The Tapestry Room

they ever

as the end

passing. For a minute or two she could distinguish nothing, but another moan guided her in the right direction, and there, to her horror and distress, she saw the po

ed alive. How good of you to have come to seek for me, Prince

id the Princess, weeping; '

m some water from one of the numerous springs in the gard

mortal weapon had power to hurt you. That has been my

arriving and finding me far from home. I used my utmost endeavour to reach this in time, but, alas! I was overcome with fatigue, from which no spell protects me. At the entrance to these gardens I saw the sun disappear, and I fell exhausted, just as an

nded him carefully, for, young as she was, she had learnt many useful acts of this kind in her father's

mpossible. I must submit to my cruel fate. But this night I must confine my wanderings to the forests in this

and the Princess's

more than an hou

ss, 'sleep if you can;

oom, where in a corner lay the bull's skin, which the Prince had drag

rce expression, very different to the

w I could get rid of you. Even if the Prince did risk never seeing me again, I

ight tired and shelterless, her indignation rose beyond her control. She forgot where she was, she

giving the skin another kick; 'I

nt shrivelled up to a cinder like a burnt glove. Too startled at first to know whether she should rejoice or not, the Princess gazed at her work in bewilderment, when a voice of

? But a little more patience and all might have been w

t,' sobbed the poor Princess. 'I will se

, was heard. The Princess sank half fainting on the ground. When she again opened her eyes, Prince, palace, everything had disappeared. She was alone, quite alone, on a barren moorland,

hut her eyes again. But no, it was no dream, and soon her cou

hand came in contact with something hard in the folds of her dress; it was her golden balls. With the greatest delight she took them ou

he evil powers that are against my poor Prince,' she s

nder feet. But she walked on and on till at last the morning broke and she saw a road before her, bordered on one side by a forest of trees, for she had reached the extreme edge of the moor. She had gone but a little

ter, my friend?'

t my fire, and I am bitterly cold. Either the sticks ar

id the Princess. 'My a

dropped out of her pocket. It fell on to the piled-up wood, and immediately a bright flame danced up the chimney. The Princess picked up her ball and put it bac

pretty lady,' she said, 'in

ss. 'And perhaps, too, you can tell me something about my journey. Are

d and nodded her hea

, and with this staff you can mount the hill of ice,' and as she spoke she handed to the Princess a pair of curiously carved wooden shoes and a short sharp-pointed stick. The Princess took them gratefully, and would have thanked the old woman, whom she now knew

ut her hand for the nut the

ge, carrying with her her three gifts, and prepared to fa

hose days the world was very different from what it is now. She was often tired and hungry, thankful for a cup of milk or crust of bread from those she happened to meet on the way.

fall on its cruel surface. But with the magic shoes there was less than no difficulty, for no sooner had the Princess slipped her feet into them than they turned into skates, and ver

ter,' and she was almost sorry when her skim across the sea of gl

ill held in her hand-how could a stick help her up such a mountain? and half impatiently, half hopelessly, she threw it from her. Instantly it stretched itself out, growing wider and wider, the notches in the wood expanding, till it had taken the shape of a roughly-made ladder of irr

cold, and she dared not let herself rest. This night and the next day were the hardest part of all the journey, and seemed even more so, because the Princess had hoped that the sea of glass and the hill of ice were to be the worst of her difficulties. More than once she was tempted to crack the nut, the last of the old woman's presents, but she refrained, saying to herself she might yet be in greater need, and she walk

, my child,' she said.

, her poor little feet were scratched and blistered, her black dress torn and draggled-she looked far more like a beggar-maiden than like a princess. But yet, her pretty

'for then you could have gone with me to see the re

be married to-day?

ored to his parents, they are anxious to see him married. But he must still be under a spell of some kind, they say, for though he has all that heart can wish, he is ever sad and silent, and as if he were thinking of something far away. And he has said that he will marry no princess but one who can catch three go

rt to the old woman's talk. There could be no

erself, and then she rose, and thanking her ho

d to go farther and for two or three days all these rejoicings will make the country u

. 'I have nothing to reward you with,' she said, 'but some day I

st smarten yourself up as well as you can, an

thinking what she should do to make

early to hear all about the festivi

looked sweeter than ever now that she was rested and refreshed. 'There are three princesses who have come to the feast,' she went on, 'the first from the south, the second from the east, the third from the west, each more beautiful than another, the people say. The trial of the golden balls

magnificently decorated and already filled with spectators. Suddenly the trumpet sounded, and the Prince in whose honour was all the rejoicing entered. At si

t?' said th

rrival of the princesses, who were to make the trial of the balls. The first was tall and dark, with raven tresses and brilliant, flashing eyes. She was dressed in a robe of ri

arkling and her cheeks rosy. She was dressed in bright pink, and laughed as she came f

her pre-eminence. She wore a blue robe, and her face was pale and her eyes cold, though beautiful.

up his grave face, and his glance rested but an

more. And when the answer came, 'Yes, these are all,' a still deeper me

second and third fell to the ground, and with another low bow the Prince turned from her, and her proud face grew scarlet with anger. The pink Princess fared no better. She was laughing so, as if to show her confidence, that she missed the third ball, even at the first throw, and when the Prince turned also from her she laughed again, though t

ty teeth, a wonderful fairy robe of spotless white. In an instant her black dress was thrown to her feet, and the white garment, which fitted her as if by magic, had taken its place. Never was Princess dressed in such a hurry, but never was toilette more successful. And as the cry arose of 'A fourth Princess' she made her way up the hall. From one end to the other she came, rapidly making her way through the crowd, which cleared before her in surprise and admiration, for as she walked she t

ught by the Prince, and returned to her like flashes of lightning over and over again, never failing, never falling, as if attached by invisible cord

was. But there is more than one kind of magic, and some kinds, it is to be hoped, the world will never be without. And messengers were sent to summon to the wedding the father and mother of

tle cry of surprise. The white lady had disappeared, and it was indeed Marcelline who was in her place. The white room, the white chairs, the white cats, the spinning-wheel, and the pointed windows, had all gone, and instead there was old Marcelline with her knitting-needles gently clicking in a regular way, that somehow to Hugh seemed mixed up with his remembrance of the soft whirr of the whee

line, "and didn't y

he had been asleep, of course he couldn't have heard it. He said nothing, howeve

But, Marcelline, how did you turn into yourself-was it you

f the white lady. Jeanne was the same as he was-that was all he cared about. He jumped up eagerly-they were

e?" he said, touching t

here are our wings, if you

ine onl

"and of course I didn't want yo

y, and then she carried them off to bed,