THE
YELLOW
DWARF

to make him forget All-fair, and secure him for
herself. But finding this plan unsuccessful, she
changed herself into a lovely girl, and going to the
king she removed his fetters, and placed him by
her side in a chariot drawn by swans, which flew
rapidly through the air. In their flight they passed
over a palace of polished steel, the brilliance of
which attracted the king’s notice, and on looking
down he saw All-fair weeping bitterly in the
garden.

The princess, attracted by a noise in the sky,
looked up, and saw to her great sorrow the King
of the Gold Mines seated in the chariot with the
fairy. Stung to the heart at this sight she in-
wardly reproached the king with want of fidelity
to herself, and piteously bewailed her unhappy
condition. The poor king still loved her tenderly,
and would have rejoiced, if he could, to have
thrown the fairy from the chariot, and hastened to
her rescue. But the chariot passed swiftly on,
until they approached a magnificent palace on the
sea-coast, at which the swans descended. The
fairy then alighted and led the king into the
palace, in which was everything that could delight
the eye.

The king knew that his companion was a fairy,
and he suspected she was the Fairy of the Desert,
although she appeared as a lovely young woman.
He resolved therefore, to ingratiate himself with
her if possible, and to conceal his dislike of her, in
the hope that he might have some opportunity of
escaping. The fairy, supposing her charms had
now made some impression upon the prince,
allowed him to walk beyond the gardens of the
palace.

One day as he was walking by the sea-shore, he
was surprised by the appearance of a mermaid,
which spake to him in a melodious voice, and said:
‘I am aware, O king, of the attachment’ existing

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