190 BEYOND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.

him. Perhaps the best way to get a sort of distant idea of what he
really was would be to think of all the brave knights who have fought
and conquered since the world was made, to think also of all the noble
deeds which have ever been done, and of all the kind words which
have ever been spoken, and then to try and imagine that all these
wonderful and noble things are put together in one person. If any
child can imagine this, he may get some faint idea of what the Prince
was like. He may also understand why the children to whom the
white doves were sent felt such a longing and such a drawing to the
Prince, that the most tempting sight and the most tempting gift in
all Summer Land could not keep them from him. They ran to meet
him as surely as a needle flies to the magnet; even Buttercup forgot
Sweet-Content when he saw him.

The Prince spent a whole day in Summer Land, but the next
morning he went away, and the children to whom the white doves
were sent went with him.

Buttercup wondered if there would be any more troubles before he
reached the country beyond the Blue Mountains, but he soon perceived
that where the Prince went there was no fear and no sorrow. The
Prince and his little party travelled very quickly, and on the evening
of the day on which they had left Summer Land they arrived at the
gates which led into the country beyond the Mountains.

You would like to know what went on inside that lovely
country—I cannot tell you much, but I will try to give you some
idea.

The children’s father and mother had been very happy in the
King’s country, but they knew well that perfect bliss could not be
theirs until the children came home. ‘There were four children, and
they earnestly hoped that they would soon join them. Clover and
Cowslip arrived one summer's day, then, after a long interval, little
Primrose, worn and spent from the many dangers and difficulties
she had undergone, also entered the happy country; but where was
Buttercup? Primrose told her mother that Buttercup could not come
to the happy country for some little time longer.

“T can’t do without him,” replied the mother. ‘ Home is not