While the King paused for a moment the trumpeters played:
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The Quest Begins
"THAT happened five years ago," continued the King, "and from that day to this I have never been able to find out where the magician lives. I fear that Fortunata is lost for ever!"
Sir Tristram knelt before the King. "Grant me this quest, I pray you, sire!"
The King sat in silence for a moment. "Be it so!" he replied. "But I fear you little know the dangers and the trials which await you. Arms and money I can provide, but in no other way can I help you. If you succeed, then ask of me what you will and it is yours. Many have set out on this quest, but none return.Now my court is deserted, for a sad king has but few friends."
It was a clear, sunny morning. Sir Tristram and George were already upon their way to seek the enchanted Princess.
George was riding—actually riding!—upon a beautiful pony which the King had given him. You may imagine how proud he felt!
In which direction should they go? Sir Tristram and he talked it over, and, as it did not matter very much, they rode down the hill and out on to the plain, hoping by and by to come upon a good road to somewhere.
"It will be all right," said George. "On we go!"
He had scarcely said this when he caught sight of a little weathercock perched up on the top of a house roof. To be sure! His friend the weathercock had told him to ask any of his family he might meet to show him the way.
This weathercock was pointing straight down a long road across the plain, and when George told Sir Tristram this he nodded his head and said: "'Tis well! The weathercock knows the way better than we do."
They rode and rode until at last they cameto a great forest. And now a dreadful thing happened, for when they were right in the middle of it they lost their way.
Sir Tristram dismounted. "Let us eat and then rest awhile. We shall find our way by and by. Here the adventure begins, young squire."
So they sat down under a great tree and ate and drank. After they had finished their meal Sir Tristram took off some of his armour and lay down on the soft mossy bank. After a time he fell asleep.
George nearly fell asleep too. He felt only half awake, and lay on his back listening to the sighing of the wind in the trees and the twittering of the birds. Sometimes it sounded as if they were talking to one another, and sometimes as if they were laughing. Who ever heard birds laugh?
He felt in his pocket for his knife, as he wanted to try to make a whistle out of a piece of wood as Father did. In one pocket he found nothing and in the other some leaves, which he took out to throw away.
"Why, these must be Tom Tiddler's leaves!" he thought. "Alexander said that I wasn't to throw them away. I'll put one of them in my cap."
He fixed one carefully in the side of his cap, and put the others back in his pocket. Then, all of a sudden, he seemed to hear voices, quite tiny voices, talking high up in the air above him.
"Yes!" said the first voice, "itisa long way to the magician's castle."
George sat up and listened eagerly.
"Nobody has ever found the way there yet," said the second voice.
"That's because they are so stupid," was the reply. "You must follow the sun until it sinks, and then follow it again when it rises, until you arrive."
"No, no!" exclaimed another voice. "First of all you must cross the black lake, and that is impossible."
"Then there is the glass mountain to climb," cried a fourth voice. "That'severso slippery, you know!"
"And then there are the two guardians of the gate. Nobody ever passedthemalive!" The fifth voice said this.
"And even if you get into the castle, that's no use, for it is enchanted ground," said a squeaky voice. "You have to know the magic word, and nobody knows that."
"Pooh! Rubbish!" answered a great big voice. "The weathercock who sits on the very tip-top of the highest tower of the castle knows it. But nobody has ever asked him yet."
Then the voices were silent. George stood up and looked all round him, but he could see nobody. As he looked up into the trees a few birds flew away, and then there was silence in the forest.
"Well, we know the way to the castle now," he thought. "Oh,whatan adventure it's going to be! Won't Alexander be sorry that he missed it!"
OH, fear not, brave knight,Fear no danger nor trouble.To guard against witchcraftYour thumbs you must double!If ogres terrificWith loudfee-faw-fumsDismay you, I pray you,Oh, double your thumbs!
OH, fear not, brave knight,Fear no danger nor trouble.To guard against witchcraftYour thumbs you must double!If ogres terrificWith loudfee-faw-fumsDismay you, I pray you,Oh, double your thumbs!
OH, fear not, brave knight,Fear no danger nor trouble.To guard against witchcraftYour thumbs you must double!
OH, fear not, brave knight,
Fear no danger nor trouble.
To guard against witchcraft
Your thumbs you must double!
If ogres terrificWith loudfee-faw-fumsDismay you, I pray you,Oh, double your thumbs!
If ogres terrific
With loudfee-faw-fums
Dismay you, I pray you,
Oh, double your thumbs!
The Giant Again
SIR TRISTRAM and George journeyed onward, following the sun through the great forest. At last they came into open country, and found themselves on a rocky road which dipped down-hill as if it never meant to stop. It led them into a valley, and then on again into a deep gorge, which came to an end on the shores of a great lake.
"The black lake!" cried George. "Look, it's as black as pitch! What a horrid place!"
Sir Tristram dismounted and gazed around him. "I marvel how we shall ever fare across it. I cannot swim, and even if I could I mustleave my armour behind. The doughtiest knight cannot fight in his doublet."
George looked out on to the waters of the lake, but it was so wide that he could not see the other side. High above his head towered rugged cliffs as black as the waters of the lake, and in the distance he caught sight of a mighty pillar standing erect on the summit.
He looked again. "I do believe it's the old giant!" he cried.
"A giant!"—and in a moment Sir Tristram was on his feet and had drawn his mighty two-handed sword.
"Oh,please, don't!" implored George. "He's a friend of mine. He's quite a good giant. He wouldn't harm anybody."
"How can that be?" asked Sir Tristram. "A good giant?... Still, if you know him I must take your word for it."
"Coo-ee!" cried George. "Coo-ee!" His voice echoed against the rocky walls as if a hundred voices were all crying "Coo-ee!" together.
The pillar moved, stopped for a moment, and then moved on again, and then—plop!—into the lake went one of the giant's feet, and thenplop!went the other. He was now in thewater right up to his neck, so you can tell from that how deep it was!
"Good-evening!" rumbled his great voice. "I've been waiting for you ever so long. You want to cross the lake, I suppose? Come along then!" And he stretched out his huge hand.
"Come along, Sir Tristram!" commanded George. "It's all right. There's heaps of room on his hand for both the horses and ourselves."
They led the horses on to his outstretched hand, and without another word the giant began to wade across the lake. On and on he went until they lost sight of the shore; on and on until the water began to grow shallower again. After an hour's journey they arrived, and the giant lowered them gently on to dry land.
"I must go for a run to dry myself," he said, and in one—two—three tremendous strides he was out of sight.
Sir Tristram leant on his sword. "In faith, he is a mighty giant. I fear me that even my trusty blade would be of little avail against him."
George smiled. "Oh no! He's fearfully strong, but he's very kind, although he does tell very long stories."
"Stories?" asked Sir Tristram. He had hardly spoken when the giant was at their side again.
"I'mquitedry now!" he roared. He seemed to be very pleased with himself, and smiled a huge smile as he asked: "Did I hear you saying that you wanted to hear a story? Wait a minute!"—and before they guessed what he was about he was lying on the ground with his head close up to them.
"I'm afraid it's going to beverylong," whispered George to Sir Tristram, who sat with his sword between his knees, gazing at the giant in astonishment.
"Well, once upon a time there was a prince——"
"Had he a sausage?" asked George.
"Yes. How did you know?... Oh, I must have told you that story before. It doesn't matter, for I never tell it twice in the same way. My stories are always changing; the older they are the longer they grow."
George sighed. "Oh dear! This is going to be a dreadfully long story. Never mind; I missed most of it the last time, and perhaps he'll go to sleep again."
The giant continued: "Now this prince wasvery rich. He had twenty castles, each with two hundred rooms, and a bicycle."
"A bicycle? That's nothing!" said George. "I'm going to have a bicycle myself."
"Don't interrupt!" grumbled the giant. "This was a special bicycle. It had twenty-five wheels."
"But it wouldn't be a bicycle, then. A bicycle has only two wheels," cried George.
"What was it, then, if it wasn't a bicycle?"
George thought for a moment. "I don't know," he replied.
"There you are! You don't know. Ofcourseit was a bicycle. I've told this story, oh, hundreds of times, and I've always called it a bicycle. That's a sure proof!" The giant smiled triumphantly.
"I beg your pardon for interrupting you," said George politely.
"Not at all. You see, you know now what a bicycle is. You didn't before I told you.... Well, this prince went out one day on his bicycle to hunt——"
Sir Tristram looked quite startled. "To hunt?" he exclaimed.
"Yes, to hunt. Princes always go out hunting.... Well, he hunted and he hunted andhe hunted for weeks and weeks and weeks...." Here the giant paused. "Oh, I forgot. She said I was not to delay you by telling stories. So you'd better be going on your way."
"Did She send you here?" asked George, who knew what the giant meant.
"What a lot of questions you ask! Hurry up or you'll be late." And without another word the giant rose, stepped over a high mountain which stood in his way, and disappeared.
"Come along, Sir Tristram!" said George, "I'll tell you all about it as we ride along."
APIGlived in a lordly sty;A fat, fat pig was he,And every day he used to tryTo eat enough for three.Sing hey, sing ho,I'd have you knowHe ate enough for three!He grew so fat, he grew so round,As round as round could be.He weighed at least five hundred pound,And, oh, so proud was he!Sing hey, sing ho,I'd have you knowHe weighed as much as three!Now all the pigs from far and nearWere jealous as could be.And oh, they shed a bitter tearAt breakfast, lunch, and tea.Sing ho, sing hey,Alack-a-day,A doleful sight to see!For though they ate with all their might,It was no use, for heAte all the day and half the nightAs greedy as could be!Sing ho, sing hey,Yes, all the dayHe stuffed right greedily!One day the farmer to his wife,The farmer said, said he:"Fetch me my very sharpest knife,The knife as sharp as three!Sing hey, sing ho,Now quickly goAnd fetch my knife to me!"He took the knife, and to the styHe went as quick could be."The fattest pig to-day must die,The pig as fat as three.Sing ho, sing hey,We'll have to-dayHis sausages for tea!"
APIGlived in a lordly sty;A fat, fat pig was he,And every day he used to tryTo eat enough for three.Sing hey, sing ho,I'd have you knowHe ate enough for three!He grew so fat, he grew so round,As round as round could be.He weighed at least five hundred pound,And, oh, so proud was he!Sing hey, sing ho,I'd have you knowHe weighed as much as three!Now all the pigs from far and nearWere jealous as could be.And oh, they shed a bitter tearAt breakfast, lunch, and tea.Sing ho, sing hey,Alack-a-day,A doleful sight to see!For though they ate with all their might,It was no use, for heAte all the day and half the nightAs greedy as could be!Sing ho, sing hey,Yes, all the dayHe stuffed right greedily!One day the farmer to his wife,The farmer said, said he:"Fetch me my very sharpest knife,The knife as sharp as three!Sing hey, sing ho,Now quickly goAnd fetch my knife to me!"He took the knife, and to the styHe went as quick could be."The fattest pig to-day must die,The pig as fat as three.Sing ho, sing hey,We'll have to-dayHis sausages for tea!"
APIGlived in a lordly sty;A fat, fat pig was he,And every day he used to tryTo eat enough for three.Sing hey, sing ho,I'd have you knowHe ate enough for three!
APIGlived in a lordly sty;
A fat, fat pig was he,
And every day he used to try
To eat enough for three.
Sing hey, sing ho,
I'd have you know
He ate enough for three!
He grew so fat, he grew so round,As round as round could be.He weighed at least five hundred pound,And, oh, so proud was he!Sing hey, sing ho,I'd have you knowHe weighed as much as three!
He grew so fat, he grew so round,
As round as round could be.
He weighed at least five hundred pound,
And, oh, so proud was he!
Sing hey, sing ho,
I'd have you know
He weighed as much as three!
Now all the pigs from far and nearWere jealous as could be.And oh, they shed a bitter tearAt breakfast, lunch, and tea.Sing ho, sing hey,Alack-a-day,A doleful sight to see!
Now all the pigs from far and near
Were jealous as could be.
And oh, they shed a bitter tear
At breakfast, lunch, and tea.
Sing ho, sing hey,
Alack-a-day,
A doleful sight to see!
For though they ate with all their might,It was no use, for heAte all the day and half the nightAs greedy as could be!Sing ho, sing hey,Yes, all the dayHe stuffed right greedily!
For though they ate with all their might,
It was no use, for he
Ate all the day and half the night
As greedy as could be!
Sing ho, sing hey,
Yes, all the day
He stuffed right greedily!
One day the farmer to his wife,The farmer said, said he:"Fetch me my very sharpest knife,The knife as sharp as three!Sing hey, sing ho,Now quickly goAnd fetch my knife to me!"
One day the farmer to his wife,
The farmer said, said he:
"Fetch me my very sharpest knife,
The knife as sharp as three!
Sing hey, sing ho,
Now quickly go
And fetch my knife to me!"
He took the knife, and to the styHe went as quick could be."The fattest pig to-day must die,The pig as fat as three.Sing ho, sing hey,We'll have to-dayHis sausages for tea!"
He took the knife, and to the sty
He went as quick could be.
"The fattest pig to-day must die,
The pig as fat as three.
Sing ho, sing hey,
We'll have to-day
His sausages for tea!"
The Arrival at the Castle
IT was the end of the third day when at last the two travellers espied a hill rising out of the plain. It shone and glittered as if it were made of diamonds, so they guessed that this must be the rays of the sun shining on the glass hill where the magician lived.
As they came closer they could see that the hill was very high and steep, and that there was no road leading up to the castle on the top.
"We can never win to the summit of that hill," said Sir Tristram in a melancholy voice.
"Oh, it will be all right. She knows all about it. She sent the giant to help us over the black lake, I'm sure," said George cheerfully.But he certainly did not like the hill at all. It was steeper than a switchback, and you know how steep that is!
At last they arrived at the foot of the hill. It was so slippery that their horses stumbled and nearly fell at the first step.
"That's no good," said George. "We must just sit down and wait."
They dismounted and waited. Nothing happened for a long time. "Idowish She were here!" sighed George.
There was awhizz!overhead, and down swooped the witch on her broomstick.
"What a long time it takes for little boys to learn to ask nicely for what they want," she said, with a smile. "Jump up! You can leave your horses behind. They will look after themselves."
Up they climbed without delay, for Sir Tristram was too astonished to say a single word.
Whizz!—off they went again. Up—up—up—and then, in the twinkling of an eye, there they were on top!
"Here we are!" said the witch. "Off you get! I expect we shall meet again before long. Don't forget to ask for what you want"—and,with a smile which was more crooked than ever, she disappeared.
"This is indeed a mighty adventure," said Sir Tristram. "See, yonder lies the magician's castle!"
George looked in the direction in which the knight pointed, and there was indeed the strangest castle he had ever seen. It was built of polished glass, and all the windows looked like great wide-open eyes which were staring at them. The gates were made of brass in the shape of letters of the alphabet, all mixed up together.
On the top of the highest tower stood a weathercock, a fierce-looking bird with green eyes and a long black beak. But fiercer still looked the two guardians of the gate. These were two enormous dogs with two great round eyes like blazing fires. They were almost as large as elephants.
Suddenly they caught sight of the two strangers and, opening their huge mouths, they growled, "Grrrr!" It was enough to make you shiver and shake with fear.
Sir Tristram drew his sword. "Methinks this will be a great battle," he said. "Stay youhere, and if I do not return, still I shall have fallen as a knight should fall."
"No, no!" cried George. "Don't you remember what the witch told me? I must ask for what I want. I want the dragon!... Oh, look!" and there, sure enough, in front of them was his old friend the dragon, blinking his eyes and wagging his tail.
"I thought you would want me before long, George," he said. "Do tell that friend of yours to put away his sword. It looks dreadfully sharp, and I never did like swords. It isn't any good here, for you are on enchanted ground. Just let me get my breath, and I'll soon finish this business."
He lay there and panted, while the two great dogs growled and growled worse than ever.
"Nasty beasts!" said the dragon. "I mustn't go too close to them or else they might bite me. I'll give them a taste of something they won't like."
He began to crawl toward the dogs very slowly, and when he was within a few yards of them his mouth opened wide like a great pit, and out shot a tremendous flame.One! Two!
George rubbed his eyes. The dragon waslying there licking his scales, but the dogs had disappeared. Two small heaps of white ashes lay in the place where they had been.
"That's all right!" said the dragon. "Now you can walk in, but don't forget the password."
What the Weathercock Said
THE password—what could it be? George puzzled and puzzled until he almost grew dizzy with thinking, but no, he couldn't remember. Then, at last—of course! The weathercock on top of the castle knew. He remembered the voices which he had heard talking in the forest and what they had said.
But how could he get the weathercock to tell him? He whistled and called, but all in vain. Nothing whatever happened.
Then suddenly the thought came into his head: "Why, those voices I heard in the forestmust have been birds talking.... Why didn't I hear them before that day?... They must have been magic birds ... perhaps fairies?... Oh, I wonder if Tom Tiddler's leaves had anything to do with it? I know I put one in my cap.... Where is my cap?"
He bent down and picked it up from the ground. The leaf was still where he had placed it. He placed it on his head, and then, looking up at the weathercock, cried "Coo-ee!"
The cock turned round slowly and, fixing its green eye upon George, asked: "Who calls?"
"A friend!" George thought this was quite the right thing to say. It was the answer to the sentry's "Who goes there?" He felt that as he was squire to a knight it was as good as being a soldier.
The cock went on turning. At last: "You're George, aren't you?" he said.
"Yes," replied George. "I met your brother not so long ago. He lives close by my house in the wood."
"Ah!" said the cock, and went on turning and turning.
"I hope he won't be long," thought George. "He doesn't seem as nice as my friend."
"What do you want?" said a voice in his ear.
He gave a jump, for there was the cock standing by his side.
"I suppose you want the password? She brought you here, so it will be all right. I must whisper it—nobody but you may hear it." The cock turned, whispered in George's ear, and before you could wink an eyelid was back on top of the castle.
"Where's Sir Tristram?" George looked everywhere, but there was no sign of him.
At last, after he had walked quite a long way, he caught sight of him and the dragon actually—yes, actually fighting! He was horrified, for the dragon was leaping, turning, and twisting in all directions, while Sir Tristram's sword was hissing and flashing through the air like lightning.
"They'll hurt one another, I'm sure!" And George ran as near to them as he dared, calling out: "Stop! Oh, stop!"
The dragon stopped at once and called out: "It's all right! Don't be afraid. I'm only showing your friend one or two tricks in fighting. We shouldn't dream of hurting one another."
"This is indeed a glorious dragon," said Sir Tristram, leaning on his sword and smiling. "Little did I think that I should ever be friends with one. He has taught me much that I did not know before."
"Oh, so you were only pretending?" George laughed, and then said solemnly: "I've learnt the password, but it's ever so difficult, and I'm not to tell it to anybody else."
The knight did not answer him for a moment. "I think then, young squire, it would be best for you to go upon this quest alone. Your friend the dragon has told me that She wishes it."
"Oh!" cried George. "All by myself?"
The dragon laughed. "We'll wait here for you, George. You came to seek your fortune, you know, and you're not far off it now. You're getting warm!"
"All right!" answered George. "If you hear me cry 'Coo-ee!' you must come to my help at once. This is going to be a tremendous adventure. Alexander doesn't know how much he is missing. Here goes!"—and waving his hand to the two friends, he ran off. He looked back once and saw that they had again commenced to play at fighting, and then he ran on again until he came to the great gates.
He paused for a moment to repeat the password over to himself; then said it out aloud. The gates swung open with a clang, and, as he walked through, shut behind him.
It is the password, and this is how you must say it. Stand with both feet firmly pressed together, crook the little finger on each hand into one another, and say three timesbackward:
It is the password, and this is how you must say it. Stand with both feet firmly pressed together, crook the little finger on each hand into one another, and say three times
backward:
For goodness sake don't let anyone hear you! It is a very powerful charm, and might—if a wicked magician were anywhere near at hand—lift your house up into the air and pop it down into a sandy desert, five thousand miles away!
For goodness sake don't let anyone hear you! It is a very powerful charm, and might—if a wicked magician were anywhere near at hand—lift your house up into the air and pop it down into a sandy desert, five thousand miles away!
Princess Fortunata
GEORGE never was able to remember clearly what happened in the magician's castle. He used afterward to tell the story in bits, and Mother put all the bits together, little by little, just as one sews a counterpane, until there was a whole story. How long he was there, whether he felt afraid, whether it was only a dream, whether it was all magic—who knows?—and, after all, what does it matter?
He first remembers that he was going upstairs. Not ordinary stairs, you know, like those in your house. No; these stairs werequite different. They were moving all the time. As fast as he mounted one step, two and even three steps moved up, so that he was always farther and farther away from the top. He was very puzzled for some time to know what to do. So at last he stopped and repeated the magic charm. Then the steps began to move in the opposite direction.
Now the steps had stopped moving, and began to curl and wind in the most vexing manner. Round and round they went, and round and round went George, until he was quite giddy.
"These stairs are always coming back to the same place, I declare!" he thought. "This will never do. I shall go on climbing until this time next year, and oh, shan't I be tired!"
Again he repeated the charm, and the stairs became straight as a straight line. Up and up he went. Would they never end?
He was at the top and standing before a door which was closed. He turned the handle; he pushed and pushed.... He seemed to hear somebody laughing, and laughing in a very disagreeable, ill-tempered way. It sounded as if it came from inside the room, or whatever itwas behind the door. George became very angry. He just hated anybody laughing at him. He would show them what he could do!
He must remember to say the charm sooner next time. But it was so difficult to remember anything in this queer place!
Where was he now? There seemed to be faces—thousands of faces—peeping at him from every side, from every hole, and from every corner.
Where had he seen these faces before? He couldn't tell, and yet he knew them.... Why, of course! They were the reflections of his own face in mirrors, hundreds and thousands of mirrors! How very strange it looked! Well, there was nothing to be afraid of.
The mirrors grew dull and duller, and then bright and brighter. George saw himself wherever he looked; even the ceiling and the floor seemed made of glass. How horrid! Even if you wereverygood-looking you wouldn't like to see nothing but your own face, would you?
There must be a door somewhere.... If he didn't find the door soon he would become enchanted, and that would never do.... What had he forgotten?... Ah, the charm!
He was standing on the bank of a great river. It was very dark, and he could scarcely see a foot in front of him, but he could hear the roar of the water as it went rushing and roaring by.
Was it his fancy, or were there voices mocking him? It sounded as if they were saying something. "Ooooh! Ooooh! Ooooh! It is so-oo-oo co-o-old! Hoo-oo! As co-old as i-ice!"
"I can't swim a little bit," thought George. "Even Alexander couldn't swim across this horrible river.... I wonder if I counted 'one, two, three!' and jumped in, whether I should be drowned.... One ... two...."
Could that be Alexander's bark in the far-away distance? "Jump in, George!" the dear dog seemed to be saying.
Well, this was an adventure!... "One, two...."
The river had disappeared. George found himself in a most wonderful garden. The sun was shining overhead in a blue sky, and everywhere he looked he could see nothing but flowers.... What a perfectly delightful scent! The grass was so soft, too. He must just sit down and rest for a moment....
He began to feel very thirsty.... Why, there were lovely pears and apples on those trees over there. He must just pluck one!... He felt so tired, and it was so cool sitting in the shade. He could almost hear little voices singing a lullaby to him....
What was the good of bothering about anything? It was ever so jolly here.... Wouldn't it be fun if Alexander were here too! What races they would run!... No, they would just lie down together and.... Hark! Was that Alexander's bark once more? "Wake up! Wake up!"
What a bother! But the sound kept ringing in his ears, and slowly—oh, so slowly!—he walked toward a little door in the garden wall.
He was walking down a long passage, and on each side of him were doors. He could not make up his mind which door to open. Never mind! It didn't matter very much. Perhaps they weren't real, but only magic doors. He opened the next door he came to and walked into ... no, not a room, but just a little space scarcely as large as a cupboard, with a door in the wall facing him.
He opened that, and found himself facing another door.
"Thisisa bother!" he thought. "Just like a Chinese box-trick. You open one box and then you find another inside it, and then another inside that. They keep on getting smaller and smaller until.... Why, this placeisgetting smaller!"... And so it was!... He had hardly room to move now.
He turned round to go back again, but found the door shut behind him.
"I'll just open one more." He opened it, and found himself in a most beautiful room, and there, lying on a couch fast asleep, was—the Princess Fortunata! Just like a story-book, isn't it?
Now it is just here that George's story begins to get a little patchy, like the counterpane.
He remembers trying to wake the Princess. She remained fast asleep in spite of all that he did. She was very beautiful, just like a pink and white rose, but he could not remember what dress she wore, or what the colour of her hair was, or anything else at all, so you must make up the rest of it for yourselves.
He woke her up at last. Did he kiss her, like the Prince inSleeping Beauty? Henever remembered—or said that he didn't remember. I wonder!
She opened her eyes and gazed at him, as if just awakening from a dream.
What did she say? What do princesses say to brave knights who rescue them from enchantment?
You may be sure that she saidjustthe right things. Princesses always do. They are taught the right words to say by their governesses, in case they might become enchanted when they grow up. You never know what a fairy god-mother may do, especially if she be a bad fairy!
Now came the hardest part of all—to escape with the Princess from the enchanted castle.
The Princess took George gently by the hand like a nice, kind, grown-up sister, and said: "We must hasten. In another moment the wicked magician will be here, and then we are lost!"
So they ran hand in hand to the door and down a passage. "Faster!" cried the Princess, and George ran faster than he had ever run before.
"Faster, faster!" cried the Princess again, and on and on they sped until George wondered if there was any end at all to the passage.
Suddenly,boom! boom!—like the rolling of thunder!
"The magician is coming! Hasten, oh, hasten!" On and on they ran.
Boo-oom!Closer and closer! Faster and faster the two ran, until it seemed as if they were flying through the air.
Boom!It sounded almost in their very ears. They caught sight of a little door, so tiny you could scarcely see it, and rushed toward it; George pulled it open, pushed the Princess through, and was just going to follow her when—crash!
Another Party
HE was lying on a soft mossy bank, and Alexander—yes, Alexander!—was gently licking the tip of his nose.
"Wherever have you been?" he cried, sitting up and looking at the dear, dear dog in surprise and delight.
"Oh, I've just been having a little snooze," wuffed Alexander, and yawned a real doggy yawn.
George was so pleased that he got up and hugged him. After Alexander had shaken himself, for his coat was just a little ruffled up after George's embrace, he sat down and smiled—sucha friendly smile! Only a dog can smile like that.
"Where have I been, Alexander?" asked George.
"Youknow, George," replied Alexander. "Why do you ask me?"
"Where's the Princess?"
"At home, where she ought to be, I suppose."
"Oh! Well, where am I, now?"
"Look around you!"
George looked, and there, standing just in front of him, was the little house. It felt like coming home again.... Home? Ah, yes; but wasn't it time to be returning to theirrealhome?
He got up and walked toward the house. "I wish ... I wish my fortune were here!" he said. "I would like to go home and see Mother and Father again!"
Once more they heard the sweet music, but louder and louder, as if it were coming toward them.
"Shall I ever find my fortune, Alexander?" said George after tea. It was tea, not breakfast, so it must have been evening.
"There, my child; it lies right there under your very nose."
"Where?" George looked down, and then remembered. "That's what the mother said in the dragon's story, isn't it?... Oh, dear, everything is so puzzling! Where is Sir Tristram? Shan't I ever see him again?"
"Time for bed now!" Alexander yawned and stretched himself, and not another word would he say.
It was nice to be in bed in this cosy little room. There were such jolly patterns on the wall-paper, and they seemed to be changing all the time. Sometimes there were trees and rivers, sometimes birds and animals, sometimes ships and whales. Perhaps it was a dream wall-paper. Would there be another adventure to-morrow? It would be fun to go back to the Castle of the Thousand Towers and visit the King. Just fancy if he invited George to stay with him! Did the Princess get back quite safely?
What was happening?
The room seemed to be full of a soft rosy light. The walls seemed to be growing and spreading in all directions. The bed—why, it wasn't a bedat all! It was a beautiful couch of soft moss, and the room had disappeared altogether.
George was lying in the forest, in the middle of a glade surrounded by trees of all shapes and sizes. Music was everywhere—above him, around him, ebbing and flowing like the tide of the sea. Little voices were whispering, laughing, singing; what were they saying? Could it be: "George is home at last!"
Why, this wasn't home! It was ... what was it?
Thousands and thousands of tiny lights! They came on and on, until the whole glade was lit up as bright as day. Still there was not a soul to be seen! What was that? "Wuff! Wuff!"—and there was Alexander with—a green bow round his neck!
"Whatareyou doing here?" cried George.
"I've come to your party, George," said Alexander, and standing on his hind legs he made a low bow. What next, I wonder?
George stared at him in astonishment.
"Ah, here are some old friends coming!" And Alexander bounded away as if he thought George understood what he meant. Some old friends?
A blast of trumpets, and lines of trumpeters marched two by two into the glade. They formed into two lines, and then down the middle there came the King and his Princess—now his Queen—wearing their royal robes and their crowns! They looked perfectly splendid! With them was Sir Tristram in full armour.
They walked up to George and shook hands with him. "Thank you so much for inviting us to your party," said the Queen, with a heavenly smile. "I haven't been to a party for ages and ages. I am so glad we are not late. What a sweet spot you have chosen for the entertainment."
The entertainment? What did she mean, or was it one of Alexander's jokes?
Awhirr, whirr, and there in the middle of the glade was the witch.
"Well, George!" she said, with a smile. "You look surprised to see me. You did invite me, you know, so I'm not a rude old witch, whatever you may think. The giant's coming too. He stopped to tell the storks a story, but he'll arrive in time for supper."
Supper? So there was going to be a supper!
The dragon was the next guest to appear. He and the weathercock came—not arm in arm,but—well, you know what one means by arm in arm when dragons are walking. They were both very pleased to see George, and the dragon was full of jokes and fun.
Last of all came Tom Tiddler, helping old Father Time along, and then Alexander with his two friends the cats.
"Are we all here?" asked the witch. "We can't wait for the giant. He's always late. Let's begin!"
They seated themselves in a circle round George, and all looked at him as if they were expecting something.
"Now then, George!" said the witch. "We are waiting to hear all about your fortune."
Everybody clapped their hands—not the dragon, the weathercock, and those without hands—and cried: "Bravo! Bravo!"
George felt very shy. "It's a long story," he began.
"All stories are long; allgoodstories," said a voice, and there was the giant peeping at them from behind the trees!
"It's all right," he explained. "I'm lying down, so I shan't be in anybody's way."
So George told them his story—all that youhave read in these pages, and everybody listened, and now and then told a little bit themselves when it came to the part which they knew.
At last they came to the end. "And so they married and lived happily ever after!" said the Queen, with a smile.
George jumped to his feet and clapped his hands. "I told you I was right!" he cried to the giant. "All stories end in that way."
"Ah, butyourstory isn't finished, so I shall be right," said the giant. "You're not married, you know. Ha, ha!"
"Stop laughing at once!" ordered the witch. "You'll curdle all the cream if you're not careful. Laugh down in your boots and then it won't matter."
"I can't," replied the giant. "I've tried, oh, ever so hard, and it always comes out the wrong way. Whatever I do is wrong."
"Oh, please, don't cry!" begged George. "I'm sure you did try. It must be difficult to remember that you are a giant."
"It's a long, long way to my boots," said the giant. "I expect the laughter gets tired about half-way, and bursts. Then, you know, it's no good. When your laughter bursts it flies out ofyour mouth before you know where you are. I remember——"
"You arenotto remember," commanded the witch. "It's time for supper."
She waved her stick, and in a flash there was the supper all ready laid. What a pity that all suppers can't be arranged as easily as this!
Well, they ate and they drank, and all the time sweet music was played by invisible musicians. It was far, far finer than George's last birthday-party.
After supper everybody—except the giant—told stories or sang songs, and Alexander showed them how dogs signal to one another by tail-wagging.
Then there was a moment's silence. Old Father Time arose and said: "I must go on my way once more. It is now time to say farewell."
"Stop a minute!" cried Tom Tiddler. "We must give George a present. Each one of us must give him something as a remembrance—or else he might forget us!"
He put his hand in his pocket, drew something out and presented it to George. It was a leaf!
"A leaf for remembrance! George will findout what it means by and by," he said, with a smile. "Now then, it's somebody else's turn."
Each in turn shook hands with George and gave him a present. Now, what did they give?
Last of all came the beautiful Queen. With a radiant smile she took George in her arms and kissed him. It was just like being kissed by sweet roses, honeysuckle, and all the fragrant flowers you can think of!
"I have given him the best present of all," she said. "For his end to the story is really the sweetest; 'they lived happily ever after.' George is a fairy boy, after all, aren't you, George?"
How madly the music was playing!Tum-tee-rum-tee-tiddle-tee-tum!Almost as if one ought to dance to it. Yes, he would dance with the beautiful Queen!
He opened his eyes—but where was everybody? Gone, all gone!
Around him were hundreds and hundreds of tiny figures dancing, singing, flying through the air. Many of them were wearing green jackets and red caps and were playing—ah, the music—the same sweet melody he had heard so often!
Could they be—the fairies?
Where was he? He seemed to be moving along. He was actually in a carriage which was being dragged along by any number of these tiny people. On the box sat a little figure—could it be Tom Tiddler? He guessed all in a flash it was—of course, you've guessed it too—Puck.
Puck turned round and smiled at George. "Home! We're going home now. Mother wants you. Mind you don't forget your fortune, George!"
On they drove; through the wood with the moon shining down on them above the trees; down the hill past the windmill, which made George think of the young dragon who went to look for his fortune; and into the garden. Home at last! Alexander met them at the gate.
"Welcome home, George!" he wuffed. "Hasn't it been an adventure?"
George sat up straight in the carriage as if he had been a prince or a victorious general coming home from the war. At last the carriage stopped.