moon rising, she took some of the water in which she had revived the
snake, put it in a bottle, and set out, accompanied by her cat. Before
morning she had made the entire circuit of the lake, muttering fearful
words as she crossed every stream, and casting into it some of the water
out of her bottle. When she had finished the circuit she muttered yet
again, and flung a handful of water towards the moon. Thereupon every
spring in the country ceased to throb and bubble, dying away like the
pulse of a dying man. The next day there was no sound of falling water
to be heard along the borders of the lake. The very courses were dry;
and the mountains showed no silvery streaks down their dark sides. And
not alone had the fountains of mother Earth ceased to flow; for all the
babies throughout the country were crying dreadfully--only without
tears.

XII

_Where Is the Prince_?

Never since the night when the princess left him so abruptly had the
prince had a single interview with her. He had seen her once or twice in
the lake; but as far as he could discover, she had not been in it any
more at night. He had sat and sung, and looked in vain for his Nereid,
while she, like a true Nereid, was wasting away with her lake, sinking
as it sank, withering as it dried. When at length he discovered the
change that was taking place in the level of the water, he was in great
alarm and perplexity. He could not tell whether the lake was dying
because the lady had forsaken it; or whether the lady would not come
because the lake had begun to sink. But he resolved to know so much at
least.

He disguised himself, and, going to the palace, requested to see the
lord chamberlain. His appearance at once gained his request; and the
lord chamberlain, being a man of some insight, perceived that there was
more in the prince's solicitation than met the ear. He felt likewise
that no one could tell whence a solution of the present difficulties
might arise. So he granted the prince's prayer to be made shoeblack to
the princess. It was rather cunning in the prince to request such an
easy post, for the princess could not possibly soil as many shoes as
other princesses.

He soon learned all that could be told about the princess. He went
nearly distracted; but after roaming about the lake for days, and diving
in every depth that remained, all that he could do was to put an extra
polish on the dainty pair of boots that was never called for.

For the pr