Year: 1874

Il know that wish you were with
him, with your prating!" cried the
prince, in a fury; and the words were
scarcely out of his mouth when the
princess vanished from his side, and when
he ran to the glass coffin there she lay,
pale and lfeless, with her head upon the
body of the hound.


The prince was now beside himself
with remorse and misery, and when the
dumb nobleman made signs that they
would pursue their search for the magi-
clan, he only cried, "TOo late too late!"
But after while he said, 81 will return
to the hermit, and pass the rest of my
miserable life i'm solitude and penance.
And you, dear friend, return to my
father"


But the dumb nObleman shook his
head, and could not be persuaded to leave
the prince. Then they took the glass
coffin on their shoulders, and on foot, and
weeping as they went, they retraced
their steps to the forest.


For some time the prince remained
with the hermit, and submitted himself
to his direction. Then the hermit bade
him return to his father, and he Obeyed.


Every day the prince stood by the glass
coffin, and beat his breast and cried,
Behold, murderer, the fruits of angerp
And he tried hard to overcome the vio-
lence of his temper. When he lost heart
the hermit would say, "Patience had a
long way to 60, but she was crowned at
last" And after while the prince be-
came as gentle as he had before been vio-
lent. And the king and all the court re-
joiced at the change; but the prince re-
mained sad at heart, thinking of the
princess.


One day he was sitting alone, when
man approached him, dressed in long
black robe.


"Good-day, godson," said he.


Who calls me godsOn?" said the
prince.


"The magician you have so long
sought" said the godfather. 81 have
come to reclaim my gift


What cruelty led you to bestow it
upon me ?" said the prince.


The king, your father, would have
been dissatified with any present from
me-" said the magician, forgetting that
the responsibilities of common gifts, and
very limited power, are more than enough
for most men to deal with. But / have
not neglected you. l was the wise we
man who brought you up. Again, was
the hermit as your dog was sage enough
to discover. l am come now to reclaim
what has caused you such suffering"


"Alas!" cried the prince, "why is
kindness so tardy? Ifyou have not forgot
ten me, why have you withheld this
benefit till it is too late for my happiness?
My friend is dumb, my wife is dead, my
dog is hanged. When wishes cannot
reach these, do you think it matters to me
what / may command ?"


Softly, prince" said the magician
" | had reason for delay. But for these
bitter lessons you would still be the slave
of the violent temper which you have
conquered. Moreover, when the spell
which made all things bend to your wish
is taken away, its effects also are undone.
Godson l recall my gift"


AS the magician spoke the glass sides
of the coffin melted into the air, and
the princess sprang up, and threw herself
into her husbands arms. The dog also
rose, stretched himself, and wagged his
tail. The dumb nobleman ran to tell
the good news to the king, and all the
counselors came back in long train from
the bottom of the sea, and set about the
affairs ofstate as ifnothing had happened.


The old king welcomed his children
with open arms, and they lived happily
to the end of ther idays.