a mortal, a prince, and a wicked witch has
turned me into a tree. Can you not help me?"

"Alas, poor friend, I can do nothing," replied the King. "However, do
not despair. In my travels through the world, I shall surely find
someone who can help you. Look for me on next Midsummer Eve."

So the great elm swayed his branches sadly, and the King went on his
way.

The winter came again, silent and dark and cold. At the return of
spring, a maiden who dwelt with a family of wood-cutters came often to
rest in the shade of the great tree. Her father had once been a rich
merchant, but evil times had overtaken him, and at his death the only
relatives who could be found to take care of the little girl were a
family of rough wood-cutters in the royal service. These grudging folk
kept the poor maiden always hard at work and gave her the most difficult
household tasks. The Prince, who knew the whole story, pitied her very
much, and ended by falling quite in love with her. As for the unhappy
maiden, it seemed to her that beneath the sheltering shade of the great
elm she enjoyed a peace and happiness to be found nowhere else.

Now it was the custom of the wood-men to cut down, during the summer,
such trees as would be needed for the coming winter, and one day the
wood-cutter in whose family the maiden dwelt announced his intention of
cutting down the great elm.

"Not the great elm which towers above all the forest?" cried the maiden.

"Yes, that very tree," answered the woodcutter gruffly. "To-morrow
morning we shall fell it to the ground, and to-morrow night we shall
build the midsummer fire with its smaller branches. What are you crying
about, you silly girl?"

"Oh, please don't cut the great elm!" begged the good maiden.

"Nonsense!" said the wood-cutter. "I wager you have been wasting your
time under its branches. I shall certainly cut the tree down in the
morning."

All night long, you may be sure, the maiden pondered on the best way to
save the great tree; and since she was as clever as she was good, she at
length hit upon a plan. Rising early on Midsummer Morn, she ran to the
forest, climbed the great elm, and concealed herself in its topmost
branches. She saw the rest of the wood beneath her, and the distant
peaks of the Adamant Mountains; and she rejoiced in the dawn songs of
the birds.

An hour after the sun had risen, she heard the voices of the wood-cutter
and his men as they came through the wood. Soon the ban