he good fairies of the Fire, in the Land of
Glowing Embers. You shall hear, also, of the noble Prince Ember, and of
the quest upon which he once set out. What speed he had in his high
adventure, and whether or no he brought it to a happy and fortunate
close, this tale will make known to you.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER I

One morning at early dawn, the Shadow Witch stole down her palace steps
and out into her Garden of Shadows, to walk there alone.

Not many days before, a stranger prince, seeking to deliver a beautiful
flame princess whom he loved, had passed through the Land of the Evil
Fairies that lies far away from the heart of the Fire. The Shadow Witch
had seen him, and at first, half in mischief, and half because she was
lonely, had tried, by her magic, to lure him away from his quest into
her own land. But soon, moved by his courage and goodness, yet most of
all by his faithful love to his princess, she had given him aid in his
undertaking, and had saved him from destruction by her brother, the
Wizard of the Cave of Darkness.

No such bright visitant had ever before come into the strange country
where she dwelt, and when he departed, her dim palace, her misty woods
and gardens, even her own magic, no longer gave her pleasure as they
once had done.

Far from her dominions lay that lovely land from whence the prince had
come, the land of the good and happy Fire Fairies. Of the bright spells,
the noble magic, the joyous life of these fairies she knew nothing.

Through her dusky land she moved, attended by her servants, the
Shadows, working with them her curious, and sometimes mischievous,
spells. Her brother, the Wizard, gave her no cheer, spent no love upon
her, taught her nothing good, and she, for her own part, seldom sought
his presence.

As she walked this morning in her garden, her dark eyes were troubled,
and she let her grey garments sweep the ground unheeded, while in fancy
she followed Prince Radiance, who had come for one brief hour into her
dull life. She could not but wonder whether she must be always lonely as
she now was, whether she must always wish in vain for such happiness as
his land could give. Up and down the alleys of the garden she went, and
for a long time no one came to disturb her, but at length a voice broke
in upon her musings.

"Mistress of the Shadows," it said, "a messenger from your brother, the
Wizard, desi