have been very glad to go back, but neither
liked to speak. At last Jack thought anything would be less terrible
than listening to those dismal moans, so he suddenly dashed through
the door, and the other Jack followed.

There was nothing terrible to be seen. They found themselves in a
place like an immensely long stable; but it was nearly dark, and when
their eyes got used to the dimness, they saw that it was strewed with
quantities of fresh hay, from which curious things like sticks stuck
up in all directions. What were they?

"They are dry branches of trees," said the boy-king.

"They are table-legs turned upside down," said Jack: but then the
other Jack suddenly perceived the real nature of the thing, and he
shouted out, "No; they are antlers!"

The moment he said this the moaning ceased, hundreds of beautiful
antlered heads were lifted up, and the two boys stood before a
splendid herd of stags; but they had had hardly time to be sure of
this when the beautiful multitude rose and fled away into the
darkness, leaving the two boys to follow as well as they could.

They were sure they ought to run after the herd, and they ran and ran,
but they soon lost sight of it, though they heard far on in front what
seemed at first like a pattering of deer's feet, but the sound changed
from time to time. It became heavier and louder, and then the
clattering ceased, and it was evidently the tramping of a great crowd
of men. At last they heard words, very glad and thankful words; people
were crying to one another to make haste, lest the spell should come
upon them again. Then the two Jacks, still running, came into a grand
hall, which was quite full of knights and all sorts of fairy men, and
there was the boy-king's uncle, but he looked very pale. "Unlock the
door!" they cried. "We shall not be safe till we see our new Queen.
Unlock the door; we see light coming through the keyhole."

The two Jacks came on to the front, and felt and shook the door. At
last the boy-king saw a little golden key glittering on the floor,
just where the one narrow sunbeam fell that came through the keyhole;
so he snatched it up. It fitted, and out they all came, as you have
been told.

When they had done relating their adventures, the new Queen's health
was drunk. And then they drank the health of the boy-king, who stood
up to return thanks, and, as is the fashion there, he sang a song.
Jack thought it the most ridiculous song he had ever heard;