THE FAIR MAID WITH GOLDEN LOCKS

IS it fell upon a time, there lived in THE FAIR
| Golden Land a beautiful princess, MAID
whose hair was like the finest gold, .WITH
and waved and rippled down her back “Locks
and reached the ground, and she was

called the fair maid with golden

locks. She always wore a crown of

China roses on her head, and dresses of the softest

and palest pink, or blue, or white embroidered over

with diamonds; so that wherever she went and
whenever she moved she twinkled like a laburnum

bush covered with dew on a May morning.

Now it fell out at this very time that there was a

certain king, and as he had heard so much of the

fair maid with golden locks, he sent an embassy to

Golden Land to ask her hand.

The ambassador arrived in Golden Land with his
message, but the princess refused the king’s offer.

She said she was over young to marry yet.

Then the ambassador set off sadly on his way home.

When he arrived in the city where the king was
waiting impatiently for him, every one was much
disappointed because he returned alone, for every

one had expected he would have brought with

him the fair maid with golden locks to be their

queen.

  

169