TWILIGHT LAND

‘“T live all alone, and I will tell you the trouble that lies
upon this country.” Thereupon, taking the prince by the
arm, he led him across the bridge and to another quarter
of the town where he dwelt. He bade the servants
prepare a fine supper, and he and the prince sat down to
the table together. After they had made an end of eating
and drinking, the old man told the prince all concerning
those things of which he had spoken, and thus it was:

“When the king of this land died he left behind him
three daughters—the most beautiful princesses in all of
the world.

“ Folk hardly dared speak of the eldest of them, but
whisperings said that she was a sorceress, and that
strange and gruesome things were done by her. The
second princess was also a witch, though it was not said
that she was evil, like the other. As for the youngest of
the three, she was as beautiful as the morning and as
gentle as a dove. When she was born a golden thread
was about her neck, and it was foretold of her that she
was to be the queen of that land.

“But not long after the old king died the youngest
princess vanished—no one could tell whither, and no one
dared to ask—and the eldest princess had herself crowned
as queen, and no one dared gainsay her. For a while
everything went well enough, but by-and-by evil days
came upon the land. Once every seven days the queen
would bid some youth, young and strong, to sup with her,
and from that time no one ever heard of him again, and
no one dared ask what had become of him. At first it
was the great folk at the queen’s palace—officers and
courtiers—who suffered; but by-and-by the sons of the

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