of mountains and plains, all the diverse
species of animals, and all the varied gems that are extracted from the
bosom of the earth. And it was by means of such sights and marvels that
they taught her, with an innocent gaiety, the wonders of nature and the
processes of the arts.

They made her playthings such as the richest children on earth never
have; for these dwarfs were always industrious and invented wonderful
machinery. In this way they produced for her dolls that could move with
exquisite grace, and express themselves according to the strictest rules
of poetry. Placed on the stage of a little theatre, the scenery of which
represented the shores of the sea, the blue sky, palaces and temples,
they would portray the most interesting events. Though no taller than
a man's arm some of them represented respectable old men, others men in
the prime of life, and, others still, beautiful young girls dressed in
white.

Among them also were mothers pressing their innocent children to their
hearts. And these eloquent dolls acted as if they were really moved by
hate, love and ambition. They passed with the greatest skill from joy
to sorrow and they imitated nature so well that they could move one to
laughter or to tears. Honey-Bee clapped her hands at the sight. She had
a horror of the dolls who tried to be tyrants. On the other hand she
felt a boundless compassion for a doll who had once been a princess, and
who, now a captive widow, had no other resource alas, by which to save
her child, than to marry the barbarian who had made her a widow.

Honey-Bee never tired of this game which the dolls could vary
indefinitely. The dwarfs also gave concerts and taught her to play the
lute, the viola, the theorbo, the lyre, and various other instruments.

In short she became an excellent musician, and the dramas acted in the
theatre by the dolls taught her a knowledge of men and life. King Loc
was always present at the plays and the concerts, but he neither saw
nor heard anything but Honey-Bee; little by little he had set his whole
heart upon her. In the meantime months passed and even years sped by
and Honey-Bee was still among the dwarfs, always amused and yet always
longing for earth. She grew to be a beautiful girl. Her singular destiny
had imparted something strange to her appearance, which gave her,
however, only an added charm.

XII

In which the treasures of King Loc are described as well as
the writer is