l, amiable,
and accomplished prince in the world. As he travelled from town to
town, he bought all the handsome dogs that fell in his way; and as
soon as he saw one that was handsomer than those he had, he made a
present of the rest; for twenty servants would scarcely have been
sufficient to take care of all the dogs he was continually purchasing.
At length, wandering he knew not whither, he found himself in a
forest; night suddenly came on, and with it a violent storm of
thunder, lightning, and rain: to add to his perplexity, he lost his
way. After he had groped about for a long time, he perceived a light,
which made him suppose that he was not far from some house: he
accordingly pursued his way towards it, and in a short time found
himself at the gates of the most magnificent palace he had ever
beheld. The entrance-door was of gold, covered with sapphires, which
shone so that scarcely could the strongest eyesight bear to look at
it: this was the light the prince had seen from the forest. The walls
were of transparent porcelain, variously coloured, and represented the
history of all the fairies that had existed from the beginning of the
world. The prince, coming back to the golden door, observed a deer's
foot fastened to a chain of diamonds; he could not help wondering at
the magnificence he beheld, and the security in which the inhabitants
seemed to live; "For," said he to himself, "nothing could be easier
than for thieves to steal this chain, and as many of the
sapphire-stones as would make their fortunes." He pulled the chain,
and heard a bell, the sound of which was exquisite. In a few moments
the door was opened; yet he perceived nothing but twelve hands in the
air, each holding a torch. The prince was so astonished that he durst
not move a step--when he felt himself gently pushed on by some other
hands from behind him. He walked on, in great perplexity, till he
entered a vestibule inlaid with porphyry and lapis-stone, where the
most melodious voice he had ever heard chanted the following words:--

"Welcome, prince, no danger fear,
Mirth and love attend you here;
You shall break the magic spell,
That on a beauteous lady fell.

Welcome, prince, no danger fear,
Mirth and love attend you here."

The prince now advanced with confidence, wondering what these words
could mean; the hands moved him forward towards a large door of
coral, which opened of itself to give him admittance into a sple