a vision of
Lantern Land in darkness; of my poor subjects dying of fear and
starvation. Rather than let this vision come true, I accepted the
Enchanter. Soon I shall never see you again, for Dragondel will come and
take me to his awful castle which lies on an island in the dark ocean.
Nor will you ever be able to save me, for Dragondel has so bewitched the
waves that a terrible whirlpool forms on the sea when a boat approaches
the enchanted castle, and engulfs it."

"But I can fight Dragondel," said the Prince, like the brave youth that
he was.

"That would be of little use," replied the Queen, "for you would be
changed into a stone the instant you crossed swords with him. Tomorrow,
the blue dog arrives to remind me of my obligation, and to carry back to
the island some of the palace servants who are to make Dragondel's
castle ready for my coming."

The other members of the party now rode up, and the Queen dabbed her
eyes with her handkerchief, and pretended not to have been crying. The
Prince and the Queen felt very unhappy as they rode home.

On t