d a beard
seven feet long, who was a powerful prince and magician, was so
enraged that he determined to have his revenge. So he changed himself
into a whirlwind and lay in wait to receive the princess. When the
wedding procession was about to enter the church the air was suddenly
filled with a blinding cloud of dust, and Pietnotka was borne up high
as the highest clouds, and then right down to an underground palace.
There the dwarf, for it was he who had worked this spell, disappeared,
leaving her in a lifeless condition.

When she opened her eyes she found herself in such a magnificent
apartment that she imagined some king must have run away with her. She
got up and began to walk about, when lo! as if by some unseen hand the
table was laden with gold and silver dishes, filled with cakes of
every kind. They looked so tempting, that in spite of her grief she
could not resist tasting, and she continued to eat until she was more
than satisfied. She returned to the sofa and lay down to rest, but
being unable to sleep, she looked first at the door, and then at the
lamp burning on the table, then at the door again, and then back to
the lamp. Suddenly the door opened of itself, giving entrance to four
negroes fully armed, and bearing a golden throne, upon which was
seated the Dwarf with the Long Beard. He came close up to the sofa and
attempted to kiss the princess, but she struck him such a blow in the
face that a thousand stars swam before his eyes, and a thousand bells
rang in his ears; upon which he gave such a shout, that the palace
walls trembled. Yet his love for her was so great that he did his best
not to show his anger, and turned away as if to leave her. But his
feet became entangled in his long beard, and he fell down, dropping a
cap he was carrying in his hand. Now this cap had the power of making
its wearer invisible. The negroes hastened up to their master, and
placing him on his throne bore him out.

Directly the princess found herself alone she jumped off the sofa,
locked the door, and picking up the cap ran to a mirror to try it on
and see how it suited her. Imagine her amazement when looking in the
glass she saw--nothing at all! She took off the cap, and behold, she
was there again as large as life. She soon found out what sort of cap
it was, and rejoicing in the possession of such a marvel, put it on
her head again and began to walk about the room. Soon the door was
burst violently open, and the dwarf ent