The Brownies and Prince Florimel

UN

imel from the wicked uncle

ut the palace as far behind him as he could, and at times he turned his head to look back at its frowning, shadowy walls

ed that the duke had designs on his life. When it was discovered that he was missing, a

ened peasant-child hastening to or from home upon some urgent night-errand. And as he went, always further and furth

so that when he saw a hay-stack in a field he quickly sought it, and

laved his face and hands. Some distance off upon a dew-spangled hillside thin smoke curled lazily up from the th

first genial rays of the sun jumped up and started to bark, but almost inst

kerchief on her head came to the o

ay I trespass upon your hospitality? I would fai

d woman, "so that you are welcome to it. But who are you, a

count myself one of the people. And I fare from the city in quest of

d that line of deep woods there is a strange country with adventure enough, I warrant you. But come with me,

he preparation of the meal. And, as he sat there, and she was occupied with her task, there rose from outside a sudden hub-bub,

o the door, and Florimel jumped down from his chair

nded beyond measure. "What a

G FOR

, and while they volleyed questions at him silently and stupidly shook his head, until at last in th

the house, suddenly finding v

ce Florimel has disappeared in the ni

rimel for the fir

ho is

with us," said his wife. "But let

the farmer and his wife, and throughout the meal

aid the woman

he wicked duke will now be king." "You who have come from the city," said the farmer to Florimel, "no doubt some time have seen the poor prince. What kind of a young lad was he? A likely one,

dsome?" ask

?" asked Flori

are not," she frankly said, "thou

me as he. But let us change the subject. You spoke but a while ago of that

ate its mysteries, for in the forests and dense undergrowth are savage beasts that wreak harm. Often we can hear their wild cries at

ere too?" asked Flor

t the Brownies that would hurt you. They are kind l

l reflectively. "Many a night as I lay i

d to see the Brownies, but they have failed through lack of supernatural vision. But there are Br

e grain in the field was in danger of rot, the Brownies came one n

add, "and that very same night

the Brownies?" said the farmer positively. "We had set a bowl of cream for that

nvinced. He rose with his hosts from the table, and went to the doorway fr

, good people," he said,

You are a fine young lad, and I have a fancy for you. You had better bide here with us.

man," said Florimel, "

r would

ountry of which yo

the woman earnestly. "There are wil

will take my chances with the beasts. All that I have loved I have lost, so there i

cried the man, with a great light br

the child of the brother who trusted in him will never trouble him again. If the people

of intentions tried to follow in the hope of dissuading him from his rash p

and disappeared into the heavy growth of forest. And on and on he went, though nothing extraordinary befell him. So for three days he continued, suffering neither from hunger nor from thirst, for there were plenty of pure brooks at w

rked branches of trees, with his rest broken only by the crashing of some skulking animal through thick, tangled underbrush in ques

making difficult one's advance. But, just when he was growing dis

hone like a turquoise in a bowl-like

aunt, top-branches that jutted over the lake a pair of intrepid eagles had built their nest. Florimel looked up and spied the young eaglets who were just old enough to essay flight, selfishly

e abode for eagles to choose, in place of the customary mounta

ions, tigers, and leopards-their red tongues lolling from their watering mouths-their nostrils dilat

quiver, and placing it in the bow poin

wain, and the arrow fell