Curdie
burst out laughing at the sight of them.

'I never had such fun!' said the princess, her eyes twinkling and her
pretty teeth shining. 'How nice it must be to live in a cottage on the
mountain!'

'It all depends on what kind your inside house is,' said the mother.

'I know what you mean,' said Irene. 'That's the kind of thing my
grandmother says.'

By the time Peter returned the storm was nearly over, but the streams
were so fierce and so swollen that it was not only out of the question
for the princess to go down the mountain, but most dangerous for Peter
even or Curdie to make the attempt in the gathering darkness.

'They will be dreadfully frightened about you,' said Peter to the
princess, 'but we cannot help it. We must wait till the morning.'

With Curdie's help, the fire was lighted at last, and the mother set
about making their supper; and after supper they all told the princess
stories till she grew sleepy. Then Curdie's mother laid her in
Curdie's bed, which was in a tiny little garret-room. As soon as she
was in bed, through a little window low down in the roof she caught
sight of her grandmother's lamp shining far away beneath, and she gazed
at the beautiful silvery globe until she fell asleep.

CHAPTER 30

The King and the Kiss

The next morning the sun rose so bright that Irene said the rain had
washed his face and let the light out clean. The torrents were still
roaring down the side of the mountain, but they were so much smaller as
not to be dangerous in the daylight. After an early breakfast, Peter
went to his work and Curdie and his mother set out to take the princess
home. They had difficulty in getting her dry across the streams, and
Curdie had again and again to carry her, but at last they got safe on
the broader part of the road, and walked gently down towards the king's
house. And what should they see as they turned the last corner but the
last of the king's troop riding through the gate!

'Oh, Curdie!' cried Irene, clapping her hands right joyfully,'my
king-papa is come.'

The moment Curdie heard that, he caught her up in his arms, and set off
at full speed, crying:

'Come on, mother dear! The king may break his heart before he knows
that she is safe.'

Irene clung round his neck and he ran with her like a deer. When he
entered the gate into the court, there sat the king on his horse, with
all the people of the house about him, weeping and hanging their head