y the beauty of the
Princess, have perished in the attempt to win her; and here is the list
of these who have just entered upon the high emprise.'

Prince Mannikin was seized with a violent desire to inscribe his name
among the others, but the remembrance of his dependent position and his
lack of wealth held him back. But while he hesitated the old man, with
many respectful ceremonies, unveiled a portrait of the lovely Sabella,
which was carried by some of the attendants, and after one glance at it
the Prince delayed no longer, but, rushing forward, demanded permission
to add his name to the list. When they saw his tiny stature anti simple
attire the strangers looked at each other doubtfully, not knowing
whether to accept or refuse him. But the Prince said haughtily:

'Give me the paper that I may sign it,' and they obeyed. What between
admiration for the Princess and annoyance at the hesitation shown by her
ambassadors the Prince was too much agitated to choose any other name
than the one by which he was always known. But when, after all the grand
titles of the other Princes, he simply wrote 'Mannikin,' the ambassadors
broke into shouts of laughter.

'Miserable wretches!' cried the Prince; 'but for the presence of that
lovely portrait I would cut off your heads.'

But he suddenly remembered that, after all, it was a funny name, and
that he had not yet had time to make it famous; so he was calm, and
enquired the way to the Princess Sabella's country.

Though his heart did not fail him in the least, still he felt there
were many difficulties before him, and he resolved to set out at once,
without even taking leave of the Fairy, for fear she might try to stop
him. Everybody in the town who knew him made great fun of the idea of
Mannikin's undertaking such an expedition, and it even came to the ears
of the foolish King and Queen, who laughed over it more than any of the
others, without having an idea that the presumptuous Mannikin was their
only son!

Meantime the Prince was travelling on, though the direction he had
received for his journey were none of the clearest.

'Four hundred leagues north of Mount Caucasus you will receive your
orders and instructions for the conquest of the Ice Mountain.'

Fine marching orders, those, for a man starting from a country near
where Japan is nowadays!

However, he fared eastward, avoiding all towns, lest the people
should laugh at his name, for, you see, he was not a very ex