TWILIGHT LAND

soon as they had done so the brazen boat floated swiftly
away, and in a little while was gone.

“‘ Here our journey ends,” said the queen. “Is it not
a wonderful land, and well worth the seeing? Look at
all these jewels and this gold, as plenty as fruits and
flowers at home. You may take what you please; but
while you are gathering them I have another matter after
which I must look. Wait for me here, and by-and-by I
will be back again.”

So saying, she turned and left the prince, going towards
the castle back of the trees. mee

But the prince was a prince, and not a common man;
he cared nothing for gold and jewels. What he did care
for was to see where the queen went, and why she had
brought him to this strange land. So, as soon as she had
fairly gone, he followed after.

He went along under the gold and silver trees, in the
direction she had taken, until at last he came to a tall
flight of steps that led up to the doorway of the snow-
white palace. The door stood open, and into it the prince
went. He saw not a soul, but he heard a noise as of
blows and the sound as of some one weeping. He fol-
lowed the sound, ‘until by-and-by he came to a great
vaulted room in the very centre of the palace. A curtain
hung at the doorway. The prince lifted it and peeped
within, and this was what he saw :

In the middle of the room was a marble basin of water
as clear as crystal, and around the sides of the basin were
these words, written in letters of gold:

“ Whatsoever ts False, that I make True.”

Beside the fountain upon a marble stand stood a statue
354