ed she was hopelessly
lost, surely not even Percinet could find her in the heart of the earth.

'This is like being buried alive,' she said with a shudder. 'Oh,
Percinet! if you only knew how I am suffering for my want of trust in
you! But how could I be sure that you would not be like other men and
tire of me from the moment you were sure I loved you?'

As she spoke she suddenly saw a little door open, and the sunshine
blazed into the dismal well. Graciosa did not hesitate an instant, but
passed through into a charming garden. Flowers and fruit grew on every
side, fountains plashed, and birds sang in the branches overhead, and
when she reached a great avenue of trees and looked up to see where it
would lead her, she found herself close to the palace of crystal. Yes!
there was no mistaking it, and the Queen and Percinet were coming to
meet her.

'Ah, Princess!' said the Queen, 'don't keep this poor Percinet in
suspense any longer. You little guess the anxiety he has suffered while
you were in the power of that miserable Queen.'

The Princess kissed her gratefully, and promised to do as she wished
in everything, and holding out her hand to Percinet, with a smile, she
said:

'Do you remember telling me that I should not see your palace again
until I had been buried? I wonder if you guessed then that, when that
happened, I should tell you that I love you with all my heart, and will
marry you whenever you like?'

Prince Percinet joyfully took the hand that was given him, and, for fear
the Princess should change her mind, the wedding was held at once with
the greatest splendour, and Graciosa and Percinet lived happily ever
after.(11)

(11) Gracieuse et Percinet. Mdme. d'Aulnoy.

THE THREE PRINCESSES OF WHITELAND

THERE was once upon a time a fisherman, who lived hard by a palace and
fished for the King's table. One day he was out fishing, but caught
nothing at all. Let him do what he might with rod and line, there was
never even so much as a sprat on his hook; but when the day was well
nigh over, a head rose up out of the water, and said: 'If you will
give me what your wife shows you when you go home, you shall catch fish
enough.'

So the man said 'Yes' in a moment, and then he caught fish in plenty;
but when he got home at night, and his wife showed him a baby which had
just been born, and fell a-weeping and wailing when he told her of the
promise which he had given, he was very unhappy.

All this was s