第17章

MeantimeRosalieandtheInvisiblePrincehadreached，handinhand，adoorofthegallerywhichledthroughaterraceintothegardens。Insilencetheyglidedalong，andthoughtthemselvesalreadysafe，whenafuriousmonsterdasheditselfbyaccidentagainstRosalieandtheInvisiblePrince，andinherfrightsheletgohishand。Noonecanspeakaslongasheisinvisible，andbesides，theyknewthatthespiritswereallaroundthem，andattheslightestsoundtheywouldberecognised；soalltheycoulddowastofeelaboutinthehopethattheirhandsmightoncemoremeet。

But，alas！thejoyoflibertylastedbutashorttime。ThePrincess，havingwanderedinvainupanddowntheforest，stoppedatlastontheedgeofafountain。Asshewalkedshewroteonthetrees:’IfeverthePrince，mylover，comesthisway，lethimknowthatitishereIdwell，andthatIsitdailyontheedgeofthisfountain，minglingmytearswithitswaters。’

Thesewordswerereadbyoneofthegenii，whorepeatedthemtohismaster。ThePrinceoftheAir，inhisturnmakinghimselfinvisible，wasledtothefountain，andwaitedforRosalie。Whenshedrewnearheheldouthishand，whichshegraspedeagerly，takingitforthatofherlover；and，seizinghisopportunity，thePrincepassedacordroundherarms，andthrowingoffhisinvisibilitycriedtohisspiritstodragherintothelowestpit。

ItwasatthismomentthattheInvisiblePrinceappeared，andatthesightofthePrinceoftheGeniimountingintotheair，holdingasilkencord，heguessedinstantlythathewascarryingoffRosalie。

Hefeltsooverwhelmedbydespairthathethoughtforaninstantofputtinganendtohislife。’CanIsurvivemymisfortunes？’

hecried。’IfanciedIhadcometoanendofmytroubles，andnowtheyareworsethanever。Whatwillbecomeofme？NevercanIdiscovertheplacewherethismonsterwillhideRosalie。’

Theunhappyyouthhaddeterminedtolethimselfdie，andindeedhissorrowalonewasenoughtokillhim，whenthethoughtthatbymeansofthecabinetsoftheyearshemightfindoutwherethePrincesswasimprisoned，gavehimalittlerayofcomfort。Sohecontinuedtowalkonthroughtheforest，andaftersomehourshearrivedatthegateofatemple，guardedbytwohugelions。

Beinginvisible，hewasabletoenterunharmed。Inthemiddleofthetemplewasanaltar，onwhichlayabook，andbehindthealtarhungagreatcurtain。ThePrinceapproachedthealtarandopenedthebook，whichcontainedthenamesofalltheloversintheworld:andinithereadthatRosaliehadbeencarriedoffbythePrinceoftheAirtoanabysswhichhadnoentranceexcepttheonethatlaybywayoftheFountainofGold。

Now，asthePrincehadnotthesmallestideawherethisfountainwastobefound，itmightbethoughtthathewasnotmuchnearerRosaliethanbefore。Thiswasnot，however，theviewtakenbythePrince。

’ThougheverystepthatItakemayperhapsleadmefurtherfromher，’hesaidtohimself，’Iamstillthankfultoknowthatsheisalivesomewhere。’

OnleavingthetempletheInvisiblePrincesawsixpathslyingbeforehim，eachofwhichledthroughthewood。Hewashesitatingwhichtochoose，whenhesuddenlybeheldtwopeoplecomingtowardshim，downthetrackwhichlaymosttohisright。

TheyturnedouttobethePrinceGnomeandhisfriend，andthesuddendesiretogetsomenewsofhissister，PrincessArgentine，causedtheInvisiblePrincetofollowthemandtolistentotheirconversation。

’Doyouthink，’thePrinceGnomewassaying，’doyouthinkthatI

wouldnotbreakmychainsifIcould？IknowthatthePrincessArgentinewillneverloveme，yeteachdayIfeelherdearerstill。Andasifthiswerenotenough，Ihavethehorroroffeelingthatsheprobablylovesanother。SoIhaveresolvedtoputmyselfoutofmypainbymeansoftheGoldenFountain。A

singledropofitswaterfallingonthesandaroundwilltracethenameofmyrivalinherheart。Idreadthetest，andyetthisverydreadconvincesmeofmymisfortune。’

ItmaybeimaginedthatafterlisteningtothesewordstheInvisiblePrincefollowedPrinceGnomelikehisshadow，andafterwalkingsometimetheyarrivedattheGoldenFountain。Theunhappyloverstoopeddownwithasigh，anddippinghisfingerinthewaterletfalladroponthesand。ItinstantlywrotethenameofPrinceFlame，hisbrother。Theshockofthisdiscoverywassoreal，thatPrinceGnomesankfaintingintothearmsofhisfriend。

MeanwhiletheInvisiblePrincewasturningoverinhismindhowhecouldbestdeliverRosalie。As，sincehehadbeentouchedbytheGiant’sring，hehadthepowertoliveinthewateraswellasonland，heatoncedivedintothefountain。Heperceivedinonecorneradoorleadingintothemountain，andatthefootofthemountainwasahighrockonwhichwasfixedanironringwithacordattached。ThePrincepromptlyguessedthatthecordwasusedtochainthePrincess，anddrewhisswordandcutit。InamomenthefeltthePrincess’shandinhis，forshehadalwayskepthermagicpebbleinhermouth，inspiteoftheprayersandentreatiesofthePrinceoftheAirtomakeherselfvisible。

SohandinhandtheinvisiblePrinceandRosaliecrossedthemountain；butasthePrincesshadnopoweroflivingunderwater，shecouldnotpasstheGoldenFountain。Speechlessandinvisibletheyclungtogetheronthebrink，tremblingatthefrightfultempestthePrinceoftheAirhadraisedinhisfury。Thestormhadalreadylastedmanydayswhentremendousheatbegantomakeitselffelt。Thelightningflashed，thethunderrattled，fireboltsfellfromheaven，burninguptheforestsandeventhefieldsofcorn。Inoneinstanttheverystreamsweredriedup，andthePrince，seizinghisopportunity，carriedthePrincessovertheGoldenFountain。

IttookthemalongtimestilltoreachtheGoldenIsle，butatlasttheygotthere，andwemaybequitesuretheyneverwantedtoleaveitanymore。

FromthePolish。Kletke。

OnceuponatimetherewerethreePrincesseswhowereallthreeyoungandbeautiful；buttheyoungest，althoughshewasnotfairerthantheothertwo，wasthemostloveableofthemall。

Abouthalfamilefromthepalaceinwhichtheylivedtherestoodacastle，whichwasuninhabitedandalmostaruin，butthegardenwhichsurroundeditwasamassofbloomingflowers，andinthisgardentheyoungestPrincessusedoftentowalk。

Onedaywhenshewaspacingtoandfrounderthelimetrees，ablackcrowhoppedoutofarose-bushinfrontofher。Thepoorbeastwasalltornandbleeding，andthekindlittlePrincesswasquiteunhappyaboutit。Whenthecrowsawthisitturnedtoherandsaid:

’Iamnotreallyablackcrow，butanenchantedPrince，whohasbeendoomedtospendhisyouthinmisery。Ifyouonlyliked，Princess，youcouldsaveme。Butyouwouldhavetosaygood-byetoallyourownpeopleandcomeandbemyconstantcompanioninthisruinedcastle。Thereisonehabitableroominit，inwhichthereisagoldenbed；thereyouwillhavetoliveallbyyourself，anddon’tforgetthatwhateveryoumayseeorhearinthenightyoumustnotscreamout，forifyougiveasmuchasasinglecrymysufferingswillbedoubled。’

Thegood-naturedPrincessatonceleftherhomeandherfamilyandhurriedtotheruinedcastle，andtookpossessionoftheroomwiththegoldenbed。

Whennightapproachedshelaydown，butthoughsheshuthereyestightsleepwouldnotcome。Atmidnightsheheardtohergreathorrorsomeonecomingalongthepassage，andinaminuteherdoorwasflungwideopenandatroopofstrangebeingsenteredtheroom。Theyatonceproceededtolightafireinthehugefireplace；thentheyplacedagreatcauldronofboilingwateronit。Whentheyhaddonethis，theyapproachedthebedonwhichthetremblinggirllay，and，screamingandyellingallthetime，theydraggedhertowardsthecauldron。Shenearlydiedwithfright，butsheneverutteredasound。Thenofasuddenthecockcrew，andalltheevilspiritsvanished。

Atthesamemomentthecrowappearedandhoppedallroundtheroomwithjoy。ItthankedthePrincessmostheartilyforhergoodness，andsaidthatitssufferingshadalreadybeengreatlylessened。

NowoneofthePrincess’seldersisters，whowasveryinquisitive，hadfoundoutabouteverything，andwenttopayheryoungestsisteravisitintheruinedcastle。Sheimploredhersourgentlytoletherspendthenightwithherinthegoldenbed，thatatlastthegood-naturedlittlePrincessconsented。

Butatmidnight，whentheoddfolkappeared，theeldersisterscreamedwithterror，andfromthistimeontheyoungestPrincessinsistedalwaysonkeepingwatchalone。

Soshelivedinsolitudeallthedaytime，andatnightshewouldhavebeenfrightened，hadshenotbeensobrave；buteverydaythecrowcameandthankedherforherendurance，andassuredherthathissufferingswerefarlessthantheyhadbeen。

Andsotwoyearspassedaway，whenonedaythecrowcametothePrincessandsaid:’InanotheryearIshallbefreedfromthespellIamunderatpresent，becausethenthesevenyearswillbeover。ButbeforeIcanresumemynaturalform，andtakepossessionofthebelongingsofmyforefathers，youmustgooutintotheworldandtakeserviceasamaidservant。’

TheyoungPrincessconsentedatonce，andforawholeyearsheservedasamaid；butinspiteofheryouthandbeautyshewasverybadlytreated，andsufferedmanythings。Oneevening，whenshewasspinningflax，andhadworkedherlittlewhitehandsweary，sheheardarustlingbesideherandacryofjoy。Thenshesawahandsomeyouthstandingbesideher；whokneltdownatherfeetandkissedthelittlewearywhitehands。

’IamthePrince，’hesaid，’whoyouinyourgoodness，whenIwaswanderingaboutintheshapeofablackcrow，freedfromthemostawfultorments。Comenowtomycastlewithme，andletuslivetherehappilytogether。’

Sotheywenttothecastlewheretheyhadbothenduredsomuch。

Butwhentheyreachedit，itwasdifficulttobelievethatitwasthesame，forithadallbeenrebuiltanddoneupagain。Andtheretheylivedforahundredyears，ahundredyearsofjoyandhappiness。