trusted; consider if you have firm confidence in his!"

The princess indignantly rejected the doubts of the fairy, and persisted in her resolve. Accordingly, just as the prince was preparing to set out, a page of the princess's led up a snow-white steed without spot or blemish. Its long white mane and tail were plaited and tied with green and gold; its housings glittered with emeralds; the bridle was one chain of pearls; and its hoofs were shod with gold, which made a tinkling music as it trod with stately pace. The page put the bridle into the prince's own hand, telling him it was a present from the Princess Brilliantine, and was endowed with marvellous powers of speed and endurance. The prince, delighted with its beauty, vaulted lightly into the saddle, and the courser, tossing its proud head, galloped quickly away, its hoofs and silver bells tinkling like fairy music.

For two whole days did they traverse the vast sandy plain with the speed of the wind, seeing around them nothing but scorching sand and columns of dust. At last, on the third morning, they reached the valley of diamonds, and traversed a path strewn thickly on each side with precious stones as far as the eye could reach. The sight was perfectly dazzling, and the prince's eyes ached

from the light of the jewels. But the fairy courser seemed never to weary;-on, still on, by the glittering road till they reached the Barren Mountains themselves, which, black and bare, rose frowning up in huge masses from the arid ground.

The steed bent its course to a steep and seemingly inaccessible cleft in the rock,-and the prince began to think his dangers were only beginning, when up sprang the agile creature, high into the air, as if borne on wings, and lighted safely on the beetling rock.

On, still on, over blocks and crags of granite, till after threading a difficult and narrow pass, the rocks opened, and a wide and spacious amphitheatre lay before them. In the centre, on a large square mass of black polished rock, lay the moon-stone, a round orb which appeared like crystal, save for a crimson tongue of fire in the centre, and the dazzling soft light, as of the moon, which shone from it. The prince possessed himself of it eagerly, and remounted his fairy steed, which seemed nowise incommoded by the additional weight, and turned gaily on its homeward road, as if rejoicing at the perils past and the object gained. They passed out from the Barren Mountains, and traversed the jewelled plain. Longing eyes did the prince cast on these precious stones, and many times did he pause in his journey

back to pick up some remarkable for their size and lustre.

At last, leaving these numberless treasures far behind, they once more traversed the desert wastes that spread betwixt them and the Land of Plenty. The mind of the prince then reverted to the stipulation, and his promise to deliver up the moon-stone. He took it out and gazed admiringly on it, longing to possess it himself. As he looked on it, some perverse influence seemed to come from it, and while he gazed at the treasure, his love for the fair princess seemed to fade away in the distance, till at last, with a heavy sigh, he broke the deep oppressive silence around by an expression of sorrow that he had undertaken this long and painful journey, only to give up the treasure he had gained.

He was still far away on the sandy desert, though he fancied he could descry the gleam of the towers and spires of the first city of the Land of Plenty. But his beautiful steed, which till now had borne him like a bird so lightly and buoyantly along, seemed to flag at last. Its fleet gallop dropped to a feeble canter, and at last ended in a weary walk. The prince, pitying the poor horse, alighted to rest it awhile, and led it gently along. At last it sunk wearily on the sand, and, stretching out its beautiful head, it sought to caress

its master, as if beseeching his patience and kindness. Large human tears came into its dim glazing eyes, and it seemed longing to speak to express its thoughts.

The prince, in great grief for his faithful steed, pillowed its head on his velvet cloak, and making it as comfortable as possible, set off in search of some water. Long and far did he wander, but at last he returned with his white plumed cap filled with the refreshing element. When he returned to where he had left the horse, to his horror and amazement he found the beautiful princess restored to her natural shape, but evidently expiring.

Amazed and bewildered, he poured a few drops of the water into her mouth, and sprinkled her face. This revived her a little, and in a weak voice she told him of the fairy's fatal gift, and the conditions attached to it. The despair of the unfortunate prince, and his remorse at having for a moment suffered the bad influence of the moon-stone to overcome his better purpose, may be imagined. In vain he conjured the invisible fairy to allow him to suffer instead of the devoted princess. At last, with a clap like thunder, the sand opened before them and a spring bubbled up, from the midst of which rose the fairy.

"Alas! prince," said she, "all my power can do, is to obtain that you shall suffer together."

The princess, in a faint voice, begged him to