he molehill, and lay sprawling at the foot of it with open mouth.

An ill omen this for the power of the new Government! The great
admiration which the Rootmen had hitherto felt for their new
friends quickly turned into disdain at this catastrophe. The good
King and the fair Princess alone did not allow themselves to be
carried away by their astonishment; they instantly descended from
their throne, and helped the fallen Prince to regain his legs. But
Nutcracker broke out into bitter reproaches; he called the Birds,
who had upset him, silly high-flying fools, who set themselves
above the whole world, and overturned all rule and order. His anger
was not to be softened, until his future father-in-law promised
that, to prevent the recurrence of any similar disaster, he would
allow nothing flying to enter his kingdom, not even flying leaves.

One by one all the little people got up on their legs again, and
the rest of the day was passed in merriment and feasting. On the
morrow the wedding of Prince Nutcracker and his fair Bride was
celebrated with the grandest solemnities; after which the two
Peoples took leave of one another in the most friendly manner; the
Root-mannikins returned to their own Valley, and the Puppet-folks
remained on the Nutfield.

[Illustration: Fifth Chapter.]

CHAPTER THE FIFTH.

THE PUPPET-KINGDOM IS SET IN ORDER.--HAUGHTINESS OF
NUTCRACKER, HIS WIFE, AND SUBJECTS.--ANTIPATHY OF THE
TWO PEOPLES.--THE ROOT-KING ABDICATES HIS
CROWN.--NUTCRACKER A TYRANT.--PREPARATIONS FOR WAR IN
ROOT-VALLEY.--THE WAR.--HARLEQUIN'S DEATH.--FLIGHT AND
DESTRUCTION OF THE PUPPET-KINGDOM.--NUTCRACKER'S
DEATH.--THE PRINCESS SAVED.

It took Prince Nutcracker a full week to put his State in order, to
erect towns, fortresses, and villages on their proper spots, and to
assign to his subjects their places and sphere of activity. All
this was admirably executed with the aid of his indefatigable
councillor Harlequin, who was the soul of the whole undertaking.
Everything too seemed to favour the new State, for as yet there had
been no cloud in the sky, no gust of wind to overthrow a company of
soldiers, no rain to wash off the beautiful colours of the castles,
or to wet the princely decorations of the great theatre.

Thus lived the young Princess for some days with her husband in joy
and splendour. She had laid aside her old dresses of leaves,
flowers, and gossamer,