The Enchanted Prince
"Would you like to land on the island?" asked the old sailor who seemedin no wise surprised that an island should suddenly come up out of thesea.
"Yes," gasped little Mary Louise, "it may be a wonderful place. Icertainly saw strange things beneath the water."
"To be sure you did," replied the old sailor, taking it as a matter ofcourse that a little girl should make a trip to Wonder Land under theSea, and return safe and sound.
But then, you know, Mary Louise may have still retained some of thecharm of the little mermaid's magic comb.
Well, anyway, the old sailor steered his boat over to the green island,where Mary Louise jumped out and after saying good-by to her sailorfriend, set off to look for new adventures.
After a while, she came to a great wood, where the trees were as bigaround as smoke stacks on an ocean liner.
All of a sudden, she heard the sound of a woodman's ax, and thecrackling of the branches as they fell to the ground.
"It must be some giant cutting down a tree," she thought, and shestarted off in the direction of the sound, and by and by, she saw agiant beaver. He was a most wonderful sort of an animal, for he couldswing an ax as well as a man. Near at hand flowed a great river, wherea white water horse snorted as he dashed the spray high in the air withhis forefeet.
"Are you one of Neptune's horses?" asked little Mary Louise. "I onceread a story of a little boy named Hero who rode with King Neptune inhis wonderful chariot."
"No, little girl," answered the beautiful sea horse kindly. "But I canshow you some wonderful things. Jump on my back and I will take you toa strange place."
Then away went the great Water Horse over the water and through thespray and Mary Louise wasn't the least bit afraid although she had nowater wings and might have slipped of into the water.
"Where are we going?" she asked, after a while, for by this time theywere far away from the shore and going up a dark river.
"I'm going to show you the beautiful Green Waterfall Cave," answeredthe big Sea Horse, shaking his mane until it seemed almost as if itwere raining.
Well, pretty soon he stopped, telling Mary Louise to bend over hisback, before he swam into a big opening in a gray rock.
"Now lift up your head," he said, and when Mary Louise looked aroundshe saw they were in a beautiful cave. All about them were strangepeople, Mermaids and Water Nymphs, Water Sprites and Mermen, fishes anddolphins, and even a whale, although he wasn't very large. If he hadbeen, he wouldn't have been there, for the entrance to the cave wasjust wide enough for him to squeeze through.
Well, no sooner did they see the big Sea Horse, than they all said atonce,
"Hail to our King!" and crowded around looking curiously at MaryLouise, and one little mermaid pinched her toe.
"This is Mary Louise," explained the great white Sea Horse. "I havebrought her to our cave to see the wonders of our Water Country."
At once the whale blew a stream of water into the air, the dolphinsturned somersaults and the little mermaid who had just pinched MaryLouise's toe, stood up on a big pearly shell and sang:
"In this river that leads to the sea, We all live happy as happy can be, The crocodile comes and opens his jaws, And the giant crab stretches out his claws, And the sword fish chases the sharp toothed shark, But here we are safe when the day grows dark, And the pale white moon looks down from the sky, And the little star winks her golden eye."
And when she had finished, she swam up close to the big Sea Horse andpicking up Mary Louise placed her in a great shell that sailed over thewater just like a boat to the end of the cave where a little path ranalong close to the water's edge till it came to a door.
"Tap gently three times," said the little mermaid.
And then, all of a sudden, it opened and there stood a great SeaSerpent.
"What do you want?" he asked with a dreadful hiss and his breath waslike steam and his long red tongue like a thin flame.
"O wise Serpent," said the mermaid, "do not frighten little MaryLouise. She is traveling through our country and means no harm."
"Then she may come into my kingdom," replied the great Serpent, and heglided swiftly away.
"Do not fear him," said the little mermaid. "I cannot go with you, butyou will be perfectly safe," and she closed the door and swam away,leaving little Mary Louise all alone.
It was a strange country in which Mary Louise found herself as shefollowed the great Serpent who was now some distance ahead. Greattrees and moss-covered rocks were on every side, and only by keeping tothe narrow path was it possible to find a way through them.
By and by the Serpent stopped at a gate in a high stone wall, whichswung open slowly as he tapped upon it.
"Now, let me tell you something," he said, leading Mary Louise to aseat beneath a beautiful tree in a large garden close by a statelycastle.
While she rested on the marble bench the great Serpent coiled himselfin a ring, his head raised about two feet above the ground. He hadwonderful black eyes and as he looked at her she almost fancied therewere tears in them.
"Once upon a time, not so very long ago," he began, "a young princelived in this castle. But one day a wicked magician disguised as apoor beggar came to the kitchen door and asked for bread. Now ithappened to be baking day, and the Royal Baker had just placed athousand loaves of dough in the oven. He was tired and hot and said tothe beggar in a cross voice: 'You must wait until evening.' This madethe beggar man dreadfully angry, and the next minute he waved a crookedstick above his head and cried, 'Let the master of this castle and hishousehold become snakes!' Instantly, a great change came over all wholived in the castle. The prince turned into a serpent and all theretainers became snakes."
As he finished speaking, the poor Snake gave a low cry and hid his headin the grass.
"Cheer up," said Mary Louise, for she knew at once that the serpent wasthe poor prince in disguise. "I have a magic ring!"
Dear me, I forgot to mention that the Princess Mermaid had given it tolittle Mary Louise for a charm against evil.
"But what can that do for me?" asked the poor serpent prince.
"Leave that to me," replied little Mary Louise, and she turned themagic ring around three times, and, all of a sudden, a little Black Manappeared.
"What can I do for you, little Mistress?" he asked.
"This serpent was once a handsome prince," explained Mary Louise, "butby the magic of a wicked magician has been changed into a snake. Helphim to regain his natural shape."
"That is a hard matter," said the little Black Man thoughtfully. "Iknow this wicked magician. He has great power and it takes a strongcharm to work against his evil power."
And then the little Black Man ran his hand through his crinkly hair andthought for a while.
"There is a crimson apple that grows in the Gardens of the West," hesaid at last, "which if eaten, enables one to regain his natural shape.But the distance is far, and the way dangerous. And the owner of thegarden refuses admittance to any man. But whether he would refuse alittle girl, I do not know."
"I can but try," said little Mary Louise bravely. And when the serpentheard this, he lifted up his head and said:
"If you will undertake this great deed for me, I will give you whateveryou desire, even my castle and all my lands."
"I would not take them from you," replied Mary Louise. "I am only alittle girl." And she paused for a moment, wondering when and how shewould return to her dear mother's home.
"How may I reach the Gardens of the West?" she asked anxiously.
"You must go down to the sea and wait for the sun to sink in the west,"answered the little Black Man. "And when you see golden rays, like abright road upon the water, call to King Neptune. I will give you awhistle made from a pearl shell on which you must blow three times, andwhen the King of the Sea hears it, he will come to you. But whether hewill carry you across the ocean in his chariot, I know not. But youcan try."
&nb
sp; And the little Black Man disappeared.
"Do you think you will be able to do all this?" asked the serpentanxiously.
"I do," replied Mary Louise, and she opened the garden gate and madestraight for the great ocean, and by and by she came to the beach,where the great waves rolled and broke into foamy spray making thepretty shells glisten in the sun.
No sooner had Mary Louise blown three times upon the magic whistle thanKing Neptune drove up in his beautiful chariot. His splendid horseswith foamy manes raised their forefeet and snorted till the old SeaKing was forced to quiet them.
"What can I do for you, pretty maiden?" he asked kindly.
"Oh please, Mr. Neptune, take me to the garden of golden apples. Imust give one to a poor Snake Prince that he may regain his human form."
King Neptune remained silent for a time. At last he put his hand inhis great pocket and said with a sigh:
"Here is a golden apple. It was to be a present to my wife. But itwill be of greater use to this poor Snake Prince."
"Thank you, thank you," cried Mary Louise, and running hastily back tothe garden she stood before the poor miserable snake.
"Here is the magic golden apple," she cried in a glad voice. No soonerhad the serpent eaten the apple, than, all of a sudden, just as heswallowed the last piece, he changed into a handsome prince and all hisretainers and servants who were snakes, you remember, regained theirhuman form.
"Now you shall have whatever is in my power to grant," said the prince,"even if you ask for my castle."
"I will take nothing from you," replied generous little Mary Louise,"unless you wish to give me the ring you wear on your finger."
"It is yours," said the prince. "May you always wear it and rememberme."