fell into the queen's arms,
covered with blood. He immediately left the combat, to go to the
relief of his beloved, but the dwarf was too quick for him; and flying
on his Spanish cat to the balcony where she was, he took her from her
mother's arms, leaped with her upon the top of the palace, and
immediately disappeared.

As the king stood confused and astonished at this strange adventure,
he suddenly found a mist before his eyes, and felt himself lifted up
in the air by some extraordinary power; for the Desert Fairy had
fallen in love with him. To secure him for herself, therefore, she
carried him to a frightful cavern, hoping he would there forget
All-Fair. But finding this scheme ineffectual, she resolved to carry
him to a place altogether as pleasant as the other was terrible; and
accordingly placed him in a chariot drawn by swans. In passing through
the air, he was unspeakably surprised to see his beloved princess in a
castle of polished steel, leaning her head on one hand, and wiping
away her tears with the other. She happened to look up, and had the
mortification to see the king sitting by the fairy who then, by her
art, made herself appear extremely beautiful. Had not the king been
sensible of the fairy's power, he would certainly have tried to free
himself from her by some means or other; but he knew it would be in
vain, and therefore made believe to have a liking for her. At last
they came to a stately palace, fenced on one side by walls of
emeralds, and on the other by a boisterous sea. The king, by
pretending an attachment to the fairy, obtained the liberty to walk by
himself on the shore. There, one day, he heard a voice, and presently
after was surprised by the appearance of a mermaid, who, swimming up
to him with a pleasing smile, spoke to this effect:--"O King of the
Golden Mines, I well know all that has befallen you and the Princess
All-Fair. Do not suspect this to be a contrivance of the fairy to try
you, for I am an inveterate enemy both to her and the Yellow Dwarf;
therefore, if you will place confidence in me, I will lend you my
assistance to procure the release, not only of yourself, but of
All-Fair also."

The overjoyed king promised to do whatever the mermaid should direct,
and seating himself by her desire upon her fish's tail, they sailed
away together over the rolling sea.

When they had sailed some time, "Now," said the mermaid to the king,
"we are approaching the place where your princes