Sidigunda lived with her parents in a beautiful old castle by
the sea. It was so near that the royal gardens sloped down gradually
to the shore, and from its battlements--where the little Princess was
allowed to walk sometimes on half-holidays--she could watch the ships
with their gaily-painted prows and golden dragons' heads, sweeping
over the water in quest of new lands and fresh adventures.

Princess Sidigunda was an only child, and at her christening every
gift you can imagine had been showered upon her.

The Trolls of the Woods gave her beauty; the Trolls of the Water, a
free, bright spirit; the Mountain-Trolls, good health; and last, but
not least, her chief Godfather, the Troll of the Seashore, had given
her a beautiful little pair of golden slippers.

"Never let the child take them off her feet," said the old Troll. "As
long as she keeps them she will be happy. If ever they are lost the
Princess's troubles will begin."

"But they will grow too small for her!" said the Queen anxiously.

"Oh no, they won't!" said the old Troll. "They will grow as she grows,
so you needn't trouble about that."

[Illustration]

Time went on, and the little Princess grew to be ten years old.

The old Troll's promise was fulfilled, and her life had been a
perfectly happy one. Watched by her faithful nurse, she had never had
any opportunity of losing her magic shoes; and though she often
bathed and played about the shore with her young companions, she was
never allowed to be without one of her attendants, in case she should
forget her Godfather's caution.

One fine summer afternoon, the Princess, with some of her friends, ran
down to the sands from the little gate in the castle wall.

The sea looked green and beautiful, light waves curling over on the
narrow strip of yellow shore.

"Let's wade!" cried the Princess. "My nurse is ill in bed, and my two
ladies think we are playing in the garden. We'll have a little treat
of being alone, and enjoy ourselves!"

"We must take our slippers off," said one of the children, as they
raced along.

"Oh, I wish _I_ could!" cried the Princess. "I don't believe _once_
would matter. I'll put them in a safe place where the sea can't get at
them," and as she spoke she pulled off her golden shoes, and hid them
in a great hurry behind a sand-bank.

The Princess's little friends ran off laughing; while she followed,
her hair streaming, her bare feet twinkling in the sunlight.

"How nice i