FOR THE CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13456, 5 June 1907, Page 9

FOR THE CHILDREN.

THE PRINCESS OF THE. WOOD.' Princk Alexis was the son of r great king, | and ho was now' roaming tho world in torch " lof adventures, tor he was a handsome and j noble youth, ;u»d wished to accomplish some great deed in which to pro-re his bravery i«»d skill. He had journeyed tor many mile* • without success, when ho came to tho borders of a thick wood. He. had not gone very far through it when a faint uoia l at hi - feet made him p.u;s>o, and, looking down m the long gratis, ho saw., a tiny white dove, fluttering its -wing* feebly and uttering « piteous cry. The prince picked it up tenderly, mid first ascertaining thai it was not really hurt, he placed ii gently back in the Rest from whciicc it had fallen. Hardly had lie done so tlnwi from the topmost branches of the tree flow* another dove, the largest and whitest lie prince had ever seen, aud perched on his shoulder. "Thank you, kind prince,", it .v»id, "for saving my ii! Uu son. i snail not forget your kindness, lor i.um the Queen of .the JJovcs. lake this chain"—here &lu: gave him a tiny liver chitiu, so delicately and daintily uiado that it. could have easily passed through the eye of ho finest needle; "mid whenever you arc in trouble wind it three times round . your wrist, and 1 will come to you and help you." So saying she llew back to the. nest. Prince Alexis then resumed his walk, and nothing further interrupted him till a sudden bend in tho wood caused him to halt with amazement at the strange sight before" his. eyes.: . . „ . • There, iu a little copse, covered with wild (lowers, lay asleep the loveliest mat Jen he hud ever seen. She was clothed in a gown of tho palest pink, and her head, with its wealth of hair that rivalled the sunshitio in lis golden hue,, was encircled with a crown of pale pink roses. With a start the maiden opened her eves, which Were of the deepest violet; and 'tilth, seeing tho prince bending over her, .-'prang to her feet with a cry of horror. ° "Stay, fair princess!" cried Alexis, clasping her hands tightly in his. "Tell mo who you are, and how you tamo to bo in .this wood. Do not be afraid, X shall not harm you "No! no! I cannot!" she cried. "Let mo go; 1 must riot stay!" Then, at 1a.,4, freeing herself from tho prince's grasp, .she turned hastily and disappeared among the thick twos. ; , : , > Prince Alexis stood still for a ,moment, then stooped and picked up a pink rose she had dropped. . : , : . • . "Ihis will I keep,"' ho cried, " till I have found that lovely maiden, and never shall 1 rest till I have solved the mystery of this princess of the wood , and made her niv bride!" /v- ..' , 1 - ~-,f When the prince readied tho cud of the wood he saw before him & splendid , palace, and as ho was hungry and weary he knocked and asked for shelter for the night. : H.; was admitted and led to tho king, the owner of tho palace, who welcomed him, gladly, • and invited him to stay as long as lie liked. Puzzled by tho fact that the king'always , wore a look- of great sadness on. 'his: face, 'Alexia asked one of the servants if lie; had f sonxo groat trouble to cause him To" appeal' [ so. •. .... „■ - •■ , >. -- J - j (( ' Alas! brave '^replied; the man, k my royal master has never, smiled since • the day his only daughter, the Princess . Rosebud, was stolen from him."- , • I his aroused the prince's curiosity, rand • [ after he had supped ho 'gently questioned , his host on his sad story. <• .iw.vr. . •- " More than a year ago," replied the king. my. daughter, whom I held more precious • , than anything else in the world, was stolen , from me by the elves, who were jealous that , a mortal princess should be so lovely, ! and forced her to become their servant. From ! that day to this I have never seen or heard anything of her, for although she is allowed to become a princess for one hour each 'day , in. a certain wood,'no one must go heather i or speak to her, else the elves will instantly . put her to death." , . When he reached his room he took the ; little silver chain and wound it' three times ; round his wrist, and immediately the Queen ' of the Doves stood before him. . ' *

•J:"I know your trouble, : prince," said slier; "go at once to the wood you passed through to-day, and there yor- will find the elves, who will tell you all you want to know!" Then sho vanished; and the prince hastily - crept from the palace and ran to the wood. There, in a little glade bathed in moonlight, the elves were dancing to the music of the nightingale. As Alexis came . tip, they instantly ceased,- and cried: "Who are you, rash mortal, who thus dares to invade our fairy glade?" "I come," replied Alexis, "because"! demand you instantly to tell mo on what condition you will release the Princess Rosebud, and restore her to her ; father." ~ The elves gave a peal of laughter, and then one, who appeared to- bo their leader, replied: " Listen! On a lonely island . in th» middle of the sea stands a -cave, and in that cave is my d.rinking-cup of a thousand jewels. Day and night it is guarded by a green 'dwarf,-' who challenges anyone who attempts to take it to fight with him. If you bring that drinking-cup to me, I-will release the princess, but 1 warn you,' no . one has ever left that island alive. , Now, foolish youth! are you utill determined to free her?" - Prince Alexis raised his head proudly, anil answered: "I am still determined, 0 wicked elf'; and I will defy your power, and bring yotti CUP to you." ; ■ ' So saying, lit turned end left the glade, whilst clearly on the still night* air titles the elves' mocking laughtwy- as they cried: "Then go, proud mortal! ' Go to yotir death!" o ■ ■ •v; i ;?■■■■ •• . At sunrise- the next morning' the prince reached the sea, and stepping into a little boat, pushed off from the beach. All day long he sailed, till he saw the islanda tiny speck in the ocean. •As he nearer! it a violent storm arose, and the waves rug a high, nearly . overwhelming tho little boa*, but Alexis struggled on and at last alighted on the island, which' was bleak and bare, with not a shrub nor tree, nor anything to be seen but the great black cave. : • Alexis hastened up, his sword drawn, and there in front, guarding the drinking-cup, sat the terrible green dwarf, with eyes like enormous lanterns, sending forth flashes of green fire. •••••■. - - ,/'■ . When the prince drew near he stood up, drawing forth a long green swoid, and. then the fight began. Long and hard was J.he battle, now one gaining a slight victory, now ithe other; till at last it seemed as if the brave knight would indeed be killed. - Suddenly, as he was on the 'point of falling, a white dove flew against the dwarf and flapped its wings in his eyes. He was taken off his guard for a moment, and, seeing the opportunity, the prince rushed forward and dealt the monster a migiity thrust with his'sword. , , With a howl of fiendish .rags the dwarf fell to the ground, pierced to the heart, and, as he died, the storm, which had been raging ' furiously all the time, ceased, and the sun came out. ■ ". , , Hastily fetching the jewelled cup, : the prince stepped back into the bo;:t and started for home, the white dov\> leading the way. : ' . That night he restored the dri&kiay-cup. to the elves, who, now full of ad mi ion for his bravery, instantly" • idtviMO the. princess, who was indeed the of the forest, and a. week after-the grandest wed- - ding that had 1 ever been seen '•rii.s"csl l 'between Prints - JLicxis. ajsd - Ihrmsea* iiuijtiud • ' / - .w