then the pursuit began afresh . ' i hear horses ' hoofs , ' sighed hyacinthia . the prince dismounted and put his ear to the ground . ' they are hurrying after us , and are already quite near . ' in a moment the princess hyacinthia had changed herself , the prince , and his charger into a thick wood where a thousand paths and roads crossed each other . their pursuers entered the forest , but searched in vain for prince milan and his bride . at last they found themselves back at the same spot they had started from , and in despair they returned once more with empty hands to the magician . ' then i 'll go after the wretches myself , ' he shouted . ' bring a horse at once ; they sha n't escape me . ' once more the beautiful hyacinthia murmured , ' i hear horses ' hoofs quite near . ' and the prince answered , ' they are pursuing us hotly and are quite close . ' ' we are lost now , for that is my father himself . but at the first church we come to his power ceases ; he may chase us no further . hand me your cross . ' prince milan loosened from his neck the little gold cross his mother had given him , and as soon as hyacinthia grasped it , she had changed herself into a church , milan into a monk , and the horse into a belfry . they had hardly done this when the magician and his servants rode up . ' did you see no one pass by on horseback , reverend father ? ' he asked the monk . ' prince milan and princess hyacinthia have just gone on this minute ; they stopped for a few minutes in the church to say their prayers , and bade me light this wax candle for you , and give you their love . '
his servants failed to catch them .
what made the magician go after hyacinthia and the prince himself ?
what made the magician go after hyacinthia and the prince himself ?