THE WATER-LILY PRINCESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18577, 8 December 1923, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE WATER-LILY PRINCESS.

Once upon a time there lived a good j king and queen who would have been quite happy but for the fact that they had no child. Then one day, as the j king walked by a water-lily pond in. his garden, he saw a little silver fish lying gasping on the bank. Pityingly he threw it back into. the water. Imagine his surprise when it popped its tiny mouth out of the pond and said: — " You will find the reward for your kind deed, 0 King! in the nearest lily." The King turned to the lily, and there, curled up in the waxy, white cup, was the prettiest girl baby ever seen, with long curly, golden hair, and a skin as pale'as the lily. Thankfully he took her to the palace "and gave her to the Queen, who wept for joy. They called her Lilywhite, and soon she was the light of eyes. But though they gave her everything a child could desire, they did not succeed in spoiling her sweet, - loving nature. - When she was 17, princes came from all parts of the world to ask her hand in marriage; but, though she was sorry for them, she felt she could not marry any of them. She became very silent and

sad, weeping because everyone said she was unkind not to choose one of her wooers. Then, one day, through her tears, she saw a beautiful* goldfish swimming among the lilies. To her surprise it came to the surface, crying: "Take me out, take me out." This she did, and no sooner had it touched the ground than it turned into a handsome prince in a suit of gold, with, however, a very pale, ill-looking face. " I can't stay long out of water," he said. " But I had to tell you how much I love you. From the pond I have watched you grow up, and loved you .ill the while. Will r ou marry me V' Lilv-whitc suddenly felt her heart go pit-a-pat. and realised that, at last she had fallen in love. " But how can IT" she asked, " if you live in the water and I on. land '* You can come to my palace under the lake," gasped the Prince, " though I may not <jome to you. Ask the King to tell you the secrct of your birth, and you will understand, Farewell!" And he flopped breathless into the water, at once returning to the form of a goldfish. Lily-white went immediately to the King, who readily told her how she had been found, and as she listened she grew very worried, for she saw that she must either go on living in the palace and marry a man she didn't love, or go back to the pond and. the handsome Prince and leave her darling mother and father. For three days she struggled to decide. On > the third night she ran to the pool and threw herself in. Down, down she sank. . . . and when she reached the bottom the Prince, who was waiting, caught her in his arms, his eves glowing with love and gratitrde. Then, to her delight, he explained that by coming to him of her own free will she had broken the spell which a wicked jv-rceress had jvt upon him condemning him to live' under water in the shape of a fish. Now he could return to the land with her. So thev, quickly went back to the palace where the King *ond Queen welcomed them joyously, and the next dav they were married to the great satisfaction of everyone.