of passionate
weeping. Was all deception, illusion? Was there nothing real, naught to
satisfy the heart? Was he ever to be alone, consumed by vain longings
for affection he was destined never to receive? What did _he_ care for
all that beauty and grandeur--one heart-given human kiss was worth it
all.

The child was still sobbing bitterly when the Fairy Queen drew near. Her
starry crown was dim, like the evening star seen through a mist; the
sparkle had gone out of her eye and her face. She was sad, for she knew
that she must lose her little protege; she was vexed, for she had been
completely baffled. "And cannot I make you happy?" she said. "Is all the
power, and the grandeur, and the wisdom, and the beauty you see in Fairy
Land, insufficient to satisfy that foolish heart of yours? Silly boy! he
longs for human love. Go then--even if I _could_ keep you, I think I
scarcely would; I can teach you nothing." "And may I really go? Go to my
own dear, sweet mamma? Oh, how happy I am!" "You little ungrateful
wretch! is that all the thanks I get for the pains I have taken to make
a man of you?" "Of course you are very good: but indeed I always told
you I wanted to remain a little boy." "Out of my sight!" said she,
stamping her tiny foot upon the rock on which she was
standing--sympathizing with her passion, it threw out sparks, which
hardened into diamonds when they cooled. "My experiment has proved a
signal failure; I see a child will be a child, in spite of all the
charms of science: if ever I take another--if ever I try again to bring
up a philosopher, may I lose my crown!"

Rudolph, affrighted, had run through the little gate, which immediately
closed behind him. He looked around; the scene was strangely familiar.
He found himself at the border of a wood, in a place where three roads
crossed. "It was there," thought he, "that, a year or two ago, I dashed
into the forest on Saladin, and got lost: and since then I have been in
Fairy Land." At that moment he lifted up his eyes, and saw old Fritz
approach, leading Saladin; he ran forward to meet him, and Fritz, on his
part, seemed overjoyed at seeing his young master. "You dear old soul!
how glad I am to see you! Why, you don't look a day older than when we
parted!" "It would be queer if I did, as we only parted company an hour
ago, when you rode off and left your poor old Fritz. How you have
frightened me! I thought you had gone home the nearest way, and rode
there to see: b