d been kept, but it was quite empty. The
queen had broken the last over the work she held in her hand, and with
it the spell was broken too, and she lay dead.

Quick as thought the prince pulled out the golden flask, and sprinkled
some drops of the water over the queen. In a moment she moved gently,
and raising her head, opened her eyes.

'Oh, my dear friend, I am so glad you wakened me; I must have slept a
long while!'

'You would have slept till eternity,' answered the prince, 'if I had not
been here to waken you.'

At these words the queen remembered about the needles. She knew now that
she had been dead, and that the prince had restored her to life. She
gave him thanks from her heart for what he had done, and vowed she would
repay him if she ever got a chance.

The prince took his leave, and set out for the country of the
bald-headed king. As he drew near the place he saw that the whole
mountain had been dug away, and that the king was lying dead on the
ground, his spade and bucket beside him. But as soon as the water from
the golden flask touched him he yawned and stretched himself, and slowly
rose to his feet. 'Oh, my dear friend, I am so glad to see you,' cried
he, 'I must have slept a long while!'

'You would have slept till eternity if I had not been here to waken
you,' answered the prince. And the king remembered the mountain, and the
spell, and vowed to repay the service if he ever had a chance.

Further along the road which led to his old home the prince found the
great tree torn up by its roots, and the king of the eagles sitting dead
on the ground, with his wings outspread as if for flight. A flutter ran
through the feathers as the drops of water fell on them, and the eagle
lifted his beak from the ground and said: 'Oh, how long I must have
slept! How can I thank you for having awakened me, my dear, good
friend!'

'You would have slept till eternity if I had not been here to waken
you'; answered the prince. Then the king remembered about the tree, and
knew that he had been dead, and promised, if ever he had the chance, to
repay what the prince had done for him.

At last he reached the capital of his father's kingdom, but on reaching
the place where the royal palace had stood, instead of the marble
galleries where he used to play, there lay a great sulphur lake, its
blue flames darting into the air. How was he to find his father and
mother, and bring them back to life, if they were lying at the b