II4 PRINCE FILDERKIN

any idea of swimming or wading out of the
Prince’s head in a minute.

- Almost as if it was the most natural thing
in the world, he stood upon his head the
very instant he saw what was before him,
and without more ado pronounced three
times the words which he had already found
so useful to him in his difficulties. ‘Ginger-
bread nuts! gingerbread nuts! gingerbread
nuts!’ he exclaimed, each time more loudly
and earnestly, but, to his horror and surprise,
the result was quite different from that which
he had expected. The serpents reared their
heads up from all parts of the river, as if
enraged and insulted by the words and
action of the Prince; they cast themselves
towards him as if anxious to get out of the
river and seize him, they hissed furiously,
and were evidently prepared to dispute his
passage if he should attempt to cross.

The Prince was for one moment lost in
astonishment and dismay. But it was for
one moment only. He suddenly recol-
lected that the directions of Feeble John
as to standing on his head and repeat-
ing the words of power had only been
given him to be followed during the three