1] THE LOST PRINCE. 71

costs nothing, and is far more becoming than harsh
and rude language.’

With these words she dismissed the old house-
keeper, who was overjoyed at having escaped so easily.
Then the whole party proceeded to leave the palace
on their way back to the old home of Prince Merry,
taking with them the Giant, to present as a prisoner
to the injured King and Queen, though they had no
doubt that these would ratify the sentence already
pronounced by their daughters.

It would be hopeless for me to attempt to describe
the entry into the Kingdom of the Flowery Meads, or
the meeting between the parents and their long-lost
son. Universal joy spread all over the kingdom, a
general holiday took place, and nobody did any work
for a month, which greatly interrupted the trade of
the country and so damaged its revenue that there
had to be new taxes the year after in order to make
up the deficiency. However, nobody cared for that
or for anything else, now that the Prince was back
again. The nursery-maid and soldier were not for-
gotten in the general happiness, but were set free
from their cage and told that they might now be
married as soon as they liked. But somehow or other,
nine years of each other's company had so altered
their views of matrimony as between themselves, that
they respectfully declined the offered boon, and pre-
ferred to take a separate course in their future lives.
There was marrying, however, at the Court, and that
before long. The King of the Islands proclaimed his
continued devotion to Malvina; the River King was
no less attached to Pettina, and the Princesses, swayed