pushed it back, and entered a
large circular hall. The ceiling was blue and silver like the heavens
on a bright night when the stars shine, and the floor was covered with
a green silken carpet. There were twelve tall windows set in gold
frames, and on the crystal glass of each window a beautiful young girl
was pictured in glowing colors. Every one of them was a princess with
a royal crown upon her head. As the prince looked at them it seemed to
him that each was more lovely than the last, and for the life of him
he knew not which was the loveliest. Then they began to move as if
alive, and they smiled at the prince and nodded, and looked as if they
were about to speak.

Suddenly the prince noticed that one of the twelve windows was covered
with a white curtain. He pulled the curtain aside and there without
any question was the most beautiful princess of them all, clothed in
pure white, with a silver girdle and a crown of pearls. Her face was
deathly pale and sad as the grave.

For a long time the prince stood before this picture in utter
amazement and as he looked at it a pain seemed to enter his heart.

"This one I want for my bride," he said aloud, "this one and no
other."

At these words the maiden bowed, flushed like a rose, and then
instantly all the pictures disappeared.

When the prince told his father what he had seen and which maiden he
had chosen, the old king was greatly troubled.

"My son," he said, "you did ill to uncover what was covered and in
declaring this, your choice, you have exposed yourself to a great
danger. This maiden is in the power of a black magician who holds her
captive in an iron castle. Of all who have gone to rescue her not one
has ever returned. However, what's done is done and you have given
your word. Go, then, try what fortune has in store for you, and may
Heaven bring you back safe and sound."

So the prince bade his father farewell, mounted his horse, and rode
forth to find his bride. His first adventure was to lose his way in a
deep forest. He wandered about some time not knowing where to turn
when suddenly he was hailed from behind with these words:

"Hey, there, master, wait a minute!"

He looked around and saw a tall man running toward him.

"Take me into your service, master," the tall man said. "If you do you
won't regret it."

"What is your name," the prince asked, "and what can you do?"

"People call me Longshanks because I can stretch myself out. I'll show