enter.

The princess did so and discovered a large and beautiful cave lit up by
the brilliancy of the stones with which it was lined, with a little
couch covered with soft moss in one corner. She lay down on it and the
dog at once nestled at her feet. Tired out with all she had gone through
she soon fell asleep.

Next morning she was awakened very early by the songs of many birds. The
little dog woke up too, and sprang round her in his most caressing
manner. She got up and went outside, the dog as before running on in
front and turning back constantly to take her dress and draw her on.

She let him have his way and he soon led her back to the beautiful
garden where she had spent part of the day before. Here she ate some
fruit, drank some water of the fountain, and felt as if she had made an
excellent meal. She walked about amongst the flowers, played with her
little dog, and at night returned to sleep in the cave.

In this way the princess passed several months, and as her first terrors
died away she gradually became more resigned to her fate. The little
dog, too, was a great comfort, and her constant companion.

One day she noticed that he seemed very sad and did not even caress her
as usual. Fearing he might be ill she carried him to a spot where she
had seen him eat some particular herbs, hoping they might do him good,
but he would not touch them. He spent all the night, too, sighing and
groaning as if in great pain.

At last the princess fell asleep, and when she awoke her first thought
was for her little pet, but not finding him at her feet as usual, she
ran out of the cave to look for him. As she stepped out of the cave she
caught sight of an old man, who hurried away so fast that she had barely
time to see him before he disappeared.

This was a fresh surprise and almost as great a shock as the loss of her
little dog, who had been so faithful to her ever since the first day she
had seen him. She wondered if he had strayed away or if the old man had
stolen him.

Tormented by all kinds of thoughts and fears she wandered on, when
suddenly she felt herself wrapped in a thick cloud and carried through
the air. She made no resistance and before very long found herself, to
her great surprise, in an avenue leading to the palace in which she had
been born. No sign of the cloud anywhere.

As the princess approached the palace she perceived that everyone was
dressed in black, and she was filled with fear as to the