o part with anything as that bag, but he
thought it better to do as the lady had done, and tossed his into the
sea also. They thought they heard a long moan come up from the waters;
but Civil saw his mother's chimney beginning to smoke, and with the fair
lady in her sea-green gown he hastened to the good dame's cottage.

The whole village were awakened that morning with cries of "Welcome
back, my son!" "Welcome back, my daughter!" for the mournful lady knew
it was her lost daughter, Faith Feignless, whom the fisherman had
brought back, and all the neighbours gathered together to hear their
story. When it was told, everybody praised Civil for the prudence he had
shown, except Sour and his mother. They did nothing but rail upon him
for losing such great chances of making himself and the whole country
rich.

At last, when they heard over and over again of the merman's riches,
neither mother nor son would stay any longer in the west country; and
as nobody persuaded them, and they would not do what Civil told them,
Sour got out his boat and steered away with his mother toward the
Merman's rock.

From that voyage they never came back to the hamlet. Some say they went
down and lived among the sea-people. Others say--I know not how they
learned it--that Sour and his mother grumbled and growled so much that
even the sea-people grew weary of them, and turned them and their boat
out on the open sea. What part of the world they chose to land on nobody
is sure of. By all accounts they have been seen everywhere, and I should
not be surprised if they were in this good company. As for Civil he
married Faith Feignless, and became a great lord.

CHAPTER VI

PRINCE WISEWIT'S RETURN

King Winwealth was so pleased with the stories told by the wonderful
chair that he gave Snowflower many presents, among which was a golden
girdle, and promised that she should no longer go into low company, but
feast with him and his nobles in the chief hall, and sleep in one of the
best rooms of the palace.

Snowflower was delighted at the promise of feasting with those noble
lords and ladies, whose wonderful stories she had heard from the chair.
She bowed very low, and thanked King Winwealth from the bottom of her
heart. All the company were glad to make room for her, and when her
golden girdle was put on, little Snowflower looked as fine as the best
of them.

"Mamma," whispered the Princess Greedalind, while she looked ready to
cry for sp