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cornel, university Library 
 PZ 7.N42P9 
 
PEINGE 
 B'ADILLON 
 
 OD THE LITTLE WHITE BABBIT 
 

 
 
 

 
 PEINCE 
 BA BILLON 
 
 THE LITTLE WHTIZ RABBIT 
 
 BY NELLA y y y^ 
 detsvvtngs wi y y 
 
 CHADLES ROBINSONS 
 
 Y'^mm^m 
 
 INEW YORK 
 
 MITCHELL KEINNERLEY 
 
 
7 
 
 Pi 
 
 Gift of 
 Malcolm K. Whyte 
 
 RMuird Clay &■ S<ms. Limited, L,„doH andB«„eiy. 
 
DEDICATION 
 
 TO my Sister do I 
 dedicate tills little 
 fairy tale, in the 
 hope that her love for all 
 the dumb creation may 
 awaken in her heart some 
 sympathy for the little 
 White Rabbit, and all 
 the trials and adversities 
 through which it passed. 
 
ILLUSTGATIONS 
 
 ^-^ 
 
 PAGE 
 
 As SOON AS THEY NEARLY OVERTOOK IT, THE RaBBIT 
 
 HOPPED ON A LITTLE FURTHER . Frontispiece 
 Dedication ix 
 
 "I FANCY I AM GOING TO HAVE A HeA'DACHE " . . 1 3 
 
 He WENT FOR HIS USUAL WaLK ROUND ,THE CaSTLE 
 
 Grounds . . i8 
 
 She drove to the Hermit's Cave ... . .26 
 
 Rising early the next Morning the Queen, accom- 
 panied BY the Trusty Elizabeth, drove to the 
 Cave 31 
 
 Prince Nollibab . . ^ . ... . -39 
 
 ■" How can I EVER BE HAPPY AGAIN ? " THOUGHT THE 
 
 Princess . . . . . . . . .51 
 
 " O Princess, whether you love me or not, please 
 
 ACCEPT THIS Bracelet and Box" .... 55 
 
 The Old Dress was put on ..... 62 
 
 The Fairy 67 
 
 The Moment they were seated the Wings expanded 
 
 AND THE Chariot rose quickly .... 73 
 
 The Goatherd 79 
 
 In the Middle stood a Table on which was laid 
 
 every Delicacy that could charm the Eye . 87 
 
Xll 
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 " Are ye not worthy of Death, plucked ye not my 
 
 Fruit unasked ? " . . . . . . -9^ 
 
 "One hour," said the Magician . . . . g6 
 
 " You HAVE fallen INTO THE HaNDS OF AN EviL 
 
 . . . Necromancer" ...... 99 
 
 Taking it up by the Ears in the Tenderest Manner 113 
 
 The Rabbit seemed so tame that the Princess 
 seated herself on a rock and placed it in 
 her Lap . . . . » . . .119 
 
 On it sped as if Life depended on the Rate it 
 
 travelled . . . . , . . .125 
 
 The End of it All ....... 131 
 
PDINCE DA DILLON 
 
 or 
 
 ~f\ 
 
 tRc Lirrte AVhile R.abbit^ 
 
 ] 
 
 fancy I am going to have a 
 headache," began the Queen, 
 looking with anxious eyes at 
 the King, as he warmed the 
 front part of his legs, neatly 
 enveloped in silk stockings, 
 before the blazing logs that were crackling in a 
 heap on the hearth. 
 
 " Why can't you be quite sure ? " asked the 
 King, as he slowly shifted one leg over the other, 
 pretending to be deeply interested in an ancient 
 manuscript that lay unrolled upon his knees. 
 
 13 
 
14 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 The King had learned from past experience that 
 whenever the Queen hinted the approach of a 
 headache there was some weight on her mind that 
 she intended to hand over to his care, and just at 
 that moment he was not at all inclined to take it 
 upon his shoulders. 
 
 " I think you might oiFer me a little more sym- 
 pathy," sighed the Queen, falling wearily back on 
 the cushions of an old-fashioned high-backed chair, 
 as if to resign herself to her fate and mourn her 
 sufferings alone. 
 
 " O bother ! " muttered the King, as his hand 
 darted down to the middle of his shin, where a bit 
 of flaming wood from one of the. logs had alighted. 
 The Queen had closed her eyes the better to face 
 the coming headache, and was quite unaware of 
 the cause of the King's exclamation. Concluding, 
 however, that it applied to her and her troubles, 
 she was inclined to resent it. 
 
 " Well, sir," she remarked, " if you do not care 
 to sympathize, you need not show me so plainly 
 that you are utterly heartless." 
 
 " Utterly heartless ! " repeated the King, still 
 smarting from his burn. "Look at my leg, and 
 then say who is the heartless one ! " 
 
 " O, you have burned a hole in your stocking, 
 I declare ! Have I not told you over and over 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 15 
 
 again," said the Queen, " that if you persisted in 
 crouching continually over the fire, the day would 
 come when your silk stockings would be burned 
 and the taxes would have to be raised." 
 
 " Stockings ! " exclaimed the King wrathfully. 
 " It is not my stockings that I am talking 
 about. I am not thinking of my clothes. It 
 is my shin. Look at my shin ! It is burned ! I 
 must go at once and have the Court Physician 
 summoned ! " 
 
 " Pray do not do that ! " implored the Queen, 
 not a little alarmed lest the King should leave her, 
 before she had poured her grievance into his ear. 
 " Let me look again ! I do not really think the 
 burn is so very terrible. A day or two in bed and 
 perhaps the wound will heal ! " 
 
 The King knit his brows. The notion of several 
 days in bed was not agreeable. A little pain might 
 be more easily borne. After all, the burn was 
 scarcely more than a scorch. Taking his feet off 
 tlie fender and rolling up his ancient manuscript, 
 he leaned back in his chair, folded his hands, and 
 inquired of the Queen the reason of her coming 
 headache. 
 
 "To tell the truth," replied the Queen, some- 
 what mollified by the King's question, my daughter 
 and yours is inclined to give us both some trouble. 
 
16 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 She has grown quite infatuated about Prince Babil- 
 lon, who has not a penny in the wide world. His 
 only merit, if it can be so termed, is that he plays 
 fairly well on the lute. You know I have had the 
 best masters for the Princess, but she dislikes prac- 
 tising, and is quite resolved, come what may, to 
 marry this young Prince. She says, that if she 
 does, the Prince will do all the practising and 
 playing, while she can amuse herself in any way 
 she pleases. Though I have summoned her several 
 times to my boudoir, and spoken as seriously as 
 a loving mother can speak to her only child, she 
 still clings to the absurd idea, and appears perfectly 
 determined to carry out her unreasonable intention. 
 Whether we give our consent or not will not 
 turn her from her purpose. She means to marry 
 Babillon, and will do so. Is not such obstinacy on 
 a daughter's part enough to bring on a headache ? " 
 
 " Well ! " replied the King vaguely, for his 
 thoughts were dwelling more on his burnt limb 
 than on his wife's indignation at her daughter's 
 conduct, " what next ? " 
 
 " What next ? " snapped the Queen scornfully, 
 " what next ? Why, the bridal — when our only 
 daughter, heiress to your realm and crown, will 
 lead Prince Babillon to the altar and marry him 
 then and there ! " 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 17 
 
 " Really, I don't know what else she could do 
 under the circumstances," remarked the King 
 timidly. " I do hope they will be happy ! " he 
 added, with a sigh, as he placed his hand tenderly 
 on the burnt spot. 
 
 " This is beyond all endurance," cried the 
 Queen severely. " You have never a thought 
 for any one but yourself. If you do not think 
 of me, at least think of your subjects and your 
 crown ! " 
 
 This impassioned appeal had the effect of rousing 
 his Majesty to such a pitch that he began to take 
 a real interest in one who might sooner or later 
 become his son-in-law. 
 
 " Do you mean my nephewj Prince Babillon ? " 
 inquired the King in very measuried tones. " Until 
 this moment I never thought of his aspiring to 
 Melanie's hand. You surprise me," he continued, 
 " by not having looked more carefully after our 
 daughter. You should have plainly pointed out to 
 her the bridegroom you thought most eligible. 
 That was the conduct pursued by your mother. 
 She not only pointed me out to you, but you to 
 me, otherwise how was it that we were married, as 
 Love, they say, is blind } Why have you not 
 acted like your mother .? You knew her better 
 than I did. Now that our daughter has made 
 
18 
 
 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 up her mind to marry Babil- 
 
 lon, at the very last moment 
 
 you come and ask me 
 
 what to 
 
 do." 
 
 The King was a man of 
 so very few words that the 
 Queen was rather 
 startled by this 
 long harangue. 
 " Alas, we poor 
 wives ! " she ex- 
 claimed, throw- 
 ing herself back 
 in the chair and 
 clasping her 
 hands. "All 
 the blame is thrown on 
 y us, as if we could be 
 everywhere and do every- 
 thing. It was you who 
 would ask the Prince to 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 19 
 
 this Court, though I never likpd him. This is 
 the result." 
 
 " After all, Babillon is a good fellow," said the 
 King soothingly. " He really would not be a bad 
 match for our daughter, only his pockets are so 
 empty. He is neither tall, handsome, nor clever, 
 so that if the Princess married him, nobody would 
 grudge her the choice she had made. He certainly 
 does play on the lute " 
 
 " A lover and his lute ! " exclaimed the Queen. 
 " A pretty bridegroom for our daughter ! " 
 
 The King, noticing that her Majesty was 
 provoked by his answer, remained silent for a few 
 moments. Then, after remarking thoughtfully 
 that the matter was one of supreme importance 
 to the State, requiring much consideration, he rose 
 from his chair, put away his manuscript, and went 
 for his usual walk round the Castle grounds. As 
 he descended the stairs, the sound of a lute greeted 
 his ears. " Poor Babillon," thought he to himself, 
 " the days of your courtship are riumbered." 
 
 " Play on, play on — that sweet melody," ex- 
 claimed the Princess Melanie, in pleading tones to 
 Prince Babillon, as she raised her head with its 
 
20 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 sunny curls, bent but \ moment before over her 
 tapestry frame. "That very saitie piece you have 
 just played. I love to hear music. It seems to 
 waft my soul avsray, vsrhich I find not to be the 
 case when my own fingers are wandering over the 
 strings," 
 
 " With the greatest pleasure," replied the Prince, 
 who had been playing a little lullaby he knew by 
 heart. 
 
 " It ihas a drowsy sound," said the Princess, 
 suppressing a little yawn, as she endeavoured to 
 push back her hair, which would fall over her face 
 and interfere sadly with her needle. At last she 
 leaned back on a silken pillow, and in another 
 moment fell fast asleep. 
 
 Prince Babillon rubbed his hands so as to loosen 
 his fingers and make them twang the strings more 
 nimbly, and then began his lullaby once more. 
 He liked playing it, for it was both easy and 
 effective. As he knew it by heart, he could not 
 help now and then throwing a glance towards the 
 corner where the Princess sat. He was delighted 
 to see her eyes closed, thinking how much she 
 must be enjoying his music. He therefore con- 
 tinued playing the same piece over and over again, 
 until he began to wonder whether she was really 
 listening or had accidentally fallen asleep. At last 
 
PRINCE BABILtON 21 
 
 he stopped. The sudden^ silence had not the 
 slightest effect upon her. Her blue eyes were 
 hidden beneath their tightly-closed lids, while her 
 rosy lips were just parted enough to show the 
 pearliest of teeth. 
 
 " How lovely she is," thought the Prince, 
 "especially when asleep." He twisted his stool 
 round and gazed at the slumbering girl. " Ah 
 me," he sighed, "the more I look, the more I 
 may. She will not, cannot love a beggarly Prince 
 like me, for though my appearance is not much 
 against me, my revenue is ! " 
 
 He rose quickly from his seat, and stepping 
 across the floor on tiptoe stood before a mirror 
 arranging his black locks and twisting his budding 
 moustache into shape. 
 
 The Prince Babillon was only a Prince, and 
 nothing more. The youngest son of a large family, 
 he had been left wholly unprovided with the usual 
 fortune of one of royal race, and was now entirely 
 supported by his uncle the King, and father of the 
 Princess Melanie. He was now over head and 
 ears in love with his cousin, though without a 
 chance, as he thought, of winning her. 
 
 While the Prince was examining his features in 
 the glass, the Princess opened her eyes and, smiling, 
 said, " How beautiful ! " 
 
22 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 The Prince did not quite understand whether 
 she was referring to the music or not, as he had 
 left off playing for two minutes at least. Explana- 
 tions are usually tedious, so he did not ask her to 
 explain, but only remarked he wa^ glad she liked it. 
 
 The Princess seemed so much refreshed by her 
 brief slumber that the Prince, thought within 
 himself that he might venture to utter the thousand 
 and one thoughts that had nestled in his brain for 
 months past. Many a time had they fluttered to 
 his lips, wavered there, and then flown back. 
 
 " Princess — cousin," he murmured, as he twitched 
 nervously at the lowest button on his waistcoat, 
 " have you ever heard of anybody loving anybody 
 in this wide, wide world ? " 
 
 " They say there is room for all," answered the 
 Princess, yawning. 
 
 This yawn distressed the Prince. He fancied 
 he was only tiring her. Remembering, however, 
 that her lovely eyes had been closed so lately, he 
 thought the yawn excusable. 
 
 " Princess," he continued with emotion, " love 
 is life's duet." 
 
 " There must be two, then ? " said the Princess 
 inquiringly. 
 
 " Suppose, for fun, they were you and I," 
 returned the Prince with studied carelessness. 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 23 
 
 " But both must be able to play," interrupted the 
 Princess hastily, "and you know how badly I 
 play." 
 
 An irrepressible shiver ran through Babillon's 
 frame. 
 
 " You misunderstand me, cousin, let me explain 
 myself in a little parable : A certain vine grew on 
 a garden wall, and as it grew taller and taller it 
 spied a little wallflower half hidden in a cranny far 
 above its head, ' Little wallflower,' sighed the 
 vine, waving its leaves to it, 'how lovely you are 
 with your bright blossoms, while I am all green 
 leaves. If I climb up to you, will you, O will 
 you I ' — the rest of the sentence was carried away 
 by the winds, but the vine climbed on, and as 
 autumn drew nigh its leaves became burnished 
 like gold. It reached the spot at last where the 
 wallflower was hanging over to welcome it. It 
 then clasped its tendrils around that little wallflower 
 and they parted no more." 
 
 " What a pretty little tale, where did you read 
 it ? " asked the Princess, rubbing her eyes and 
 plunging her needle into her tapestry again. 
 
 " Read it ? In the pages of my heart," said the 
 Prince. 
 
 " Have you any more little stories inscribed in 
 the same place ? " inquired the Princess. " But tell 
 
24 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 m^, why was it the flower would have nothing 
 to do with the vine until its leaves turned into 
 gold ? " 
 
 " She did not think it was quite old enough, 
 Princess." 
 
 " Not that she thought gold such a pretty 
 shade ? " said the Princess, taking up a piece of 
 coloured wool for her work. 
 
 " Ah ! " replied the Prince, aS his hand turned 
 listlessly in his empty pocket, " that may have 
 been the reason." 
 
 "O, do tell me a few more little tales of the 
 same sort," urged the Princess, looking affection- 
 ately at her cousin, " they really do amuse me." 
 
 " Well, cousin, just to please you, I will tell 
 you one more little story. Once upon a time there 
 was a young Prince who came to his uncle's 
 Palace and lived there, and, lo ! the King had one 
 beautiful daughter, but her heart was full of pride. 
 The Prince loved that King's dajighter more than 
 any other person's daughter, but she was so haughty 
 she never would bend her eyes upon him. Give 
 me your hand, cousin, and let me see whether you 
 are proud by the lines on it." 
 
 " What will you do with it if I do entrust it to 
 your care ? " asked the Princess, as she stretched it 
 towards him. 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 25 
 
 He was about to raise it to his lips as the 
 shortest answer when the Queen-Mother entered 
 the room from the garden. 
 
 " What is the Prince doing with your hand ? " 
 asked the Queen, as she tapped the Prince rather 
 sharply on the shoulder with her sceptre. 
 
 " He is going to tell me whether I am a 
 wallflower, or likely to be one," laughed the 
 Princess. 
 
 " A wallflower," repeated the Queen, raising her 
 eyebrows. " I hope not, wallflowers are not usually 
 held in much esteem. What made you think of a 
 wallflower ? " 
 
 " O, nothing in particular. Only a little tale I 
 heard about one, mamma dear," answered the 
 Princess as she turned her head towards the Prince, 
 who had let her hand drop and was walking 
 across the room towards the door. " He was only 
 asking me if I had ever heard of love, and telling 
 me love was life's duet, and then he told me a 
 story about a vine and a wallflower, and was just 
 going to tell me whether I was proud as a King's 
 daughter." 
 
 " My child, I never knew Babillon was such a 
 story-teller. Don't listen to him so much," said 
 the Queen. " I think, dear, you have worked 
 long enough at your frame. Run off to the 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 ,9< 
 
 garden. You, Babillon, your 
 uncle has been inquiring after, 
 you. Go and see what he 
 
 wants. 
 
 A 
 
 After the midday meal was 
 over the Queen retired with 
 the King to the royal library, 
 where his Majesty usually 
 spent some hours meditating 
 on quaint manuscripts covered 
 with hieroglyphics. It was 
 matter of wonder to the Queen 
 what the King could find so in- 
 teresting in those dusty tomes. 
 But as they kept him quiet, and 
 usually contributed to a little 
 sleep, she asked no questions 
 
 SHE DRDV£ ■ 
 THE HEl(P\\ 
 CAVE ■ 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 27 
 
 but let him have his own way. This afternoon, 
 however, was not to be allowed to pass in the same 
 easy, tranquil manner. The Queen intended to 
 inform the King that she had seen Prince Babillon 
 holding the Princess's hand, and to relate to him 
 all her daughter had told her. The King listened 
 patiently, but was inclined to pay very little 
 attention to Prince Babillon's stories or actions. 
 The Queen, finding her royal spouse reluctant to 
 take any steps to get rid of the Prince, became 
 low-spirited. 
 
 On the advice of an old servant, the trusty 
 Elizabeth, she determined to consult ,an aged 
 hermit who dwelt in a cave all by himself, and 
 who was consulted by many of the ladies in the 
 neighbourhood when they were in trouble. Rising 
 early the next morning the Queen, accompanied by 
 the trusty Elizabeth, drove to the Hermit's cave. 
 At that moment the saintly old man was engaged 
 in sweeping out his cell, and was somewhat 
 flustered by so early a visit. Perceiving, however, 
 it was the Queen, he bowed low, and led the way 
 into an inner chamber in the rock but dimly 
 lighted by an oil-lamp hanging from the ceiling. 
 Here it was that the Hermit performed his daily 
 devotions and received any visitors that came to 
 consult him. The cell was so dark that it was 
 
28 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 some time before the Queen perceived two seats 
 hewn out of the rock. Placing herself on one, 
 she signed to the Hermit to take the other, while 
 the maid remained standing. 
 
 This act of graciousness on the Queen's part 
 filled the Hermit with the most profound gratitude. 
 His deep-set eyes shone quite benevolently under 
 his shaggy eyebrows. 
 
 " What is your will, great Queen, that I, the 
 humblest of your servants, may endeavour to 
 perform it ? " 
 
 The Queen needed no further encouragement, 
 but poured out all her sorrows ihto his attentive 
 ear. Finally she asked the Hermit's advice. 
 
 The Hermit shook his unkempt locks, and then 
 musing, murmured, " How strange a thing is 
 love ! Two young people meet, and they fall into 
 it, Peradventure in another world it may be 
 different." These words were spoken as if to 
 himself. Turning to the Queen, he continued, " If 
 it is as you say, madam, and who am I that I 
 
 should gainsay it " Here the Hermit stopped, 
 
 and rocked himself to and fro as if some mighty 
 thought were struggling in vain for utterance. At 
 last he said, " The only suggestion I can offer, in all 
 humility, is that if the Princess and Prince have 
 fallen in love from being together, mayhap if they 
 
PRINCE BABILLON I') 
 
 were not so they would not do so. If you would 
 take my advice, go home and straightway dismiss 
 this pauper Prince from your Court, and invite some 
 other that shall find more favour in your eyes, and 
 peradventure your daughter may change her mind." 
 
 With these solemn words the Hermit closed his 
 lips and waved his hand in thfe direction of the 
 door. The Queen grasped the holy man's meaning, 
 and, rising from her seat, quickly left the cave. 
 
 The carriage that had brought her and her 
 trusty servant was waiting. The Queen, after 
 allowing the Hermit to kiss her hand, seated 
 herself in the carriage, closely followed by 
 Elizabeth, and commanded the coachman to drive 
 back to the Palace. 
 
 The Hermit on returning to his cell was 
 surprised to find something glittering on the seat 
 the Queen had just left. It was the fee for his 
 advice, and though hermits despise the things of 
 this world, yet out of gratitude for the Queen's 
 condescension he did not forthwith return it. 
 
 Advice, whether followed or not, always gives 
 some satisfaction. It affords a sense of relief, as 
 
30 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 there is no longer any need to think for oneself. 
 The Queen's headache got better, so she devoted 
 all her spare time for some days in looking over a 
 list of acquaintances and mentally calculating which 
 Prince she should invite as being most likely to 
 attract the attention of her daughter. 
 
 Prince Babillon meanwhile continued to play 
 the lullaby over many times a day to the Princess, 
 but no sooner did the Queen's ear catch the hated 
 strain than she immediately came to listen to the 
 music. Babillon did not know many pieces, so 
 could not vary the tune often. At last, to his 
 intense grief and mortification, his eyes were opened, 
 and he perceived that the Queen's behaviour was 
 not quite so friendly as usual. There was more 
 of the stepmother about her. Her answers were 
 short and snappish. Just when he thought he was 
 going to enjoy a delightful conversation with the 
 Princess, as he had hitherto so frequently done, 
 the Queen would hint that it would be better for 
 his health if he would go and amuse himself in the 
 garden, or try to catch fish in the lake. 
 
 This change in the Queen's manner damped the 
 blitheness of Babillon's spirits. He became quite 
 dismal and downhearted. As hfe had never heard 
 of her visit to the Hermit, he tried in vain to 
 guess the reason of her coldness. The Hermit, 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 33 
 
 however, was well known as being willing to give 
 advice to all that asked it. Babillon therefore 
 determined to consult him. Concealing his inten- 
 tion even from the Princess, he started from the 
 Palace one fine morning under the pretext of a 
 fishing excursion, and left word that he might be 
 away some time, so as not to cause his aunt any- 
 unnecessary anxiety owing to his absence from 
 breakfast. As he passed beneath the Princess's 
 chamber he could not help casting an upward 
 glance at her window, but it was close curtained 
 and the blinds drawn down. With a sigh of dis- 
 appointment he turned his head away and hastened 
 his steps to the forest where the Hermit dwelt. 
 To prevent recognition, he had disguised himself 
 in some shabby old clothes, so that even had the 
 Princess been looking out, she might havq, only 
 hurt his feelings by taking no notice of him. 
 
 On drawing nigh the Hermit's cell, he spied 
 the aged man eating something and then drinking 
 something. Not wishing to interrupt him in the 
 enjoyment of his meal, the Prince thought it wiser 
 not to enter into his presence before the Hermit 
 had quite finished, for then his attention would 
 be less likely to be diverted and his utterance 
 would be more distinct. An old stump of a 
 tree offering a comfortable seat, the Prince sat 
 
34 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 down on it, and watched the Hermit's movements 
 unobserved. 
 
 "It must be a feast day," said the Prince to 
 himself as he noticed that the colour of the liquid 
 imbibed rather freely by the Hermit was red, 
 while a most savoury smell of cooking greeted 
 his nostrils. A feeling of intense hunger began 
 to affect him. " I wonder," thought he, " if 
 I was to speak now, whether that good old man 
 would be courteous enough to invite me to share 
 his breakfast. I feel sure I should not be proud 
 enough to refuse." 
 
 Appetite won the victory, and Babillon, raising 
 his cap, uttered a very humble good-morning to 
 the Hermit. The latter started on hearing a 
 voice at so early an hour. 
 
 " Good-morrow, my son," he replied, recovering 
 himself quickly, but it was evident from his manner 
 that he was in no humour to be bothered with 
 questions. 
 
 " I am hungry, good father." 
 
 " I am sorry to hear it, my son. Is it hunger 
 of the spirit or body." 
 
 " Both, holy father." 
 
 The Hermit muttered something in Latin 
 which the Prince did not understand, and then 
 added, " If thou has aught wrong with thy spirit. 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 35 
 
 I may heal it, as for thy corporal infirmity, begone 
 to a physician." 
 
 Prince Babillon, seeing that tliere was no hope 
 of gratifying his appetite, and finding his hunger 
 only aggravated in the presence' of food, began to 
 pour forth the sorrows of his soul to his spiritual 
 doctor and beg assistance. 
 
 " My son," replied the Herriiit, as he lifted a 
 pan full of eggs that were frying on the fire, 
 *' thou hast looked too high. All the good things 
 of this world are not for the lowly. Let thy gaze 
 be fixed on things at thine own level." 
 
 The Hermit began to guess his visitor was the 
 Prince Babillon, from the strange similarity be- 
 tween what the Queen had told him and the 
 Prince's story. 
 
 " Prince Babillon," he began. 
 
 " You know my name, then ? " 
 
 " What is hid from the blind may be seen 
 sometimes by those who have eyes." 
 
 " O, holy father, you know much." 
 
 " I will help you. Prince. Stay ; let me enter 
 .alone into my sanctuary to consult my books, and 
 shortly will I tell you what to do that you may 
 win the Princess. Watch, I pray you, these eggs 
 that they burn not and the fat fall not into the fire, 
 and quickly will I return." 
 
36 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 The Hermit handed the pan to the Prince and 
 retired into his cave. 
 
 " This is a temptation more than human flesh can 
 bear," thought the Prince when he saw the back o£ 
 the Hermit vanish into the gloom of the cavern. 
 " Four eggs for one man ! " So the Prince con- 
 cluded that if he ate two before the Hermit came 
 back, two, at any rate, would be left. Having 
 made out this calculation to his own satisfaction, 
 he subtracted two and hastily devoured them, not 
 without burning his fingers and his tongue. His 
 next calculation was how to explain the reason of 
 their disappearance when the Hermit returned. To 
 give himself some fresh ideas, and to cool his burnt 
 tongue, he took a draught from the brown pitcher, 
 so that when the Hermit did reappear he felt more 
 comfortable in body, though less so in spirit. As 
 the Hermit neither counted th© eggs nor looked 
 into the pitcher, the Prince thought there was no 
 need to say anything. He therefore took the scroll 
 on which the Hermit had inscribed his advice. 
 Thanking the good old man fof his kindness, the 
 Prince did not stop to read it, but left hurriedly, 
 rejoicing in his heart that no remark had been 
 made about the loss of the eggs and the wine. 
 
 As the morning air was bracing and time passing, 
 the Prince began running, and continued to do so 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 37 
 
 until he was well out of the forest. On his return 
 to the Palace he hastened to his private apartments, 
 hid the scroll carefully away until he might read 
 it secretly, then went and played his lullaby, as if 
 nothing particular had occurred. Now it should 
 be said that the Hermit had noticed the disappear- 
 ance of his eggs and wine though he had held 
 his peace. Being a holy man, it is possible that 
 he forgave the injury ; but a very peculiar smile 
 played round his wrinkled lips that might have 
 suggested to a beholder that this old man had a 
 black side. 
 
 Meanwhile the Queen-Mother had not wasted 
 time. She had been busily counting on her fingers 
 all the princely families in the neighbourhood, 
 selecting only the richest as most suitable for her 
 purpose. At last she hit upon that of Prince 
 Nollibab, whose enormous wealth and magnifi- 
 cence of dress were unrivalled. She therefore 
 went to beg the King to send an ambassador 
 with a royal invitation. 
 
 " Do you know, sire, what I want you to do } " 
 asked the Queen, with the softest intonation of her 
 voice possible. 
 
38 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 " How should I ? " growled the King, who hated 
 riddles, and who, from the tone of her Majesty's 
 voice, had a presentiment that something disagree- 
 able was to follow. 
 
 " Now, before I tell you, promise me you will 
 do it, won't you ? " urged the Queen. 
 
 "How absurd of you, my Idve," replied the 
 King, " you might make me promise to give away 
 all my kingdom and my daughter. I must know 
 beforehand what I am going to promise." 
 
 The King looked very wise, for' he remembered 
 having read in books stories of kings' promises and 
 what became of them. 
 
 " If you won't, you won't, I suppose," returned 
 the Queen. "Well, I want you to invite Prince 
 Nollibab to your Court." 
 
 " Who are the NoUibabs ? " asked the King in a 
 lazy manner. " Are they perfectly respectable ? " 
 
 " Of course ! " answered the Queen. " They keep 
 a large number of servants and everybody visits 
 them." 
 
 "You know I am rather particular as to the 
 persons with whom the Princess associates," said 
 the King, wishing, if possible, to find some excuse 
 against inviting a guest to his Court. 
 
 " Do you think I am not ? " returned the Queen, 
 drawing herself up stiffly. 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 The King saw a 
 storm was brewing, 
 although at the com- 
 mencement of the con- 
 versation it seemed as 
 if there was nothing but sun- 
 shine. Being a man of peace 
 he yielded to the Queen's desire, 
 and an invitation was sent. 
 
 A few days later Prince 
 NoUibab arrived, very smartly 
 dressed in a suit of pink satin 
 and a hat of the same colour 
 and material, with a large white ostrich feather 
 which dangled down and so hid half of his face. 
 His costume was so attractive that there was no 
 time to look at the Prince himself. He was 
 
40 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 attended as usual in such cases by a large retinue 
 of courtiers, many carriages, and a troop of gaily- 
 caparisoned bodyguards. 
 
 This display was rather depressing to the King, 
 as he thought of the expense the country would 
 incur for the support of such a cavalcade. The 
 Queen, however, was supremely delighted. 
 
 " What a handsome Prince, at least what hand- 
 some clothes he wears ! " exclaimed the Queen, as 
 she threw up her hands in an ecstasy of admiration. 
 
 " Prince Babillon is worth a dozen of such 
 clothes-poles," said the King. 
 
 " Hush, my dear, do ! " whispered the Queen. 
 "The Prince is quite close to us, and is not deaf." 
 
 The object of admiration then advanced with 
 great composure to the King, amid the blare of 
 trumpets and beating of drums, and thanked him 
 for the honour he had conferred on him, his family 
 and relations in inviting him to the Palace. He 
 further stated that his father and mother sent their 
 compliments and thanks, which sounded to the 
 King's ears very like the words used in a receipt to 
 a tradesman's bill. Rather wearied by the length 
 of the Prince's harangue, the King replied in a few 
 words of welcome. The Queen added that she 
 was much pleased to see him, and expressed the 
 hope that he would spend some time with them. 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 41 
 
 He was then introduced to the Princess. Poor 
 Babillon was not introduced. Fearing to face a 
 rival, he had remained sadly ruminating in his 
 own chamber. His only hope now rested on the 
 scroll which the Hermit had given him. As yet 
 it lay unread in one of his drawers, for he did 
 not intend to make any use of it until his troubles 
 commenced. 
 
 A magnificent banquet was served in honour of 
 the royal guest, and after the banquet a ball was 
 given, and Princess Melanie's chief partner that 
 evening was Prince NoUibab. 
 
 " What a stupid partner you are to-night," 
 remarked one of the maids-of-honour to Prince 
 Babillon. " You always used to be lively enough, 
 but to-night you are as silent as grief." 
 
 " O am I ? " replied Babillon, rousing himself 
 from his reverie and trying to smile. "The 
 weather is very pleasant for dancing." 
 
 " Do say something sensible ! " retorted the maid- 
 of-honour impatiently. " Tell me who that gaily- 
 dressed young man is, now valsing with the 
 Princess." 
 
 " He is named Prince NoUibab," replied Babillon 
 sulkily. 
 
 " At any rate, his clothes are fairer than his face, 
 and his dancing is very different to our usual way. 
 
42 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 But then we are so old fashioned in this musty 
 Court." 
 
 "At least he is not shy," remarked Babillon, 
 " you can hear his voice everywhere." 
 
 "Yet the Princess seems quite captivated already," 
 continued the maid-of-honour. " Faint voice. 
 Prince, never won fair lady." 
 
 Prince NoUibab, with perfect confidence in his 
 own merits and striking appearance, was not 
 wasting his time, but was doing his utmost to 
 make a favourable impression on his partner. She 
 in her turn was amused by one so different in 
 thought and dress to her usual companions ; still, 
 in her heart she clung to the. simple-minded 
 Babillon. 
 
 The latter, however, unaware of her fidelity 
 towards him, was boiling with indignation and 
 jealousy. On that occasion and afterwards the 
 Queen managed affairs so skilfully that, as Babillon 
 too plainly perceived, all sorts of entertainments 
 were provided for his rival, while he never had a 
 chance of speaking or even playing to the Princess. 
 So, under a feeling of injured and hopeless love, he 
 declined going to these pleasure-parties, and preferred 
 fishing in the lake by himself instead. 
 
 Prince Nollibab charmed everybody by appearing 
 day after day in a handsome new sjiit of clothes of 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 43 
 
 many colours, each more costly than the last and 
 all made by the best tailors. His evident admir- 
 ation of the Princess endeared him to the Queen, 
 who took the greatest pains to provide every 
 pleasure for her guest. The King cared but little 
 for the Prince, so generally excused himself from 
 attending the fetes on the score of advanced age. 
 The Princess was amused by his constant change 
 of costume. There v\ras little else about him to 
 attract her attention. 
 
 One day when sauntering in the garden the 
 Prince said, " Do you believe in love, Princess ? " 
 
 " What a strange question," replied the Princess, 
 with her eyes cast down on the gravel-path, while 
 she kicked a pebble into a flower-bed. " Many of 
 us believe in things of which we are not quite 
 sure." 
 
 " Love has been in fashion so many years," 
 continued the Prince, " perhaps you may consider 
 it quite vulgar." 
 
 " I do not think I am old enough to express an 
 opinion," returned the Princess quickly. " I know 
 so little about the fashion of this world. But go. 
 Prince, and pluck that rose hanging from the wall 
 in the sun." 
 
 The Prince hastened to obey her command, 
 and on presenting the rose to her, remarked that 
 
44 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 ladies' cheeks were often compared to roses, but 
 for his part he thought the colour too common 
 for such a comparison. 
 
 A smile flitted across the Princess's lips as she 
 took the rose from his hand, and thanking him she 
 proposed to return to the Palace. The Prince was 
 surprised at the Princess's desire to leave him so 
 soon, as he had much he was longing to say to her. 
 Yet, as he had damaged his white kid gloves and 
 pricked his delicate fingers, he was not sorry to 
 escape from the garden lest the Princess might ask 
 him to pluck some more flowers. 
 
 As the Princess gazed at the gentle beauty of the 
 rose, with all the delicate softness of its opening 
 petals, her thoughts wandered to her cousin. 
 Scarcely two words had passed between them for 
 days, and she began to feel a longing to see him 
 that she had never felt before. 
 
 " O that Nature had clothed Babillon as she 
 has done this speechless rose," thought the Princess, 
 " then mamma might have regarded him with less 
 aversion, and if he drooped I could pop him into 
 water and make him all alive again." 
 
 With such ideas running in her head the Princess 
 made her companion quicken his steps. Leaving 
 him abruptly at the door of the Palace, she ran 
 up-stairs to her tapestry frame and called Babillon 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 45 
 
 to play his lullaby once more. This time sleep did 
 not weigh down her eyelids. 
 
 The Queen found that in spite of all her hints 
 and remonstrances her daughter preferred Babillon, 
 and was at her wit's end to know what to do, as 
 she disliked being rude to anybody. After long 
 reflection a notion entered her head, that if the 
 King could only be coaxed to provide the Prince 
 with a small salary, and to send him to a distant 
 part of the country, the Princess might in time 
 forget him, and become reconciled to Prince 
 NoUibab. 
 
 One morning, therefore, when the King showed 
 signs of being in a good humour, taking him 
 fondly by the arm, the Queen led him into the 
 garden to point out how magnificently his pet 
 roses were blooming. She then threw out a hint 
 as to Prince Babillon, saying that he was now no 
 longer a child. 
 
 " It is high time," she said, " that so promising 
 a young man should start on his journey through 
 life. He ought to be sent on some diplomatic 
 errand to a distant part of the kingdom, or to some 
 
46 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 neighbouring country like many other young 
 Princes." 
 
 As anything Hke change in his family arrange- 
 ments or in the government was productive of the 
 greatest uneasiness to the King— change being to 
 him only another word for revolution — he was 
 much annoyed at the Queen's suggestion. 
 
 " Why do you want to send Babillon from here ? " 
 he asked, as the smile which just before had lighted 
 up his face when admiring his roses gradually died 
 away. " I am sure he is quite happy where he is. 
 If it was not for that abominable fellow, Prince 
 NoUibab, your precious guest, he would be ten 
 times happier. Since that coxcomb set foot in the 
 Palace there has been no peace ! Balls, tourna- 
 ments, and garden-parties ! The royal exchequer 
 is becoming exhausted ! Soon there will be a 
 revolution, and you and I, my love, will end our 
 days on the scaffold." 
 
 " Don't talk such nonsense,'^ replied the Queen. 
 " We have only shown NoUibab the hospitality 
 due to a Prince. I do wish Melanie would marry 
 him instead of fluttering after that poverty-stricken 
 Babillon." 
 
 " At least," said the King, " he is an honest lad, 
 and as for this Prince you so much admire, I 
 consider him no better than a tailor's dummy." 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 47 
 
 " Babillon, at any rate, will never add a penny to 
 the exchequer," replied the Queen, " so you had 
 better do what I ask. Send Babillon somewhere. 
 Let him have sufficient to support himself in his 
 station of life, but let him go hence." 
 
 The King, naturally indolent and accustomed 
 to give way to his wife, though really very much 
 vexed, admitted that it would be better for Babillon 
 if he had some suitable employment. Accordingly 
 a few days afterwards Babillon received notice that 
 he was to go to a distant part of the country on a 
 diplomatic mission for his uncle. 
 
 The sorrow this caused Babillon may be readily 
 imagined. The thought of leaving the Princess 
 behind with Prince Nollibab was unendurable. In 
 the first spare moment he hurried off to his room 
 and unrolled the scroll the Hermit had given him. 
 His fingers trembled so he could scarcely unfold 
 the parchment, and his eyes were so dimmed with 
 tears he could scarcely read it. At last after several 
 ineffectual attempts he succeeded so far as to make 
 out the following words — 
 
 "Shut thy music-book, 
 Take a shepherd's crook, 
 Tend your sheep all day, 
 While you are away. 
 If her love be true, 
 She will follow you. 
 
48 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 If she say thee nay, 
 
 To your lambkins play. 
 For lovers true, 'tis only fair 
 Every sorrow they should share." 
 
 "This is truly ridiculous," exclaimed the Prince 
 aloud, as he rubbed his hair with his hand till it 
 attained a state of the wildest confusion. " What 
 means all this nonsense about a shepherd's crook, 
 and shut my music-book. I never will be a shep- 
 herd, and as for buying a crook, I have not got the 
 money to do so. O that old villain of a hermit ! 
 Would that I had eaten all his eggs and drunk all 
 his wine ! This comes of my never having given 
 the good man anything for his advice." 
 
 The days quickly flew, and the time arrived 
 for the Prince to leave the Palace and journey 
 to a distant province. He had given up all hope 
 of getting any assistance from the Hermit's words. 
 They seemed so senseless that the less attention 
 he paid to them and the more to his uncle the 
 better he thought it would be for his future 
 prospects. 
 
 "Play me that lullaby once more, Babillon," 
 said the Princess, with the slightest tremor in 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 49 
 
 her voice the night before his departure. " When 
 you are gone, Babillon, what shall I do ? NoUibab 
 does not know one note from the other. His 
 fingers are too much encrusted with diamonds to 
 move. Indeed, dear Babillon, I am sorry you 
 are going. When it really comes to saying good- 
 bye, it does not matter who it, is, I always feel 
 inclined to weep. It was just the same when 
 my dear canary died." 
 
 The Prince played the lullaby, and as the Hermit 
 had advised he shut the music-book. Being the 
 last night he gained courage and explained as 
 well as he could his unutterable love for her. 
 She seemed partly to understand him a little better 
 than usual. She fixed her eyes on him with an 
 expression of pity. He took her hand, pressed 
 it to his lips, and rushed from the room. 
 
 The Princess did not sleep quite so soundly as 
 usual that night. Dreams of Babillon's departure 
 awoke her. As for Babillon he had no sleep at 
 all. His packing took him some little time. Not 
 having travelled before he did not know exactly 
 what he should require. His servant had to act 
 on his own responsibility, and so packed everything 
 and anything he could lay his hands on, under the 
 impression that it is always better to have too 
 much luggage than too little. 
 
50 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 The moment that Babillon was alone his thoughts 
 reverted to the Hermit's scroll. Come what 
 may, he determined as soon as he was out of 
 sight of the Palace and the Queen's eye to take 
 another turning to the one he was directed to 
 take, and to buy if he could a shepherd's crook 
 and a few sheep, and follow out the words in- 
 scribed on the scroll. The closing of the music- 
 book was not a bad beginning, and if everything 
 was as easy as that had been, the Princess would 
 be his in a very short time, so that when the hour 
 for bidding farewell arrived the Prince felt strangely 
 buoyant, and though the Princess's eyes filled 
 with tears, he smiled so radiantly upon her that 
 her heart was comforted. 
 
 The Queen had some difficulty in repressing the 
 joy she felt, but managed to preserve a demeanour 
 calculated to express the feeling proper for the 
 occasion, as became a person of her rank. The 
 King was truly sorry, as he was really attached 
 to him. As for Prince NoUibab, his feathers hang- 
 ing down from his hat so impeded his sight that 
 he scarcely saw Babillon. However, he had the 
 good taste to hold out the tips oi his fingers to 
 him and wish him every success. As to what 
 Prince Babillon was going to do, or why he was 
 leaving, he had not fhe slightest idea. 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 51 
 
 " Now that Babillon has really left us Melanie 
 will surely devote all her attention, if not her heart, 
 to Prince Nollibab," thought the Queen. 
 
 " Now that Babillon is gone I shall be able to 
 
 ■How CAN 1 EVER BE 
 HAPPy AC^ir^ ? THOUGHT \ 
 -THE -pRlNCSas - 
 
 enjoy the Princess's company without interruption," 
 thought Prince Nollibab. 
 
 " Now that Prince Babillon is no longer with 
 me, how can I ever be happy again ? " thought the 
 Princess. 
 
 " I shall have no one as companion but that 
 young jackanapes," thought the King. 
 
52 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 So Babillon was not so much forgotten as he 
 expected to be. 
 
 Prince NoUibab now decked his person daily in 
 finer and more expensive apparel even than before. 
 His hat was hung with so many feathers that 
 people wondered he was not suffocated when he 
 put it on. His cloak of the finest satin dazzled the 
 eyes of all the Court ladies. His stockings of the 
 finest silk that worm could spin were the constant 
 admiration of those who understood such matters. 
 The diamond buckles on his shoes were said to be 
 worth half a kingdom. Indeed, to anybody really 
 fond of dress he must have been quite irresistible. 
 
 " Valetie," observed he one morning to his 
 servant as he was helping to enrobe him, " can 
 you explain to me why it is that the Princess 
 always smiles when she sees me ? My sisters never 
 thought me at all amusing." 
 
 " Of course, your Highness," replied Valetie, as 
 he tied a pretty lace collar round the Prince's 
 neck. " It is a smile of loving admiration. One 
 so magnificently apparelled as you are would find 
 some difficulty in escaping such recognition of 
 your charms." 
 
 " But, though she smiles, Valetie, she usually 
 hides her face and goes away to work at her 
 tapestry just when I want to talk to her." 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 53 
 
 " Your Highness, that only shows her love and 
 maidenly reserve, she goes away to think of you all 
 by herself." 
 
 " That must be so, Valetie, fof all the Princesses 
 I have been introduced to, have shown much the 
 same symptoms. Have you found the emerald 
 bracelet I mean to give the Princess previous to 
 our betrothal ? " 
 
 The valet handed the Prince an enormous 
 bracelet, encased in a box, which the Prince took, 
 but had to carry in his hand, having no pocket 
 large enough to contain it. After wandering 
 about the Palace for some time, he espied the 
 Princess walking alone amidst her flowers. With 
 a strong effort he raised his hat as he approached 
 her. The bracelet was then produced, which the 
 Prince said he hoped if she really ever had felt any 
 love for him she would deign to accept. As the 
 Princess could not say she had ever had any such 
 feeling, she only admired the jewels, without taking 
 the bracelet from him. 
 
 " O Princess ! " exclaimed the Prince, tired of 
 carrying the box, and wondering what he could do 
 with it if she did not take it from him ; " O 
 Princess, whether you have any love for me or not, 
 please accept this bracelet and box in testimony of 
 my great admiration of you. You alone are worthy 
 
54 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 of wearing so priceless an ornament ; your wrist 
 alone can adorn these precious gems." 
 
 The Princess, hearing that love was not necessary 
 in order to accept the gift, allowed the Prince to 
 encircle her wrist with it, and was not a little 
 gratified by its beauty. 
 
 " How extremely kind of you. Prince, to giv^ 
 me so handsome a present," she said, with a smile ; 
 " if you will excuse me I will run and show it to 
 mamma, she will be even more pleased than I am." 
 
 Without saying another word she tripped lightly 
 up the marble «*steps leading to the Palace and 
 disappeared. 
 
 " I was a little hasty," said the Prince to himself, 
 " in fastening on the bracelet quite so soon," and 
 sulkily turning on his heel he withdrew to his own 
 apartments in order to change his clothes once 
 more. 
 
 The Princess very soon found the Queen and 
 showed her the bracelet. 
 
 " How dearly he must love you, Melanie, to 
 have given you so valuable a present," exclaimed 
 her mother, as she looked affectionately from the 
 bracelet to her daughter. " Real emeralds, I 
 declare, and what large ones ! " 
 
 " Must the presents we give to those we love 
 always be valuable ? " 
 

 
 
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 iov^xneouvo^vt€Mse.HC' Wm"^^^ 
 
 C6P& tJ-mS BRHC6L6C j^l?D ^W 
 Box:' .-^aaBWBaResp''':^^^'':?*'""''^^^ 
 
 ^'''^):saw.« 
 
 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 57 
 
 " It is better they should be. It shows the 
 person who receives them has tome value in the 
 eyes of the giver." 
 
 " Babillon never valued me much, then, for he 
 never gave me anything valuable, and yet there 
 was something in the poorest flower of the field he 
 plucked and gave me that madd it more precious 
 than all these jewels. I do not believe true love 
 knows or cares anything about value." 
 
 " Tut, tut, my child," said the Queen im- 
 patiently. " Poppies look very beautiful in a field 
 of corn, but they make no bread. Everything has 
 its place and value. Could you live in a palace of 
 love ? " 
 
 " O yes, dear mother. A palace, even of jewels, 
 without love would be no palace to me." 
 
 The Queen, seeing that further argument would 
 be thrown away, made her daughter promise to 
 keep the bracelet, as it might offend the tender 
 sensibility of the Prince if she returned it. But 
 the Princess felt that the bracelet was only a chain 
 that might bind her to the Prince, and to his great 
 astonishment as well as to the dismay of the Queen 
 next time she met him it was not round her wrist, 
 
 " Is the Princess's arm so fair that an emerald 
 bracelet is not ornament enough for it ? " 
 
 The Princess made no reply at first, but finally 
 
58 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 said, " There is a legend that if a serpent casts its 
 eye on an emerald it becomes blind." 
 
 " But, Princess, that is well for you." 
 
 " Some are harmless, Prince. Why injure 
 them ? " 
 
 The Princess stooped to pluck some weeds from 
 her favourite flowers. 
 
 " We always pet the most beautiful," she said ; 
 " it is very hard these poor struggling weeds are 
 not allowed to enjoy their short lives." 
 
 " Why should they. Princess ? What right 
 have these dingy plants to poke their heads up 
 amongst the other gaily-clad flowers ? " 
 
 " They have a hard struggle to live, and they put 
 on the best they have. Prince, and "cannot help 
 themselves if they do appear a little dowdy." 
 
 "They are very impertinent. Princess, that is 
 my idea, and the sooner they are hustled out of 
 sight the better for everybody."* 
 
 " Poor Babillon," thought the Princess, " I begin 
 to know why you have been sent away." 
 
 Though the Princess knew that the Prince 
 despised flowers she picked one of the most beauti- 
 ful roses, thinking that as it came from her hands 
 he might prize it. The Prince took the rose, and 
 exclaimed — 
 
 " How can words of mine paint my emotions 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 59 
 
 at receiving this first gift, which I accept as a 
 symbol of your love for me." 
 
 The Princess had not the slightest idea the rose 
 meant quite so much, and repented having given it. 
 She was still more surprised at seeing him lift it 
 with the utmost fervour to his lips, and then put it 
 in one of his pockets, where the; poor flower must 
 inevitably be crushed and die. 
 
 " Where have you put my rose ? give it me back 
 again," cried the Princess, eager to save her rose 
 from such rough treatment. 
 
 " By no means. Princess, I will keep it for your 
 dear sake. I will treasure its petals, faded though 
 they be, in a golden box, but I must put it in my 
 pocket just now, because the colour does not go 
 well with my pink cloak." 
 
 " I think mamma is calling me," said the Princess, 
 and at once left him. 
 
 " I wonder if I annoyed her about the rose ? " 
 thought the Prince, and went to his room to look 
 in the glass. 
 
 " Valetie," he called, " come to me." Now 
 Valetie, though only a servant and uneducated, 
 was possessed of common-sense. He had seen 
 something of the world, and had drawn his own 
 conclusions. 
 
 " Valetie, only think, the Princess gave me a rose 
 
60 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 of a different shade to the pink satin I was wearing. 
 What extraordinary taste for a Princess ! " 
 
 " Very, indeed, your Highness, and what did 
 your Highness do with it ? " 
 
 " I put it in my pocket, Valetie, and here it is," 
 he said, drawing it out in a very crumpled and 
 broken state. " What am I to do with it ? " 
 
 " Keep it, your Highness, and wear it to-night 
 at the ball." 
 
 " How can I wear a common garden rose, 
 Valetie ? " 
 
 " Well, your Highness, as, you say, it is a common 
 or garden rose, and somewhat below your usual style 
 and good taste ; yet to please the Princess you 
 must wear it somewhere about you, lest she fancy 
 you have slighted her." 
 
 " I really fancy she admires me," said the Prince, 
 " though she has not told me so yet." 
 
 " As for her admiration of your Highness, I 
 venture to suggest that no Princess in the world, 
 could look at you without being struck almost 
 dumb at the sight." 
 
 " Ah, now I understand, good Valetie, the reason 
 why the Princess has so little to say to me ; she 
 used to talk to that untidy Babillon by the hour, 
 but with me she is often very reserved. By the 
 way, what shall I wear to-night ? " 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 61 
 
 The rest of the day was spent in turning over 
 various gorgeous suits of clothes". At last a black 
 satin coat was chosen as most likely to show off the 
 Princess's pink rose, or rather one he had since 
 obtained in its place, as her gift was so completely 
 crushed as to be absolutely unwearable. 
 
 The Princess meanwhile had told her mother 
 about her presentation of a rose to the Prince. 
 The Queen smiled most graciously. 
 
 " But only think," added the Princess, pouting 
 her rosy lips, " he put it in his pocket because it 
 did not suit the colour of his cloak." 
 
 " Well, my love, you know he has such exquisite 
 taste and manners." 
 
 After the banquet a grand state ball was to be 
 given, and numerous guests were invited to honour 
 Prince Nollibab. 
 
 The Queen had her hopes about the result, so 
 she was pleased, though somewhat anxious. 
 
 The King, on the contrary, was rather doleful. 
 He was too old to enjoy balls, and begged the Queen 
 to find some good excuse for his early retirement. 
 
 The Princess, after an involuntary sigh for 
 Babillon (with whom she had danced so often 
 before), began to dress herself. Her mother had 
 taken care to provide her with a new gown of pure 
 white satin trimmed with gold lace. 
 
62 
 
 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 "Who is this 
 for ? " asked the 
 Princess, as her 
 eye fell on it, as 
 it lay outspread in readiness 
 for her to put on. 
 
 " For your Highness," 
 answered Claretie, her maid. 
 "Take.it away," said the 
 Princess, " that one I 
 wore at the last ball 
 will suit me far better, 
 and be much more 
 comfortable." 
 
 "What will the 
 Prince think ? " urged 
 
 the maid. 
 
 "Think? He will think of himself, 
 always does ! " retorted the Princess. 
 
 as 
 
 he 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 63 
 
 The old dress was put on, and the Queen greatly 
 annoyed. The King, however, smiled, patted her 
 cheek, and called her his " wayward little girl." 
 
 The Prince spent a very long time considering 
 which position would be the most becoming for 
 the rose. He could not make up his mind whether 
 he ought to pin it in his hat close to his magnificent 
 plume, or on his breast. At last he placed it just 
 a little on the left side on the spot where his heart 
 was beating, but so loosely did he fasten it that 
 after the first dance the rose fell out, and was 
 completely destroyed by the feet of the dancers. 
 The Prince had, moreover, resolved to propose that 
 night to the Princess, for he flattered himself that 
 he would soon be able to improve her taste, and 
 after their marriage make her look at things as he 
 saw them. The Princess, however, was so un- 
 accountably silent, and her dress so old fashioned, 
 that the Prince hesitated some time before he could 
 summon up courage to carry out his intention. Still 
 he accounted for her silence by what his servant 
 had told him. At last, when about to dance with 
 her, he complained that he felt quite exhausted, 
 and begged that she would lead him to a chair in a 
 quiet corner, so as to recover himself. She did so, 
 and was about to call an attendant, when the 
 Prince suddenly became quite animated. 
 
64 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 "You seem better. Prince," said the Princess, 
 " shall we return to the ball-room ? " 
 
 " Not yet. Princess, not yet," he exclaimed as he 
 rolled his eyes upward, and placed his white 
 gloved hand gently on his heart for fear of rumpling 
 his lace frills. " You, and you alone, are the cause 
 of my exhaustion. It was for your sake that I 
 implored you to lead me to a chair. And now you 
 have placed me in it you want to hurry back. 
 Stay for one moment ! Listen to the few words in 
 which I shall endeavour to express the passion I 
 feel. I shall be brief, and ask for nothing but a 
 brief reply." 
 
 The Princess stood still somewhat nervously. 
 He, however, was thinking of his satin breeches, 
 and if he threw himself on his knees, of the dust 
 on the floor. At last, taking her hand in his, and 
 pressing it very softly, " Princess," he sighed, " for 
 a long time I have noticed your admiration for me. 
 Your silence has been eloquent. That I have 
 entranced one so lovely as you cannot but fill my 
 heart with pride. As you have admired me so much 
 I now offer to you the object of your admiration, 
 and cast myself and my fortune at your feet." 
 
 By the time the Prince had got to the end of this 
 lengthy speech the Princess had quietly withdrawn 
 her hand. Thanking him for the great honour he 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 65 
 
 had conferred upon her in presenting her with one 
 of the noblest of his sex, she added that his con- 
 descension was so great that she could not find 
 words to express her feelings just at the moment, 
 but hoped on some future occasion she would be 
 able to return him a suitable answer. As he rose 
 from his chair, she took his arm and drew him 
 back to the ball-room, where another partner was 
 awaiting her. 
 
 The Prince could not help feeling gratified by 
 the impression he had evidently made on the 
 Princess, though he found it rather difficult to 
 understand her reply. He almost wished her 
 admiration for him had been a little more explicit. 
 However, he did not allow his mind to dwell long 
 on the point, and after being introduced to another 
 partner soon forgot the matter. 
 
 The Queen, who had carefully watched the 
 youthful pair all the evening, noticed an unusual 
 glow on her daughter's cheek as she returned from 
 the quiet interview she had had with the Prince. 
 
 " It is all over," said the Queen to herself, and 
 felt very anxious to know what had happened, but 
 neither the Prince nor her daughter said anything. 
 Nor was her curiosity gratified till the next morn- 
 ing, when the Princess narrated the whole scene to 
 her mother. 
 
66 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 The Queen was a little disconcerted by her 
 daughter's behaviour. She complained of her 
 coldness, and want of sympathy, and expressed a 
 hope that in future the Princess would be more 
 kind to the Prince, who evidently meant well. 
 
 " Meaning well and doing well are two different 
 things, dear mamma," returned the Princess im- 
 patiently, "and to tell the truth my aversion 
 to the Prince is so strong that however I should 
 like to fulfil every wish of your heart it is im- 
 possible that I could ever bestow my hand on such 
 a popinjay ! " 
 
 The Queen, seeing that her daughter was too 
 excited to listen to reason at that moment, dropped 
 the subject and talked on indifferent matters. 
 
 The Princess now perceived that the Queen was 
 really bent on her marriage with the Prince, and 
 made up her mind to consult a far-famed Fairy who 
 dwelt in the neighbourhood. Wishing to conceal 
 her visit she consulted her maid Claretie, who 
 agreed to lend her some of her clothes and 
 to accompany her. 
 
 Early next morning, after carefully disguising 
 themselves, they set out on their journey, and as they 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 really did not know 
 when they would re- 
 turn, left no word as to 
 their intentions. The 
 Fairy dwelt in a dell, 
 and was usually visible 
 soon after daybreak. 
 On their arrival at the 
 place of her appear- 
 ance, they waited a 
 short time in a state 
 of great expectation, 
 and were relieved to 
 find that they were 
 the only persons that 
 morning who wanted 
 to ask any questions. 
 At last the Fairy ap- 
 peared, clad in a long 
 cloak and peaked hat, 
 with red shoes and pink heels, while she carried in 
 her hand an ebony stick that she used as a wand. 
 
68 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 " Good Fairy," exclaimed the Princess, " I come 
 for counsel." 
 
 " What troubles you, Princess ? " asked the Fairy, 
 who was not in the least deceived by the disguise 
 she was wearing. " If there is anything I can do 
 for you, speak, and I will perform it." 
 
 " Since you know me," replied the Princess, 
 " in spite of my disguise, there is no need of 
 further concealment. I am the Princess Melanie, 
 unfortunately." 
 
 " Why unfortunately ? since you are heiress to 
 one of the largest kingdoms in the world." 
 
 " What is that to a heart that is longing for love ? 
 I am doomed to marry one who is hateful to me." 
 
 " His name, Princess ? " 
 
 " The Prince Nolhbab, madame." 
 
 " A rich suitor and one that dr6&ses well." 
 
 " I have nothing to urge against his dress ; but 
 when that is all there is to love " 
 
 " Some girls love nothing else," replied the Fairy, 
 " but you seem to look for something more. 
 Know you some other Prince whom you find more 
 charming ? If so, confess the truth, and I will do 
 my best to help you." 
 
 " There is but one," sighed the Princess, casting 
 her eyes down, " I love, or at least I fancy I do, and 
 he is banished from the Court." 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 69 
 
 " What is his name ? " 
 
 " Prince Babillon." 
 
 " Where is he now that I may know what 
 course to pursue ? " 
 
 " Alas, I cannot tell you where he is. When he 
 left the Palace he travelled towards the West, for I 
 watched him until he was out of sight. Since that 
 time I have never heard of him. He was very 
 sorry to go. It was not exactly his fault, and I 
 was very sorry he went, but I forgot to ask him 
 Avhither he was going." 
 
 " That is enough. Princess, I will soon find him, 
 and you and he, if he is really all you think he is, 
 shall soon have the pleasure of meeting." With 
 these words the Fairy drew from her pocket a magic 
 crystal. " Gaze in this. Princess," said she, handing 
 her the crystal, " and tell me what you see in it, and 
 I will look on the magic mirror, and then I shall 
 know whether what you see is true or imaginary." 
 
 The Princess took the crystal eagerly, and after 
 gazing in it for some time told the Fairy she 
 could see nothing, but that from gazing her eyes 
 began to water. 
 
 " Dry your eyes, then. Princess, and try once 
 "more." 
 
 The Princess obeyed, and after drying her aching 
 eyes gazed again. 
 
70 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 (C 
 
 I do see something at last," she exclaimed, 
 "but what it is I cannot exactly make out. Can 
 it be, after all, only a speck of dust, or can an 
 eyelash have fallen into my eye ? " 
 
 " Gaze on," said the Fairy rather sternly. " To 
 leave off now will be fatal. You will see the 
 Prince in a few moments." 
 
 The Princess was so cheered by the last words 
 that she kept her eyes wide open, and at length 
 said — 
 
 " I see a man in shepherd's clothing, with a 
 crook in his hand. He has just caught a sheep by 
 the leg, and is dragging it to the fold. But he 
 cannot possibly have anything to do with Babillon, 
 who never caught a sheep in his life." 
 
 " We do not know all that lovers can do," 
 remarked the Fairy ; " but look, Princess, more 
 carefully at his face. Are the features those of the 
 Prince ? " 
 
 "There is a slight likeness," answered the 
 Princess, "but that horrid shepherd's hat nearly 
 conceals his features and his hair^ — his curly hair ! " 
 
 At this moment the Princess gave a little scream 
 of joy. " O, look a sheep has run away and the 
 shepherd has taken off his hat and thrown it at the 
 sheep. It is Babillon ! I know him by his curly 
 hair. But O ! some dark man has come between 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 7l 
 
 and I can see nothing now of Babillon, but only 
 a little white rabbit running for its life into the 
 wood." 
 
 " Now," said the Fairy, " you understand what 
 comes from staring very hard at anything. I will 
 discover where he went, and if you still can love 
 him, I will set you on the road to find him." 
 
 The Princess thanked the Fairy for her kind 
 assistance, and at the same time clasped one of her 
 own bracelets round her arm. The Fairy con- 
 descended to accept it, and both separated equally 
 satisfied with each another. The Princess and her 
 maid retraced their steps to the Palace, and 
 managed to enter so quietly that their absence was 
 never suspected. 
 
 A few days after, when the Princess was working 
 as usual at her tapestry, more to avoid Prince 
 NoUibab than from any motive of industry, her 
 maid entered the room holding the most delicate 
 little note imaginable. After presenting it to her 
 mistress, she was rather curious to know what the 
 contents were. A young peasant had met her while 
 she was walking with her mistress's pet dog in the 
 wood, and after giving her the note for her mistress, 
 had disappeared as quickly as he had come. 
 
 " Who gave you this ? " asked the Princess, as a 
 blush kindled rosy flames in her cheeks. 
 
72 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 " A young peasant, your Highness, in the wood. 
 He was a rude fellow. He never said anything 
 but ' Give this to your mistress at once.' I had 
 a mind to throw it back in his face, but before I 
 could say a word the wretched man had flown." 
 
 " It is from the Fairy, Claretie. She says she 
 knows whereabouts Prince Babillon is, but not 
 exactly what he is doing. He is many leagues 
 from here, but she has promised if you will come 
 with me in disguise to carry us both through the 
 air in her winged chariot and we shall be there 
 immediately. O how delightful ! We are to start 
 with her to-morrow morning at the same time as 
 that when we met her before. But what will 
 mamma think if I do not come back soon ? I must 
 ask the Fairy to see to that." 
 
 Next morning the Princess and her maid departed 
 on their journey, leaving word that the Princess 
 was going to gather wild flowers, and if she was 
 not home by dinner-time the Queen was not to 
 feel anxious. 
 
 They hurried along as fast as they could. Their 
 
^^^mm 
 
 
 
 "^^^X^^^iMymJii 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 75 
 
 feet got a little damp from the dew, but excite- 
 ment prevented them from noticing the state of 
 their boots. 
 
 When they arrived at the dell the Fairy was 
 awaiting them, and after saying a few kind and 
 reassuring words, invited them to mount the 
 winged chariot with her, and bid farewell to the 
 earth for a short time. The moment they were 
 seated the wings expanded and the chariot rose 
 quickly. The earth soon disappeared as they 
 entered a cloud, and nothing was visible through 
 the cold white mist. Very frequently, however, 
 when the clouds opened, they could catch glimpses 
 of villages and towns extended far below them. 
 Claretie would keep looking down and pointing 
 out what she thought were spots she knew, and 
 was not a little happy in being able to observe what 
 other people were about, especially as the elevation 
 gave her an opportunity she had long desired of 
 peeping over other people's walls. 
 
 At last the chariot began descending, until it 
 rested on the grass of a meadow very similar to 
 that which the Princess had seen in the crystal. 
 She and Claretie immediately stepped out. Before 
 leaving the Princess the Fairy bade her, should she 
 want her aid, to call out loudly, and she would 
 quickly come to her assistance. The Princess 
 
76 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 thanked her for her kindness, remarking that she 
 could never be grateful enough for the benefits she 
 had already received at her hands. The Fairy then 
 remounted her chariot, and was soon out of sight. 
 
 It was now time for the Princess to see whether 
 Babillon was really tending sheep, as he appeared to 
 be in the crystal. She explained to Claretie what 
 he was now doing ; but Claretie, after the amusing 
 part of the journey was over, did not seem to be 
 deeply interested, and only wondered that a Prince 
 could soil his hands with such creatures as sheep. 
 However, this remark did not affect the Princess, 
 as all she wanted was to meet Babillon once again. 
 
 " Come along, Claretie," she said, " I fancy there 
 is a shepherd's cottage yonder — a sweet little house 
 all covered with jasmine." 
 
 " But your Highness," exclaimed Claretie in the 
 utmost dismay, "would never deign to live in a 
 cottage after having spent your youth in a higher 
 circle of society ! How terribly monotonous, 
 with nothing to look at but green fields and woolly 
 sheep ! " 
 
 " Where there is love, a cottage is quite as 
 agreeable as a palace, though perhaps not quite 
 so roomy," answered the Princess. 
 
 " But your Highness is a little selfish. You will 
 have your Prince, and what am I to do when both 
 
PRINCE BABILLON Jl 
 
 ■ -*'■ 
 
 of you are so interested in each other that you 
 will forget all about me ? " 
 
 " Perhaps, Claretie, there may be more shepherds 
 than one, with little cottages hereabouts, and it 
 may be, then, that you too will become interested 
 in somebody." Claretie brightened up considerably 
 at the thought, and began to fancy she might do 
 worse in a palace. So, chattering gaily, they turned 
 their steps toward the jasmine-covered cottage and 
 peeped over the hedge. Instead of Babillon, the 
 Princess only saw a sulky old woman, who asked 
 roughly what business it was of theirs to pry into 
 other people's gardens. 
 
 " Does any one of the name of Babillon live 
 here ? " asked the Princess timidly. 
 
 " Never heard of such an outlandish name," 
 growled the old dame snappishly. 
 
 " Then who does live here ? " 
 
 " The Shepherd." 
 
 " What is his name .? " 
 
 " I really cannot tell you, my girl, as he is called 
 by all of us ' The Shepherd,' because he tends the 
 sheep, and there is no need to call him anything else. 
 He calls me ' Cook.' We don't want names here." 
 
 " Then everybody does something, or they could 
 not have a name at all," said the Princess, a little 
 surprised at this strange custom. 
 
78 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 "Just so. The person that does nothing here 
 shall be nameless. That's our law, and a very good 
 and proper one it is." 
 
 " O, come away," whispered Claretie, " this old 
 woman is talking nonsense, and does not want to 
 tell us her master's name." 
 
 " Do you think," suggested the Princess, putting 
 her hand into her pocket, " if I gave her a little 
 present she would give me the information I 
 require ? " 
 
 " Perhaps she might and perhaps she might not. 
 Grumpy people are difficult to handle. They're 
 not like us servants at the Palace, we know our 
 duty." 
 
 " At least I can try," said the Princess, and 
 finding a little silver coin in the corner of her 
 pocket she sought to place it in the old woman's 
 hand, but the latter seemed so busy that she had 
 no further time to attend to the Princess and her 
 questions. So at last the Princess gave up the 
 attempt, and started with Claretie to a distant field 
 where some sheep seemed to be grazing, attended 
 by a shepherd. On nearer inspection this man 
 turned out to be a goatherd, who was trying to 
 drive his flock to the hills. The goats were rather 
 disposed to wander, and as the Princess and her 
 maid came suddenly on them they scampered off 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 79 
 
 in every direction. The consequence was that the 
 goatherd lost '/his temper. 
 
 " What on earth did you do that for ? " he 
 called out in an angry voice. " Who are you that 
 come interfering with me and my work ? Out of 
 my sight, you good-for-nothing hussies. Have you 
 no work to do ? " 
 
80 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 Both the Princess and her maid were terribly- 
 shocked at this rebuke, and their consciences stung 
 them when they perceived how much trouble they 
 had given this poor working man. 
 
 " We are deeply grieved," murmured the 
 Princess, " but indeed we did not mean to do any 
 harm. We are strangers in this place, and do not 
 as yet know our way." 
 
 " I should think not, trespassing everywhere," 
 snarled the goatherd ; " but as you have scattered 
 my goats you cannot do less than help me collect 
 them, especially as you seem to have nothing to do." 
 
 The goatherd was really the Hermit whom the 
 Queen and Babillon had consulted. He was no 
 hermit at all, but a magician who could assume any 
 shape he pleased, and change anybody else into any 
 animal he chose. He had been very much annoyed 
 by the Fairy bringing the Princess so near the 
 Prince, and had determined, because the Prince had 
 eaten his eggs and drunk his wine, to make himself 
 as disagreeable as possible. So he ordered the 
 Princess and her maid to run after the goats until 
 they had overtaken them, and then to drive them 
 back, saying that meanwhile he would wait. He 
 glared at them with such an evil eye that, terrified 
 lest he should kill them, they projnised to do what 
 they could to fetch his goats back again. Both 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 81 
 
 began running, only too pleased to have an excuse 
 to get away. The more they ra'n the further fled 
 the goats, and though it seemed to them they had 
 run a long distance, yet when they stopped they 
 found the magician close at their heels bidding 
 them run much faster, and threatening that unless 
 they caught the goats he would bind them hand 
 and foot and leave them to starve. This threat 
 was so horrible that, though very much fatigued 
 by their exertions, they did not hesitate a moment, 
 but again rushed after the animals. At last Claretie, 
 who had not the spirit of her mistress, declared her 
 strength was spent, and that she could not and 
 would not go a step further to save her life. She 
 stopped, and the Princess nobly gave up the chase 
 as she could not bear the thought of letting the 
 poor girl fall into the clutches of this heartless 
 goatherd, especially as she had been the cause of 
 her danger. When the goatherd appeared, they 
 both frankly declared that the goats had proved 
 too active for them, and that they had done their 
 best. If the goatherd would not accept their 
 excuse they could not help it — he would have to 
 fetch his own goats if he wanted them. This 
 answer threw the magician into such a violent 
 passion that words failed to express his feelings. 
 With an angry wave of his hand he explained 
 
82 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 that if they did not catch the goats the result 
 would be terrible for both. Mistress and maid 
 felt very much inclined to cry at this savage 
 behaviour, and the Princess was beginning to look 
 for her handkerchief to wipe her eyes, when the 
 goatherd roughly told her to take her hand out of 
 her pocket, as no bribe would move him to alter 
 his determination. 
 
 " O your Highness, why did you ever bring me 
 to this horrid place ! " sobbed the maid ; " and as. 
 for you, Mr. Goatherd, do you not know that my 
 mistress is a Princess, and not accustomed to go 
 running after goats. If she would take my advice,, 
 she would let you and your goats go where they 
 liked, and not trouble herself any more about them."^ 
 
 The goatherd smiled grimly, and replied that 
 people in that country had to do as they were told. 
 Princesses, he added, were possessed of hands and 
 feet like other folk, and it must be uncomfortable 
 for them not to use them. 
 
 " O, don't talk any more to him," said the 
 Princess, becoming very much alarmed. " We must 
 try to obey, or I feel sure he will do something 
 dreadful. There is no one anywhere about that I 
 can see to help us. O Babillon ! if you only knew 
 in what a terrible fix I am, and all for love of 
 you ! 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 83 
 
 So once again mistress and maid hurried after 
 the goats, frightening them and making them rush 
 helter-skelter into the wood. If they stopped a 
 moment the Magician was close at hand, bidding 
 them run faster, and scoffing at their hopeless efforts. 
 
 In their pursuit after the goats they did not 
 notice how far they had gone into the wood, and 
 never thought how difficult it might be to retrace 
 their steps. The deeper they went the gloomier the 
 wood became. The branches formed a dense barrier 
 behind them. Retreat now was impossible. The 
 very trees began to look horribfe. Their gnarled 
 roots were coiled round each otfier like huge ser- 
 pents. Ghastly faces peered from the branches. 
 Their arms waved about like human arms, and 
 huge hands with knotty fingers seemed to be out- 
 stretched to grasp them. 
 
 " Good Fairy," cried the Princess in an agony of 
 terror, " help us ! this is more than I can bear ! " 
 and looking behind she saw Claretie almost fainting 
 from fright. 
 
 In a moment the forest opened into a sunny 
 glade with a pathway leading to a stream sparkling 
 as it rippled over the stones. Faint from their late 
 exertions, Princess and maid flew to the water to 
 quench their thirst. Immediately they felt com- 
 pletely refreshed, and wandered merrily onwards. 
 
84 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 quite forgetful of the terrible experience they had 
 just had with the goatherd in the wood. Every- 
 thing was changed. Birds were singing, bees hum- 
 ming, mossy banks yielded beneath their feet, and 
 the whole air breathed the fragrance of a thousand 
 flowers. 
 
 " The good Fairy has not forgotten us," said the 
 Princess, rejoicing in the change.. 
 
 " I almost thought she had," replied Claretie. 
 " I never was so frightened in my life, and as for 
 fairies, I much prefer honest village folk." 
 
 " Then you prefer goatherds ? " laughed the 
 Princess. 
 
 " O, don't speak of him, your Highness. Nobody 
 
 knows where he is. He may be just behind us ! " 
 
 " It is very strange what has become of him," 
 
 continued the Princess looking all round. " Even 
 
 those tiresome goats have vanished." 
 
 " I am very glad they have, your Highness, for I 
 don't know when we should have caught them." 
 
 " Stay, look ! Claretie. What is that place in 
 front of us ? It is quite different to the cottage." 
 
 " So much the better, your Highness. Don't 
 you remember that disagreeable person who called 
 herself ' Cook ' ? For my part, I would just as 
 soon live in a palace as in a cottage. I am more 
 accustomed to it." 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 85 
 
 " I feel very hungry, Claretie. It seems a long, 
 long time since I had anything to eat. Ah me ! 
 come what may, I will see if there is any one here 
 who will be charitable enough to give us food ; 
 go and knock at the door, Claretie, and then we 
 shall see who answers. We can hide until we 
 know what kind of people they are." 
 
 " Certainly, your Highness, we cannot be too 
 cautious. After that goatherd I intend to be 
 always on my guard." 
 
 Claretie knocked, but did not wait for an answer. 
 Both hid behind a laurel bush that was close by the 
 door, and awaited with some anxiety the result of 
 the knock. 
 
 At last as there was no answer both grew 
 impatient. Their appetite getting the better of 
 their caution, Claretie finally proposed that, as the 
 door was half-open, there woujd be no harm in 
 entering. If they met any one, they could explain 
 why they had taken that liberty. 
 
 " A very sensible suggestion, Claretie," said the 
 Princess. " They are not likely to take us for 
 robbers, and after all they can only tell us to go 
 away." 
 
 So they pushed the door wide open, and entered, 
 but as soon as they had done so the door swung 
 heavily back and closed behind them. They turned 
 
86 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 to open it again, but great was their alarm when 
 they found that their united efforts could not 
 unbolt it. 
 
 " Good gracious ! your Highness, what are we 
 to do now ? If only the chief butler had been 
 here he would soon have unfastened it, but neither 
 you nor I can do so." 
 
 " Never mind," said the Princess, her courage 
 rising with her difficulties. " Remember the 
 wood. When it closed behind us we found the 
 sunny glade." 
 
 The Princess led the way and entered the first 
 room. It was magnificent in size and grandeur, 
 ablaze with gold, and flashing Ivith mirrors. In 
 the middle stood a table on which was laid every 
 delicacy that could charm the eye and please the 
 taste. 
 
 " Do you think, your Highness," said Claretie, 
 who began to take heart at the sight of such a 
 banquet, " do you think we rr^ight just taste a 
 little bit of something ? It seems so hard to feel 
 famished and see so much without enjoying a scrap. 
 The door is still ajar, and we could retire into the 
 hall if anybody came." 
 
 The Princess was yery hungry, and could scarcely 
 resist so many dainties. She, however, hesitated to 
 take what was not offered her, and peeped into the 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 87 
 
 hall to see if there 
 were any servants 
 belonging to the 
 master of the 
 palace. Finding 
 no one, she ex- 
 claimed, " I must 
 either eat or faint." 
 
 Claretie, delighted at 
 last to have a chance of 
 satisfying her cravings, 
 and not being restrained by 
 any unnecessary scruples, 
 selected the most luscious 
 delicacies for her 
 mistress. Having 
 supplied her wants 
 she did not hesitate 
 to satisfy her own. Both 
 beiijg almost starving, once 
 they began they did not 
 leave off until they had 
 tasted most of the dishes 
 on the table. 
 
 " What lovely sweet- 
 meats," murmured the 
 Princess, as she placed 
 
 Z^ 
 
88 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 one after the other into her mouth. " I do not 
 think I have ever eaten any that I liked so much." 
 
 " I am so glad your Highness waited no longer. 
 I too feel better, but hush ! " 
 
 Before Claretie had finished all she wanted to 
 say, a noise as of some one walking up and down 
 with a heavy tread struck her ear. 
 
 " O Claretie," said the Princess, looking rather 
 blank, " I fancy I heard some one, and from the 
 expression you let drop and the way your face has 
 fallen, you must have heard the same noise." 
 
 The Princess stepped on tiptoe to the door, 
 under the impression that the sound was coming 
 that way, but on looking up and down she could 
 see nobody. 
 
 " Only fancy ! " she said rather relieved, " it 
 must be our consciences, Claretie, that are speaking 
 within us, for indeed I do feel a little uncomfort- 
 able." 
 
 " Your Highness did eat a little more than usual, 
 but that discomfort will pass off." 
 
 Feeling strengthened by their good meal, they 
 thought it better to return to the hall. If anybody 
 met them they would explain everything, if no- 
 body, all they had to do was tO; leave the palace, 
 and go back to the spot where the Fairy had left 
 them. 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 89 
 
 But on turning round to go, there was no door, 
 or if there was it was quite indistinguishable from 
 the wall. The only way of escape was through 
 another door at the opposite end of the room. 
 
 " O, let us run through that door," cried 
 Claretie, aghast at this fresh mystery, " if we do 
 not, it will shut, and then what shall we do ? I wish 
 I had never eaten anything nor entered the palace. 
 Why will people leave their front doors open, and 
 lunch on the table ? " 
 
 OfF they both ran to the open door, and hurried 
 down a dark passage, at the end of which a ray 
 of sunshine encouraged them to proceed. Their 
 spirits revived at finding themselves in a garden 
 full of lovely flowers and fruits. Fountains shot 
 their silvery jets upwards to the sky. Birds of the 
 gayest plumage fluttered to and fro between the 
 trees, while others sang as they sat amid the branches. 
 Beautiful statues and many benches of carved 
 marble glimmered white among the foliage. 
 
 " This is perfectly enchanting," exclaimed the 
 Princess, feeling that now at last there were no 
 doors to close mysteriously behind her. " Thank 
 you, good Fairy, for not having forsaken us." 
 
 They plucked and ate some of the ripest fruit. 
 Then feeling drowsy after their late exertions, 
 they chose one of the most retired of the arbours. 
 
90 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 in which lay a couch that appeared to have 
 been placed there on purpose for them to rest their 
 weary limbs. Throwing themselves on it both 
 soon sank into a profound slumber, forgetful for 
 the time of all the cares and troubles of the 
 morning. 
 
 As everything seemed so nicely arranged for 
 their comfort, the Princess and Claretie had 
 almost entertained the agreeable idea that they 
 were the only persons for whom everything had 
 been prepared, and that all was due to the good 
 Fairy. This was a very plea^ng thought, and 
 had soothed them before they fell asleep. The 
 goatherd had been quite forgotten, but he had 
 not forgotten them. It was his palace into which 
 they had entered. Little did they think that the 
 Magician was close to their elbows all the while 
 they were eating, and was watching every mouthful 
 they swallowed. 
 
 After slumbering some time, the Princess woke, 
 and wanting somebody to talk to, roused Claretie, 
 and told her she was eager to continue her search 
 after Prince Babillon. Leaving the arbour they 
 examined the alleys and paths of the garden in 
 order to find a way out. After wandering hope- 
 lessly to and fro they were becoming exhausted 
 when the Princess heard a cough behind her, and 
 
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PRINCE BABILLON 93 
 
 turning round perceived a decrepit old man leaning 
 on his spade and watching them. 
 
 " Good-morning, gardener," said the Princess, 
 graciously nodding to him, though not feeling 
 quite comfortable after the manner in which she 
 and Claretie had been helping themselves to the 
 fruit. 
 
 " Good-morning," growled the old man. " It is 
 a good morning for people who come into gardens 
 and eat whatever they choose." 
 
 " We were locked in," said the Princess, " and 
 were so very hungry." 
 
 " Anybody might go into anybody's garden and 
 take the fruit and then say they were hungry. 
 What an excuse ! " muttered the gardener ; " but I 
 never knew ladies do such a thing before." 
 
 " We are very sorry for what we have done," 
 said the Princess, feeling in her pocket for her 
 purse. " I will pay for what we have eaten, 
 gladly." 
 
 " It is not your money that I want, I want 
 my fruit. The fruit I have grown and guarded 
 for a year, and you two women have eaten it. 
 Fruit does not grow in a day. You must come to 
 my master, and he will let you know what it is to 
 rob gardens." 
 
 "01 never thought of doing such a thing," 
 
94 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 cried the Princess, almost weeping with vexation 
 and shame. 
 
 " If you did not think of doing it, you did it all 
 the same," sneered the gardener, " so come along 
 with me. Young women of your sort are not 
 much given to thinking. If your minds are not 
 busy your fingers usually are." 
 
 The Princess, finding further argument useless, 
 followed him, as he led her and. Claretie through 
 a number of winding paths back to the palace. 
 
 "Now at last," thought the Princess, "the 
 master of this palace will appear." For the moment 
 her curiosity got the better of her fears. They 
 entered a large hall, in the centre of which stood 
 a golden throne approached by steps of whitest 
 marble. On the throne sat, or rather crouched, a 
 man. His thick black hair alrriost concealed his 
 features ; but now and then a flash seemed to 
 dart through those elfin locks as his eyes moved 
 in different directions. A long velvet mantle 
 hung from his shoulders, covering his body and 
 limbs. 
 
 " Sire ! " said the gardener, falling on one knee, 
 as he drew near his master, who remained almost 
 motionless, " these two young women have been 
 found eating of the fruit of your garden. What 
 punishment do you decree for them ? " 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 95 
 
 " Death," hissed the Magician, scarcely moving 
 his head to see who the culprits were. 
 
 " Death ! " exclaimed the Princess and Claretie 
 together, "what for? For only taking a little 
 fruit ? " 
 
 " Death," said the same voice, but with a sound 
 like the boom of a passing bell. 
 
 " We won't be put to death," said the Princess, 
 " we do not deserve it. It is not justice." 
 
 " Justice is with the strong," i replied the Magician, 
 with a laugh horrible and grating that re-echoed 
 through the hall. 
 
 After some moments, the Magician raised his 
 skinny clawlike hand, and thrusting aside the hair 
 from his face fixed his snakelike eyes on them. They 
 both began to be really afraid and almost swooned. 
 
 " Came ye not into my palace ? Ate ye not of 
 my banquet ? Slept ye not in my bowers ? Are 
 ye not worthy of death ? If the food was on the 
 table, why tasted ye it ? If my garden be full of 
 fruit, was it yours that ye might ekt of it ? Of what 
 land are ye ? Are they all thieves whence ye 
 come .? Yet ye are fair to see, and my eyes are 
 weary with reading. Ye refresh them. Therefore 
 if you. Princess, will stay with me and be my wife, 
 and that maid of yours be wife to my gardener 
 yonder, both shall live." 
 
96 
 
 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 " How know you I am a Princess ? " asked 
 Melanie, proudly tossing her head. 
 
 " I know all," said the Magician. " Will you 
 
 accept my hand ? As for 
 your maid, she shall marry 
 the gardener ! " 
 
 "We won't," replied the 
 two firmly with one accord. 
 " Then you die." 
 '«* " Will you give us time for preparation ? " asked 
 the Princess. 
 
 " One hour," said the Magician, as he pointed to 
 an open door. The Princess, concluding that he 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 97 
 
 intended them to retire led the way, closely 
 followed by the trembling Claretie. After they 
 had entered, the door closed behind them, and once 
 more they were alone. 
 
 The chamber was square, and very small. The 
 windows were barred, and so high up that there 
 was no chance of escape. Like skylarks in a cage 
 they kept turning up their heads to see if there was 
 any loophole, but the more they looked the more 
 hopeless they became. 
 
 "What are we to do now ? " cried Claretie, who was 
 always the most faint-hearted under difficulties. " O 
 that I had never come with that Fairy. She might 
 have told us what we were to expect. It is worse 
 than going to a new situation. And here we are ! " 
 
 They then mingled their tears, and wrung their 
 hands. At last the Princess, rousing herself, 
 reminded Claretie that this was not the proper 
 preparation to make. She then bethought herself 
 of the Fairy. So she called out her name aloud 
 with such earnestness that the Fairy, to her 
 great astonishment, rose by her side in a moment. 
 
 " O save us ! " exclaimed both in a breath, " we 
 are both doomed to die for eating fruit in the 
 Magician's garden or marry him and his gardener, 
 and we prefer to die." 
 
 " You have fallen into the hands of an evil and 
 
98 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 powerful necromancer," began the Fairy, " and it 
 is very lucky I was within earshot. But how is it, 
 my children, that neither of you have noticed that 
 there is a little gate in the wall there? Push it 
 hard, and it will give way before you. You will 
 then find yourselves again in the garden, and will 
 see a little white rabbit gambolling in the pathway. 
 Follow it. It will lead you out of the garden and 
 out of the Magician's power. Beware lest you 
 fall again into his clutches. If once more you 
 should find yourself in difficulties, break this little 
 phial that contains some oil of the Roses of Persia. 
 Do not lose it, for if you do the Magician next 
 time will weave a spell so strong round you that I 
 shall be unable to save you. Farewell, my children." 
 With these words she vanished from their sight as 
 quickly as she had appeared. 
 
 The Princess did as she was told, and pushed the 
 gate. It yielded readily, and both the prisoners lost 
 no time in leaving their cell, to find themselves once 
 more in the garden. Free once again they thought 
 no longer of picking the fruit, but looked for the 
 little white rabbit. Great was their delight when 
 they perceived one squatting on its haunches, and 
 dusting its ears with its front paws, occasionally 
 dropping down as if it wanted to give a more 
 vigorous scratch with a hind-leg. 
 
PRINCE BABILLON ^^ 
 
 " It must see us ! " exclaimed the Princess, " I 
 
 hope it won't be frightened and 
 run away." 
 
 " I hope so to," returned 
 Claretie. " I have heard they 
 run very fast, and it is difficult 
 to catch them up when once they 
 start." 
 
 The rabbit continued to com- 
 plete its toilette in the most un- 
 concerned manner until they were 
 close beside it. Then turning one 
 of its pink eyes on the Princess 
 with quite a benevolent glance, it 
 hopped slowly away. They followed it, and as 
 
100 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 soon as they had overtaken it, the rabbit hopped 
 on a little further. 
 
 This slow hopping continued for some time, 
 until Claretie, losing all patience, exclaimed — 
 
 " Why will the lazy little beast not move its legs 
 a little faster ? I am dying of fear lest that horrid 
 gardener should come again. I know I should 
 swoon if I saw him, and then it would be either 
 death or marriage. O it is dreadful ! " 
 
 " The poor little darling is trotting along quite 
 fast enough," replied the Princess. " If it went 
 any faster I might have to marry that fearful 
 enchanter." 
 
 The rabbit turned its head round with such 
 a grateful expression that its meaning was quite 
 unmistakable. It nodded its head, and began to 
 run a little quicker down a narrow path that 
 seemed to have no end. Both the Princess and 
 Claretie were beginning to feel the effects of such 
 unusual exertion. Their faces were becoming 
 redder and redder. Their breathing was very 
 quick. When nearly exhausted they saw a small 
 hole in the hedge through which the rabbit dived 
 and disappeared. 
 
 " Nasty selfish little wretch," said Claretie, who' 
 generally spoke on the spur of the moment. " How 
 are we to get through holes like, that ? Making 
 
PRINCE BABILLON lOl 
 
 us run until we can scarcely contain ourselves, and 
 all for " 
 
 " Don't be so cross, Claretie," returned the 
 Princess, interrupting her. "There may be some 
 opening to slip through. I am beginning to get 
 quite fond of that little white rabbit. It seems 
 almost human. Perhaps it may be some one this 
 Magician has transformed. By the way, I recollect 
 seeing a little white rabbit in the magic crystal the 
 Fairy gave us. Surely this littlp white rabbit and 
 Prince Babillon cannot be one and the same." 
 
 " Prince or rabbit," retorted Claretie a little 
 viciously, " I wish he or it would remember that 
 we are not all rabbits, and are unaccustomed to live 
 in holes." 
 
 On their arrival at the hedge, however, what 
 seemed a hole was really an opening quite wide 
 enough to let them pass. This they did without 
 a second thought. A sound of rapid footsteps, as 
 if the Magician or gardener was not far behind 
 gave, them no time to linger. Happy were they 
 both to find themselves on the other side, and 
 noticed with the utmost satisfaction that the hedge 
 closed behind them so that no one could follow. 
 
 A howl of malice and disappointment reached 
 their ears, but feeling safe they only laughed aloud 
 in return. Leaving the garden as far as they 
 
102 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 could behind them they walked leisurely along 
 accompanied, to the great joy of the Princess, by 
 the little white rabbit. 
 
 The Princess had now been absent some time 
 from the palace, a circumstance which began to 
 cause the Queen great uneasiness. She could not 
 help reproaching herself for urging the Princess to 
 accept the hand of Prince NoUibab, and for sending 
 away Prince Babillon. The King too, in an un- 
 intentionally thoughtless manner, added to the 
 Queen's unhappiness by continually asking where 
 his daughter was when meal-times came round. 
 Many were the excuses the Queen had to invent. 
 Saying, " She was a very headstrong girl," that she 
 had " gone out with Claretie and would stop out 
 all day without telling her exactly where she was 
 going." The King accepted these answers, as he 
 seldom troubled his brains about domestic affairs. 
 If his daughter had stopped away a week or two 
 he would not have doubted whaj the Queen said, 
 as he had the utmost confidence in her motherly 
 care. 
 
 Prince NoUibab was in a condition of the utmost 
 prostration of mind and body. He had nobody 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 103 
 
 now for whom he need trouble to put on his 
 nice clothes. He therefore confided to his valet 
 that he thought he had outstayed his welcome ; 
 and as his valet thought so too, NoUibab told him 
 to pack up at once, as he intended leaving that very- 
 afternoon. The Prince meanwhile wished the King 
 and Queen farewell, dressed in his second-best suit, 
 which he kept for travelling. After a few words 
 from his hosts of formal regret as to the neces- 
 sity of such a hurried departure, he mounted his 
 charger and rode away at the head of his brilliant 
 cavalcade. 
 
 No one deplored his going except the Queen, 
 who, though she had never been very fond of the 
 Prince, thought, at any rate, he might make a good 
 son-in-law. The long absence of her daughter was 
 worrying her exceedingly, so much so that she at 
 last resolved to consult the same Fairy that the 
 Princess had consulted. The King always retired 
 to his library at the end of the day, so the Queen 
 chose that opportunity of accomplishing her design, 
 in order that she might give her royal husband as 
 little anxiety as possible. 
 
 When the evening mists began to rise from the 
 lake in which Babillon had so often fished, the 
 Queen, after throwing a cloak over her shoulders 
 and concealing her features behind a thick veil. 
 
104 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 stole out of a postern-gate accompanied by the 
 trusty Elizabeth. This worthy servant was always 
 employed in any business requiring tact or delicacy. 
 
 No time was wasted on the journey, as Elizabeth 
 had carefully reconnoitred the path on the previous 
 day. On reaching the house of the Fairy, which 
 lay almost hidden in the dell, she knocked at the 
 door, but without effect. 
 
 " I wonder if I might knock again ? " said the 
 Queen to her trusty maid. " Some fairies are so 
 very touchy about little things." 
 
 " Better wait a moment, your Highness," 
 answered Elizabeth, who thought her mistress 
 rather too impatient. " The servants' hall may be 
 a long way from the front-door." 
 
 "They may not have heard," said the Queen 
 quickly. " If they keep me much longer, I shall 
 knock again." 
 
 " Servants," remarked Elizabeth, "do not always 
 get up the moment they hear a noise, for fear 
 they should be mistaken and answer the door for 
 nothing." 
 
 " In that case," returned the Queen, " I shall 
 certainly knock again, to prevent any misappre- 
 hension ; " and she did so, much more loudly 
 than before. 
 
 This last knocking was successful, for the door 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 105 
 
 opened slowly of its own accord. Luckily the 
 Queen thought there was some one behind it, or 
 in her impatience she might possibly have pushed 
 it open a little more quickly. 
 
 "This is extraordinary," said the Queen, rather 
 nervously, when she saw that the door had opened 
 itself. " I wish doors would be answered in the 
 usual and proper manner. Of course, the Fairy 
 does not recognize my dignity, so I must be 
 patient. I never thought I was so well disguised." 
 
 " Come in ! " called a voice rather uncerernoni- 
 ously. But where that voice came from neither 
 Queen nor servant could discover. 
 
 The Queen obeyed the summons, walked into 
 the hall, and tried several of the doors, but found 
 them all locked. 
 
 " Good Fairy," cried the Queen, falling on her 
 knees, " hear the prayer of a very anxious mother, 
 who has lost her only child, a girl ! Pity her 
 breaking heart, and spare no time in answering 
 her petition ! Tell me where she is ! Is she 
 alive or is she dead ? I fear the worst ! " 
 
 The trusty Elizabeth listened with respect to 
 the earnest entreaty of her mistress, while she kept 
 a careful watch on all the doors, to see whether any 
 one appeared. They all remained closed. 
 
 "You nj^"^*- have offended the Fairy by that 
 
106 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 double knock," whispered Elizabeth, " you had 
 better, before asking her again to do anything for 
 you, apologize for the noise, and say how sorry you 
 are if you have in any way disturbed her or her 
 domestics." 
 
 The Queen listened eagerly to this suggestion, 
 and, having always found Elizabeth's advice reliable, 
 followed it. 
 
 " Great Fairy, let it not offend you," exclaimed 
 the Queen in humble accents, " that I, who am but 
 human, should have knocked twice at your door. 
 I am but a mother, and have a mother's feelings. 
 Be merciful and tell me of my daughter." Even 
 gossip will come to a Fairy's ears. This benevo- 
 lent Fairy had heard that the Queen on a previous 
 important occasion had consulted the Magician in 
 the form of the Hermit, and not her. This prefer- 
 ence had vexed her, as she considered the good 
 ought to be consulted before the wicked. The 
 Fairy was therefore inclined to humble the proud 
 spirit of the Queen by turning 4 deaf ear, at least 
 for some time. 
 
 In vain the Queen implored her, but at last the 
 inherent goodness of the Fairy's heart prevailed, 
 and she appeared before her Majesty and asked her 
 the motive of her visit. Needless to say the Queen 
 was not at all surprised at th^ Fairy at once 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 107 
 
 recognizing her, she would have been much more 
 so if she had not. 
 
 " Great Fairy," said the Queen as meekly as she 
 could, for her impatience was with difficulty kept 
 under control, " my daughter has gone away, and 
 I have come with my trusty Elizabeth to ask you 
 to tell me whither she has gone. Is she alive or 
 dead ? Is she alone ? She took her maid Claretie 
 with her, but since she left the palace no one seems 
 to know anything about them." 
 
 " It is exactly as her Majesty says," chimed in 
 the trusty Elizabeth. " The time the Princess left 
 the palace was about the time I was dressing her 
 Majesty's hair, and she was just asking me some 
 questions about Prince Nollibab, when I heard 
 footsteps. Whose footsteps they were I cannot 
 truthfully say, but, as I was saying, I was just telling 
 her Majesty about " 
 
 " Hush, my good Elizabeth," said the Queen, 
 laying her hand on Elizabeth's arm. "The Fairy 
 looks as if she was going to say something. She is 
 smiling, and I hope her words will be comfortable." 
 Though the trusty Elizabeth disliked being checked 
 in *the flow of her information, she obeyed the 
 Queen, and both were all ears as to what the Fairy 
 would say next. 
 
 " Your daughter is quite safe," said the Fairy, 
 
t08 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 " but she has wandered far from here. She is 
 tinder my protection, so no harm can happen to 
 her. The greatest danger to which she is exposed 
 is from that Hermit, the great, subtle Magician 
 you consulted on a former occasion when you were 
 afraid she was becoming too deeply enamoured of 
 that Prince Babillon. As her heart is entirely 
 devoted to that worthy young Prince, I yielded to 
 her solicitation to seek him, Slie is now on her 
 search. Why did you drive thiat poor innocent 
 young Prince from your doors ? " 
 
 " I never drove any Prince from my doors," 
 returned the Queen rather tartly, intending the 
 Fairy to understand that she was not expected to 
 meddle in what did not concern her. " He left of 
 his own accord when ordered to do so. I never 
 want to see his face again — how dare you," ex- 
 claimed the Queen, her temper getting the better 
 of I her previous caution — " how. dare you, I ask, 
 powerful Fairy though you be, help a daughter to 
 rebel against her mother's wishes? Her mother 
 surely knows what is for her good if any one does." 
 
 "Yes, indeed, your Majesty," began the trusty 
 Elizabeth, who was never in want of words, " when 
 other people set other people's children against 
 other people, it is time that other people should 
 know the reason." 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 109 
 
 " Be quiet, will you ? " exclaimed the Queen, 
 turning hotly upon the trusty Elizabeth, who had 
 not half finished her sentence. " I will be revenged, 
 great Fairy ! Your enemy that mighty Magician 
 whom you hate shall be my friend ! He shall help 
 me to resist your petty spite ! I laugh at your 
 vaunted power ! " 
 
 The trusty Elizabeth, perceiving that more words 
 from her were unnecessary, felt too that a prolonged 
 stay would be but a waste of time. So, carefully 
 adjusting the cloak that had slipped from her 
 Majesty's shoulders during her excitement, she 
 waited to see what her mistress would do. The 
 Queen rose to her full height, and scarcely deign- 
 ing to look at the Fairy who had spoken so frankly 
 to her, turned back and with hasty strides hurried 
 to the door. 
 
 Had the Fairy wished it, she could have held both 
 of them spellbound, but tired of such ill-tempered, 
 talkative guests, she let them go, knowing that no, 
 Magician could prevail against her power. 
 
 Her Majesty's temper was so rufHed by what 
 she termed the insolent behaviour of the Fairy, that 
 she hastened with her trusty servant to the place 
 where she had met the Hermit. On her way through 
 the wood she fancied a hand touched her, and she 
 stopped to ask Elizabeth whether she had done so. 
 
110 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 " No," replied Elizabeth, " it must be your 
 Majesty's fancy. You have been so flurried to-day, 
 that I cannot say I am in the least surprised at 
 your Majesty fancying anythine. It must have 
 been a branch of a tree, for what else could it 
 have been ? I remember poor father once telling 
 me " 
 
 " O Elizabeth," interrupted the Queen, " my 
 brain is too full just now to listen- to any stories, 
 i feel- certain someone touched me. My flesh is all 
 creeping." 
 
 " O don't say so, your Majesty," replied 
 Elizabeth, her teeth beginning to chatter. " It 
 was just what happened when little Annie died ; it 
 was in the middle of winter, and the snow was as 
 w^hite as a shroud, and I thought then " 
 
 " I cannot move a step," exclaimed the Queen, 
 as every drop of blood seemed to leave her cheeks, 
 "Ifeel so terribly faint.. There is a sensation as 
 if some one was grasping me." 
 
 " Let us turn back. Let us turn back," urged 
 Elizabeth. " I begin to feel the skme thing. I shall 
 never be able to crawl home, but never will I desert 
 your Majesty." Elizabeth =here gave -way to a flood 
 of tears, but continued expressing herself in broken 
 sentences. The Queen was too alarmed to heed or 
 stop her. 
 
PRINCE BABILLON lU 
 
 " We will turn back," said the Queen at last, 
 with a great effort. "I will visit the Magician 
 to-morrow. I am afraid that interview with the 
 Fairy has upset my nerves. I cannot go further 
 to-day." 
 
 Thereupon the Queen retraced her steps, closely 
 followed by her worthy attendant. Neither spoke 
 a word until they found themselves safe inside the 
 palace gates, which were under the protection of 
 the Royal Bodyguard. 
 
 " Now, at any rate, that malicious Fairy cannot 
 harm me ! " exclaimed the Queen triumphantly. 
 But a sudden spasm in the knee-joint, just as she 
 was putting her foot on the first step, prevented 
 her saying any more. 
 
 " Gracious goodness, your Majesty, what made 
 you turn so deadly pale when mounting the stair- 
 case ? I thought you were going to swoon," remarked 
 Elizabeth to her mistress. that night when combing 
 and brushing her hair. 
 
 " O nothing," said the Queen, " a sudden pain, 
 but it has passed off. I am quite overstrung. 
 Any trifle would upset me." 
 
 Knowing that her daughter was under the pro- 
 tection of this powerful Fairy, the Queen's anxiety 
 about her safety was removed. But she fully 
 intended, if she could, to thwart the Fairy by 
 
112 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 preventing the marriage of the Princess to Babillon. 
 Her brain was full of plans to accomplish this design 
 when she retired to b&' The King complained 
 next morning of her restic^-ness, declaring he had 
 not had a wink of sleep all night, and that he 
 would try and make up for it in the library, where 
 he begged the Queen would leave him alone for 
 the rest of the day. 
 
 This being just what the Queen wanted, she did 
 not argue, but allowed him to do exactly as he 
 pleased. 
 
 " I wish Babillon was back again," remarked the 
 King, as he closed the library door. 
 
 " What next ? " thought the Queen, as she 
 retired to her boudoir. 
 
 For some time the Princess and Claretie had 
 been following the little white rabbit through a grove 
 of pine-trees until they reached a wide lawn with 
 a fountain playing in the midst of it. Here the 
 rabbit stopped, to let them catch it up. 
 
 " What a sweet little creature ! " cried the 
 Princess, stooping down to caress it. 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 113 
 
 For my part I never could abide pets," retorted 
 
 Claretie, " they are always more trouble than they 
 are worth. What with feeding them, walking 
 
114 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 with them, and putting them to bed, they are a 
 deal more trouble than a baby. And all this for 
 an animal that only wags its tail or cocks its ear 
 when you speak to it." 
 
 " O Claretie, how can you utter such unkind 
 words ! Had it not been for this little dear, we 
 might have both been dead, or, il we had changed 
 our minds at the last moment, married ! Poor 
 Babillon, if he only knew what f;rouble I have got 
 into, all for his sake." 
 
 " I must allow that, for once in a way, your 
 Highness, this dumb animal has made itself useful, 
 but I am not going to kiss it or coddle it for all 
 that. Kiss a rabbit, no, indeed, not even a white 
 one ! " 
 
 The Princess paid no heed to Claretie's super- 
 cilious remarks, but, as the rabbit did not seem to 
 object, she continued stroking it. Indeed, the 
 rabbit seemed so tame that the Princess seated 
 herself on a rock, and, taking it up by the ears in 
 the tenderest manner imaginable, placed it on her 
 lap, and as she fondled it sang the lullaby Babillon 
 used to play to her. The rabbit seemed overcome 
 by her kindness and endeavoured, by the way in 
 which it rubbed itself against her hand, to show 
 its sense of gratitude. At last the Princess took it 
 up in both her hands and kissed it on the forehead. 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 115 
 
 To her utter astonishment she thought she heard 
 her name pronounced, but in such a weak, thin 
 voice that she felt she must be mistaken. Looking 
 round, she saw Claretie only, who was sitting close 
 beside her. 
 
 " Did you hear anything ? " asked the Princess, 
 *' because I thought I heard my name called." 
 
 " No, your Highness," returned Claretie ; " I do 
 wish these enchantments and things would leave 
 off. I am sick and tired of them, and only want to 
 get home again." 
 
 " Poor Claretie," said the Princess, with a glance 
 of compassion, " what you have suffered on my 
 behalf ! But hush ! there is my name again, and 
 if the voice was not so thin I could declare it was 
 Babillon who was calling me." 
 
 " How could that possibly be, your Highness ? 
 Prince Babillon is, as you say, a shepherd and good- 
 ness knows where. But if he is in the neighbour- 
 liood what a blessing it would be, as he might lead 
 us out of this mysterious place." 
 
 A third time the sound struck the Princess's ear. 
 She was convinced that it was her name, and that 
 the voice was exactly like Babillon's. 
 
 " Babillon," she cried, " Prince Babillon, if you 
 are a spirit of the air, make yourself visible, or if 
 you haunt these woods stand forth, for it is to 
 
116 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 seek you that I have undertaken this perilous 
 journey." 
 
 " I am here quite close to you," said a voice, " I 
 am Babillon, but alas ! the enchanter in whose 
 garden you were has transformed me into the little 
 white rabbit on your knee." 
 
 " Are you really Babillon ? " asked the Princess, 
 holding the rabbit up so as to have a good look 
 at it. 
 
 The rabbit nodded, shaking its ears sadly, while 
 tears began to trickle from its pink eyes. 
 
 " I am not hurting you, am I ? " exclaimed the 
 Princess. " If you are really Prince Babillon, I will 
 keep you until the good Fairy changes you back 
 into your original shape." 
 
 " Surely your Highness has not forgotten the 
 phial of rose oil the Fairy gave you," said Claretie ; 
 " would not this be a good time to use it ? It 
 might restore the Prince to his natural shape, and 
 perhaps convey us all back to the palace." 
 
 " Well advised, Claretie," replied the Princess, 
 beginning to search for the little phial, but though 
 she felt in every pocket, got up, shook her dress, 
 and made Claretie do the same, the phial was not 
 forthcoming. 
 
 " O Claretie ! I must, no I cannot have dropped 
 it ! " said the Princess almost in tears. " Here we 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 117 
 
 are in a wood, where there is nothing to eat and 
 poor Babillon a white rabbit. What are we to 
 do ? " 
 
 After reflection they both began to cry. Even 
 the rabbit seemed to sympathize in their grief, for 
 it sat on the ground with drooping ears and an 
 expression of the utmost concern in its intelHgent 
 eyes. 
 
 All three then retraced their steps to the hedge 
 to see if by chance the phial had dropped in their 
 flight. Though no stone was left unturned, no nook 
 or corner unsearched, the phial was nowhere to be 
 seen. At last as they drew near to the hedge the 
 rabbit scampered off, and managing to creep 
 through it, disappeared into the Magician's 
 garden. 
 
 " O that sweet little Babillon," said the Princess, 
 smiling amid her tears — " I must call it Babillon — 
 has rushed off to see whether he can find it in the 
 garden. I do hope, Claretie, the Magician will 
 not harm him. He has suffered so much already. 
 I should never have known him, had he not called 
 me by my name." 
 
 " My belief is," said Claretie, trying to peep 
 through the hedge, " that that horrid Magician 
 and his gardener have made fools of us, and 
 allowed that rabbit to talk, and call himself 
 
118 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 Babillon, so that you might take it on your lap, 
 and while you were fondling it, it has robbed you 
 of your phial, and will take it to the Magician." 
 
 " How absurd, Claretie ; how could that innocent 
 little creature possibly steal anything ? Besides, 
 Babillon never did steal anything that I know of. 
 It seemed so pleased to sit on my lap." 
 
 " The little hypocrite, your Highness," retorted 
 Claretie, with a very wise look on her face. 
 "Thieves and robbers are often the sweetest of 
 men. O that rascally rabbit ! if it was only here 
 and I had a saucepan, some water and a fire, I 
 warrant we should not be hungry much longer ! " 
 
 " But suppose it was really Prince Babillon, 
 Claretie, what should we do if we had eaten him ? 
 I should have no more happiness in this life." 
 
 The Princess shuddered and gazed anxiously at 
 the hedge, hoping to see her little favourite return, 
 but hours passed and no white rabbit. 
 
 " Didn't I say this was all a trick to get your 
 phial ? I only hope what I say may prove untrue." 
 
 " So do I, Claretie, for I am getting very weary 
 watching. If there was some peaceful spot close 
 at hand we might lie down, and for a little time 
 try to forget our troubles. Let us, however, choose 
 some place where the little white rabbit, if it ever 
 returns, will be sure to see us." 
 

 
 '^m 
 
 .^^-• 
 
 -m 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 121 
 
 " I never can sleep, your Highness, when I am 
 hungry, but here is a heap of leaves which will 
 make a comfortable bed. Let us try. I am sure 
 I should be glad to forget this horrible place even 
 for a short time." 
 
 So the Princess and her maid lay down side by 
 side, and whether the kind Fairy had breathed on 
 their eyelids or not, it is quite certain they closed, 
 and for a while everything, even the white rabbit, 
 was forgotten. 
 
 The white rabbit, who really was the unfortunate 
 Prince Babillon, was by no means asleep. After 
 passing through the hedge it sought everywhere 
 for the phial, and determined that as its own 
 happiness and that of the Princess depended on its 
 finding it, to spare neither fur nor foot in its 
 recovery. It scoured all the paths and hunted up 
 and down the bushes but in vain. " The Magician 
 must have found it," thought the rabbit, " and how 
 shall I get it back ? " 
 
 This was only too true, as the gardener on his 
 return from chasing the fugitives had found the 
 phial in the pathway. The rabbit was much 
 afraid of this gardener, as whenever the latter 
 
122 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 caught sight of it he did his best-; to strike it with 
 his spade, or else cast a stone at it for eating his 
 cabbages. As there was nothing else to eat, poor 
 Babillon had to eat them or die of starvation. 
 
 Noticing the track of the gardener's feet, the 
 rabbit carefully avoided going hy that path, and 
 preferred taking a more circuitous route to the 
 palace. Entering by a side-door it made its way 
 to the chamber where the Magician usually sat, 
 poring over books and concocting his potions. As 
 it hobbled along the floor, the Magician could not 
 help jeering at the wretched Prince. " Well, 
 Babillon," he bawled, " it was an expensive meal 
 you ate once without troubling to ask my per- 
 mission. You thought I did not notice your 
 thieving ways, but take care lest somebody does 
 not make a meal off you some fine day." 
 
 The transformed Prince said nothing but thought 
 the more. He hopped round and round as noise- 
 lessly as possible, peeping into every nook and corner. 
 
 " What are you hopping abqut for, Prince ? " 
 asked the Magician gruffly. " Can't you sit still 
 or leave the room ? " 
 
 The rabbit on raising its eyes at this moment 
 saw the Magician holding . up a phial to the light 
 of a silver lamp while he carefully inspected its 
 contents. 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 123 
 
 " That must be the very phial I want," thought 
 the rabbit, but the idea of how it was to get it out 
 of the Magician's clutches nearly drove the poor 
 animal out of its wits. 
 
 The Magician gazed at the phial long and 
 anxiously. It had been brought him by the 
 gardener, and was now engaging his deepest 
 attention. 
 
 " It must be some concoction of that detestable 
 Fairy's witchcraft," said he aloud ; " how lucky it 
 is that it has fallen into my hands." 
 
 He then laid it down on his table and buried his 
 head in his books. At last, as if outworn by his 
 continual study, he sank back in his chair, and 
 before many minutes had elapsed fell fast asleep. 
 
 Now or never, thought the Prince, but how ? 
 The rabbit could not leap from the floor to the top 
 of the table, it was too high up. The only means 
 of getting there was by first jumping on the 
 Magician's knee and then climbing on his shoulder 
 to jump from there to the table. 
 
 The Magician's sleep seemed very sound. The 
 rabbit raised itself on its haunches and listened 
 intently; the Magician lay motionless ; his breath- 
 ing was soft and regular. Full of hope the rabbit 
 leaped upon his knee and waited a moment to 
 judge of the effect. The Magician did not stir. 
 
124 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 The next leap was to the Magician's shoulder, and 
 as his head was so near the rabbit might touch it. 
 However, it thought of the Princess, and how 
 much it loved her, so much that death would be 
 better than life if separated from her. It leaped 
 again. The result was what it had expected. The 
 Magician awoke and thrust the rabbit roughly 
 aside. But having got so far, the rabbit was not 
 to be diverted from its purpose. So instead of 
 rolling to the ground it jumped, to the table and 
 managed very cleverly in its apparent attempt to 
 escape to knock the phial down on a cloth which 
 was lying on the floor, so that it fell noiselessly and 
 did not break. 
 
 " Begone, you little beast ! " shouted the Magi- 
 cian, as he muttered some incantation which was 
 harmless as far as the Prince was concerned. Seiz- 
 ing the phial as best it could between its teeth, it 
 tried to obey the Magician's orders without delay 
 by disappearing from the room into the garden. 
 There was, however, another enemy to be faced in 
 the shape of the gardener. That watchful servant 
 no sooner caught sight of the rabbit than he per- 
 ceived some strange thing glittering in its mouth. 
 His suspicious mind began to fancy the rabbit had 
 been stealing something belonging to his master. 
 
 " Drop that ! will you ? " shouted he, flinging 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 125 
 
 his spade at the retreating animal, " or I will make 
 you repent it ! " 
 
 The rabbit paid no heed, but hurried on the 
 faster through the cabbages, taking cover whenever 
 it could lest the next missile might be more 
 
 
 accurately aimed. On it sped as if life depended 
 on the rate it travelled. The gardener was not so 
 baulked by his first miss as to leave off the chase, 
 but artfully waited for his little enemy at odd 
 corners wherever there chanced to be an outlet. 
 
126 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 But the rabbit still retained a litlfle of the brains of 
 a prince. As there was no hope of escape so long 
 as this troublesome gardener kept watch, it retired 
 into the hollow trunk of a tree which had often 
 served as a place of refuge. Stowing the phial 
 away in a hole scraped in the ground, it calmly 
 waited until nightfall, rubbing itself meanwhile in 
 the earth, so that its white coat might not be 
 visible in the moonlight. The gardener waited a 
 long time, but finding that the rabbit had dodged 
 him returned to his master and told him all he had 
 seen. In a moment the truth flashed across the 
 Magician's brain. The phial had gone. The 
 rabbit had taken it ! 
 
 The rabbit's ears quickly caught the sound 
 of the retreating steps of the gardener. As they 
 died away, it stole from its lurking-place and 
 made for the hedge. On becoming aware of his 
 loss the Magician had rushed from the palace 
 and was close on its track, and had the satisfaction 
 of seeing the white tail of the rabbit disappear 
 through the hedge, beyond which his spells were 
 powerless. 
 
 The Princess and her maid, tired of waiting, had 
 wandered a short distance from their former place, 
 which rather disconcerted the rabbit, after all the 
 risks it had run. Raising itself on its haunches it 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 127 
 
 took a careful survey all round, turning its ears in 
 every direction to catch any sound of their voices ; 
 hut as they were fast asleep, they had left oflF talking 
 for a little while. 
 
 " What am I to do now ? " thought the rabbit, 
 scratching its ear with its hind-leg. "This 
 precious phial nearly cost me my life, and, rabbit 
 though I am, life has its charms for me. Where 
 can the Princess be waiting ? I want to show her 
 how much I love her." The rabbit crouched down 
 by the phial, and began cropping some of the grass 
 to while away the time, as it expected the Princess 
 would be sure some time or other to return. At 
 length, tired and disappointed, it curled itself round 
 the phial and fell asleep. 
 
 It was morning before the Princess and her 
 maid at last awoke, much refreshed, for the 
 good Fairy had fanned their eyelids as they slept, so 
 that they had dreamed the most delightful dreams. 
 
 " What a delicious sleep I have enjoyed ! " 
 exclaimed the Princess, as she flung back her 
 golden ringlets from her face and rubbed her 
 eyes. 
 
 " After sleep like that I am sure we shall have 
 good news," said Claretie, who was tidying herself 
 as best she could. 
 
 " I wonder how we look ? " said the Princess. 
 
128 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 "Is my hair decently arranged? I have never 
 dressed without a glass before." 
 
 " Indeed, your Highness looks remarkably well." 
 
 " I hope I shall when the Prince returns, 
 Claretie." 
 
 " Do you really think that rabbit is the 
 Prince ? " asked Claretie ; and in spite of her 
 mistress she could not help laughing. " Only to 
 think of Prince Babillon as a rabbit ! When it 
 pats with those little front paws it does remind me 
 so of his playing," 
 
 " Do not be so unkind, Claretie. I am sure he 
 has fallen a victim to that horrid Magician. He 
 was always so gentle in his ways. His white coat 
 reminds me of the purity of his love." 
 
 " I never looked on rabbits in that light before," 
 answered Claretie. " I shall regard a miller now 
 with more respect." 
 
 " Some day you will fall in love," said the 
 Princess, " and if you love truly you will think 
 him that you love more beautiful than any one 
 else." 
 
 Talking thus, they returned to the place where 
 they had left the little white rabbit. When the 
 Princess saw it quietly nibbling the grass, her joy 
 knew no bounds. 
 
 She sat down by its side, and it immediately 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 129 
 
 leapt into her lap with the phial in its mouth 
 and dropped it there. To find her rabbit and her 
 phial was almost more than the Princess could 
 bear, and lest the Fairy's gift might be lost again, 
 she broke it at once. 
 
 A thick mist rose, and a voice came out of it, 
 asking the Princess what her will was. 
 
 "That the Prince be restored to his original 
 shape, and that all three of us be transported to 
 the palace." 
 
 Scarcely were the words out of her mouth than 
 she found herself with the Prince by her side and 
 Claretie following them on their way up the 
 principal avenue that led to her father's palace. 
 Their first thought was to thank the good Fairy 
 who had brought them all home so quickly and 
 comfortably. 
 
 The Queen, who had been very anxious about 
 her daughter, although the Fairy had told her she 
 was under her protection, no sooner heard voices at 
 the palace gate than she said to the King, " I am 
 sure that must be my daughter." 
 
 " Why ? " asked the King, scarcely lifting his 
 eyes from the volume that lay open on his 
 knees. 
 
 " Why ? Don't ask. for reasons," replied the 
 Queen. 
 
130 PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 " No doubt you are right," said the King. " By 
 the way, it is a long time sint:e last I saw my 
 daughter. You have never told me where she has 
 been all this time." 
 
 " Don't bother just now," said the Queen. " I 
 will tell you presently." 
 
 At that moment the door opened, and the 
 Princess rushed into her mother's arms. When 
 Babillon approached, the Queen looked rather 
 coldly at him. After all the events had been 
 related, and great stress laid on the finding of the 
 phial, the King rose up, held out his hand, and 
 publicly congratulated the Prince, declaring at the 
 same time that no other Prince was so worthy of 
 his daughter's hand. 
 
 The Queen gave her consent somewhat reluct- 
 antly, and the Prince and Princess were shortly 
 afterwards married. 
 
 Claretie never forgot the lesson she had learned, 
 but always looked out for a man with a white 
 coat. At last the chief butler, who used to 
 wear a cream-coloured one, struck her as worthy 
 of her choice, his coat being as nearly white 
 as possible. She therefore plainly showed him 
 that he had won her heart, and they were married 
 also. 
 
 Prince NoUibab was asked to the wedding of 
 
PRINCE BABILLON 
 
 131 
 
 the Princess, but having accidentally put the invita- 
 tion into one of the pockets of his numerous 
 suits had forgotten all about it. As nobody 
 thought anything more about him, he was not 
 missed. 
 
Richard Cla» & Sons, LiMrtfu, 
 
 BREAD STREET HILL, E.C., AND 
 BUNGAV, SUFFOLK.