a strong
castle on the top of a mountain, which should be fitted with the most
precious things from the king's own palace, and every kind of toy a
child could wish to play with. And, besides, he gave the strictest
orders that a guard should walk round the castle night and day.

For four or five years the baby lived in the castle alone with his
nurses, taking his airings on the broad terraces, which were
surrounded by walls, with a moat beneath them, and only a drawbridge
to connect them with the outer world.

One day, when the prince was old enough to run quite fast by himself,
he looked from the terrace across the moat, and saw a little soft
fluffy ball of a dog jumping and playing on the other side. Now, of
course, all dogs had been kept from him for fear that the fairies'
prophecy should come true, and he had never even beheld one before. So
he turned to the page who was walking behind him, and said:

'What is that funny little thing which is running so fast over there?'

'That is a dog, prince,' answered the page.

'Well, bring me one like it, and we will see which can run the
faster.' And he watched the dog till it had disappeared round the
corner.

The page was much puzzled to know what to do. He had strict orders to
refuse the prince nothing; yet he remembered the prophecy, and felt
that this was a serious matter. At last he thought he had better tell
the king the whole story, and let him decide the question.

'Oh, get him a dog if he wants one,' said the king, 'he will only cry
his heart out if he does not have it.' So a puppy was found, exactly
like the other; they might have been twins, and perhaps they were.

Years went by, and the boy and the dog played together till the boy
grew tall and strong. The time came at last when he sent a message to
his father, saying:

'Why do you keep me shut up here, doing nothing? I know all about the
prophecy that was made at my birth, but I would far rather be killed
at once than live an idle, useless life here. So give me arms, and let
me go, I pray you; me and my dog too.'

And again the king listened to his wishes, and he and his dog were
carried in a ship to the other side of the river, which was so broad
here it might almost have been the sea. A black horse was waiting for
him, tied to a tree, and he mounted and rode away wherever his fancy
took him, the dog always at his heels. Never was any prince so happy
as he, and he rode and rode till at length he cam