rom the crowd, and a
strange sound, as of many carriages and horses, was heard in the
distance. The Heralds of the Root-King instantly hastened to
ascertain the cause, and presently returned announcing that a new
and strange People were coming through the forest in innumerable
troops, led by a Prince in a scarlet hussar's uniform, with large
blue eyes, and a star upon his breast: his name was Prince
Nutcracker, and with his councillor Harlequin he sought a gracious
audience of the Root-King and his daughter.

At this news the Princess turned red as scarlet, and the King pale
as death, with affright. The Princess imagined that the Man-Prince
in the town had perceived her on the gallery of the Townhouse, and
was now coming to marry her; but the King feared that the giant
race of Men were come to destroy his subjects and conquer his
country. When however they heard that Prince Nutcracker and his
followers were not bigger than the Rootmen, the Princess's fear was
changed into such joy, that she fell on her father's neck, and
kissed his hands again and again; then the King commanded the
Stork to cease his storytelling, and the Prince with his followers
to be conducted immediately to his presence.

How Prince Nutcracker and his councillor Harlequin happened to come
hither the following Chapter will tell.

[Illustration: Third Chapt^r.]

CHAPTER THE THIRD.

THE WONDERFUL BROOK.--THE OVERTURNED CARRIER'S
WAGGON.--NUTCRACKER AND HARLEQUIN COME TO LIFE.--THE
THREE WISHES.--THE BOX OF NUREMBERG TOYS.--THE
WANDERING RATS.--HOW HARLEQUIN BRINGS TO LIFE A WHOLE
NATION AND ARMY.--BATTLE WITH THE
STAR.--HOMAGE.--PROCESSION TO THE ROOT-VALLEY.

The road from Nuremberg to Leipsic, at the time of our story, ran
in one part close to a deep hollow, through which a clear brook
wound its way. The stream flowed directly from Root-Valley, and had
the marvellous property, that whatever fell into it instantly
became alive, provided only that it had previously had the form of
some living thing.

It chanced one day that a carrier's waggon was passing this spot on
its way to the Leipsic Fair, packed full of boxes, when on a sudden
a wheel came off, and the waggon rolled over into a hollow. Now in
the boxes were Nuremberg toys of all kinds, enough to fit out a
whole fair. When the poor carrier saw his waggon overthrown into
the hollow, where he could not get at it, off he ran in despair,