was standing in
the middle of nothing at all, he laughed even more than before at the
absurdity of it all.

"Hullo!" said a voice from inside the square red rock. "What are you
laughing at?"

"I am laughing at everything," said the little Prince. "I always laugh
at everything; but that may be because I haven't an idea in my head."

"I am glad to hear that," said the voice. "Most of the people who come
here have so many ideas of their own that I take good care not to let
them steal one of mine. However, step inside, and you shall have one
of my very best ideas."

The Prince could hardly be said to have accepted this invitation, for
he had no time to move before he found himself transported to the
interior of the rock; and there he stood in the middle of a large,
square room, that hung dimly lighted by a red lantern from the roof.
The Red Rock Goblin sat facing him, at a little round table. He had a
bushy red beard that trailed on the ground, and in his mouth was a long
pipe from which rings of red smoke slowly curled up towards the roof.

"Do you feel afraid?" asked the Goblin, blowing a particularly long
thin line of red smoke into the air, which curled round and round the
little Prince until he could hardly breathe. He could still laugh,
however; and directly he did that, the red smoke cleared away again and
raced up to the roof, as though it were frightened at the very sound of
the Prince's laugh.

"I'm not at all afraid, thank you," said Prince Charming. "My
Professor says that I am far too stupid to understand the meaning of
fear. Besides, what is there to be afraid of?"

The Red Rock Goblin waved his long, red, bony hand towards the shelves
that covered the four walls.

"Those shelves are packed with new ideas," he said. "Most people are
afraid of new ideas."

"How stupid of them!" said the Prince, beginning to whistle. "A new
idea must be more amusing to play with than an old one, I should think!"

"Of course it is," answered the Goblin. "That is what new ideas are
for. However, as you don't seem afraid, I will find you a new idea to
play with."

He put his pipe on the table, and fetched a pair of steps, and climbed
up to the highest shelf of all. When he came down again, he held a
small bottle in his hand, which he uncorked; and from this he poured
something into a red metal bowl on the table. Immediately a delightful
smell of pine woods and strawberry jam and sea-air and hot cakes and