nomes, and not only
is this deceiver Cordovanspitz a gnome of this caste, but he is actual
king of it, and his name is Daucus Carota."

Fraeulein Aennchen was far from fainting away, neither was she in the
smallest degree frightened, but she smiled in the kindliest way at her
lamenting papa, and the Courteous reader is aware of the reason. But as
Herr Dapsul was very much surprised at this, and kept imploring her for
Heaven's sake to realize the terrible position in which she was, and to
feel the full horror of it, she thought herself at liberty to divulge
the secret entrusted to her. She told Herr Dapsul how the so-called
Baron von Cordovanspitz had told her his real position long ago, and
that since then she had found him altogether so pleasant and delightful
that she couldn't wish for a better husband. Moreover she described all
the marvellous beauties of the vegetable kingdom into which King Daucus
Carota the First had taken her, not forgetting to duly extol the
remarkably delightful manners of the inhabitants of that realm.

Herr Dapsul struck his hands together several times, and wept bitterly
over the deceiving wickedness of the Gnome-king, who had been, and
still was, employing means the most artful--most dangerous for himself
as well--to lure the unfortunate Anna down into his dark, demoniac
kingdom. "Glorious," he explained, "glorious and advantageous as may be
the union of an elementary spirit with a human being, grand as is the
example of this given by the wedlock of the gnome Tsilmenech with
Magdalena de la Croix (which is of course the reason why this deceiver
Daucus Carota has given himself out as being a descendant of that
union), yet the kings and princes of those races are very different. If
the Salamander kings are only irascible, the sylph kings proud and
haughty, the Undine queens affectionate and jealous, the gnome kings
are fierce, cruel, and deceitful. Merely to revenge themselves on the
children of earth, who deprive them of their vassals, they are
constantly trying their utmost to lure one of them away, who then
wholly lays aside her human nature, and, becoming as shapeless as the
gnomes themselves, has to go down into the earth, and is never more
seen."

Fraeulein Aennchen didn't seem disposed to believe what her father was
telling her to her dear Daucus's discredit, but began talking again
about the marvels of the beautiful vegetable country over which she was
expecting so soon to reign as