d he had ever tasted. He ate his dinner until he grew so
thirsty he did not know what to do.

"Couldn't I have just one drop of water, if it wouldn't trouble you too
much, kindest of godmothers?"

He considered this a difficult request to grant for he was so far from
the ground that he could not expect to find a well. He forgot one
thing--the rain. While he spoke, it came on in another wild burst, as if
the clouds had poured themselves out in a passion of crying, wetting him
certainly, but leaving behind in a large glass vessel which he had never
noticed before, enough water to quench the thirst of two or three boys
at least. And it was so fresh, so pure--as water from the clouds always
is, that he drank it with the greatest delight.

Also, as soon as it was empty, the rain filled it again, so that he was
able to wash his face and hands. Then the sun came out and dried him in
no time. After that he curled himself up under the bearskin rug and shut
his eyes just for one minute. The next minute he was sound asleep.

When he awoke, he found himself floating over a country quite unlike
anything he had ever seen before.

Yet it was nothing but what most of you children see every day and never
notice--a pretty country landscape. It had nothing in it grand or
lovely--was simply pretty, nothing more; yet to Prince Dolor who had
never seen beyond the level plain, it appeared wonderful.

First, there was a river, which came tumbling down the hillside.

"It is so active, so alive! I like things active and alive!" cried he,
and watched it shimmering and dancing, whirling and leaping.

All this the boy saw, either with his own naked eye, or through his gold
spectacles. He saw also as in a picture, beautiful but silent, many
other things which struck him with wonder, especially a grove of trees.

Only think, to have lived to his age and never have seen trees! As he
floated over these oaks, they seemed to him the most curious sight
imaginable.

"If I could only get nearer, so as to touch them," said he, and
immediately the obedient cloak ducked down; Prince Dolor made a snatch
at the topmost twig of the tallest tree, and caught a bunch of leaves in
his hand. Just a bunch of green leaves--such as we have seen many times,
yet how wonderful they were to him, and he examined the leaves with the
greatest curiosity, and also a little caterpillar that he found walking
over one of them. He coaxed it to take a walk over his finger. I