o a lovely butterfly. Off ran the boy with his
velvet cap to catch the fluttering insect. Carelessness sat down on a
bank and fell asleep. Soon Kalyb led the boy into the recesses of the
forest; then seizing him, in spite of his cries, she placed him in a
chariot with ten fiery steeds which she had conjured up, and darting off
like a flash of lightning, reached the coast, embarked in her egg-shell,
which whirled round and round as before, and then she travelled on till
she arrived once more, with her captive, at the magic cavern in the
Black Forest. The massive gates flew asunder at a touch of her silver
wand, and the Prince found himself among wonders which his imagination
had never before conceived, which far surpassed anything he had ever
beheld even in the beautiful city of Coventry. He soon, however, grew
weary of them, and longed to return to his fond father and careful
nurses; but he found himself a prisoner, and no outlet could he discover
by which he could make his escape from the cavern--the massive gates
prevented all egress to any who had once entered within them.

The wicked Kalyb watched the sorrow of the boy, and knowing that his
father was still more sorrowful, rejoiced in her revenge. She had
numerous attendants to do her will. Among them was a dwarf, a
misshapen, ill-favoured creature. To his care the boy was confided,
with directions to beat and teaze him whenever he had nothing else to
do. The noble child bore every indignity with equanimity and good
humour, and, instead of harbouring revenge, took every opportunity of
doing a kindness to the poor dwarf, who was himself the peculiar object
of the wicked Kalyb's ill-treatment. Crumpleback was the dwarf's name.
Often poor Crumpleback's body was black and blue with the pommelling he
received from the furious Kalyb, while his cheeks were thin and haggard
from want of food and rest. One day Kalyb was absent when Crumpleback
addressed the Prince:--"Know," said he, "kind boy, that I am a fairy in
disguise, and though less powerful than the fell Enchantress Kalyb, I
may yet circumvent her acts. Your kindness and gentleness, and
forgiveness of the injuries I was forced to do you, have won my heart.
I have vowed to serve you to the best of my power. Let not Kalyb know
what has passed between us, but wait patiently, and see what will
happen." The young Prince thanked the fairy, and his hopes of escaping
once more revived. He had long to wait. In