was the Island of the Fates; but woe to the imprudent man
who approaches these merciless fairies: he is struck with death at
their sight."

"What does that matter?" cried Carlino. "I would face death itself to
gain my wishes."

A bark lay by the strand. The prince sprang on board and unfurled the
sail. The wind, which blew off the shore, hurried forward the frail
craft, the land disappeared, and Carlino found himself in the midst of
the ocean. In vain he gazed about him; there was nothing but the
sea--the sea everywhere; in vain the bark bounded over the foaming
waves with the speed of lightning, like a steed with mane floating on
the wind; there was nothing but the sea--the sea everywhere. Billows
followed billows, the hours passed one after another, the day
declined, and the solitude and silence seemed to deepen around
Carlino, when all at once he uttered a cry; he saw a black speck in
the distance. At the same instant the bark, shooting ahead like an
arrow, struck upon the sand at the foot of huge rocks, which raised
their dark summits, notched and worn by time, to the skies. Fate had
thrown Carlino upon that strand from which none had ever returned.

To climb this wall was not an easy matter; there was neither road nor
path; and when Carlino, after long efforts, with torn hands and
wearied limbs, at last succeeded in reaching a level spot, what he
found was not calculated to reassure him. He saw nothing but glaciers
piled upon one another--black, damp rocks rising from the midst of the
snows--not a tree, not a blade of grass, not a bit of moss; it was the
picture of winter and death. The only sign of life in this desert was
a wretched hovel, the roof of which was loaded with great stones in
order to resist the fury of the winds. The prince approached the hut,
and was about to enter it, when he stopped short, struck with surprise
and terror at the spectacle which presented itself.

At the end of the room was a great web of cloth, on which were
pictured all the conditions of life. There were kings, soldiers,
farmers, and shepherds, with ladies richly dressed, and peasant women
spinning by their side. At the bottom boys and girls were dancing
gaily, holding each other by the hand. Before the web walked the
mistress of the house--an old woman, if the name woman can be given to
a skeleton with bones scarcely hidden by a skin yellower and more
transparent than wax. Like a spider ready to pounce upon its prey, the
old