t under
a pagatpat-tree [93]. An eagle which had a nest at the very top of
the tree saw him crying, and said to him, "Why do you weep, Carlos?"

"O Eagle, queen of the birds! I'd be very thankful to you if you'd
only tell me where the home of the Goddess of the Sea is," said Carlos.

"Why do you want her house?" asked the eagle. "Don't you know that
no human being is able to see her?"

"I didn't know that; but if I cannot see her, my life is lost,"
said Carlos sadly.

The eagle pitied Carlos very much: so she said, "Come, Carlos,
come! and I'll lead you to the right path." Carlos followed her
until they came to the mouth of the river. There they stopped. The
eagle shouted, "O king of the fishes! come and help me, for I am
in great need of assistance." The king of the fishes appeared, and
asked what the eagle needed. The eagle told him the story of Carlos,
and asked him if he could take Carlos to the home of the Goddess of
the Sea. As the fish could not refuse the request of the queen of the
birds, he said to Carlos, "Carlos, lie on my back and close your eyes:
within five minutes you'll be in the home of the goddess."

Carlos obeyed the fish. When he opened his eyes, he found that he was
in a very beautiful house. He was lying on a golden bed, and beside
him was standing a beautiful woman with a star on her forehead and
a moon on her throat. Carlos could not believe that the vision was
true. By and by he heard a sweet voice saying, "What has brought you
to this place?"

Carlos trembled, and answered, "I have come here to ask for your help."

"What help do you desire?" asked the goddess. Carlos related his
story. The goddess could not refuse help to one who had spoken so
well of her beauty, so she took her diamond ring off her finger
and gave it to Carlos, saying, "Take this ring with you. Whenever
you want or need my help, touch the ring thrice, and say, 'O God,
help me!' If the king wants my presence, touch the ring six times,
and I'll appear before you."

Carlos received the ring, and, humbly kneeling before the goddess,
said, "I can find no words in which to express to you my gratitude. I
thank you with all my heart."

The goddess then called to the king of the fishes, and ordered him
to take Carlos back to land. When Carlos arrived at the shore of the
river, he met the eagle, who showed him the way to the king's palace.

The king Don Fernando, on seeing Carlos once more before him, said,
"You wretch! on