ince that terrible hour when the spell was put upon me. My
subjects only know that I am still alive. The Lord Chancellor rules the
kingdom in my stead. But hearken to my story.

"Ten months ago, as I was driving my chariot down a narrow road built
along a river-bank close to the stream, I encountered a chariot being
driven furiously in the opposite direction. The driver of the chariot
was a tall, elderly man, wearing a wizard's cap; his face was red as
with anger, an evil light gleamed in his small malicious eyes. In order
to let him pass, I turned to one side, as near to the river-brink as I
dared; but the space was too narrow, our chariots locked wheels, and his
was overthrown. Turning upon me a face aflame with hatred, he cried out,
'I will teach you what it is to offend the Enchanter Zidoc'; and an
instant later the wizard himself, the struggling horses, and the
overturned chariot disappeared in a rumble of thunder and a great flash
of flame. I turned homeward, never noticing that anything had happened
to me. As I chanced to pass a roadside cottage, a little child playing
about saw me and ran, screaming for fear, to the door. A little farther
on, I stopped to drink of a spring. Judge of my horror when I leaned
over the clear pool of water and saw that my face had turned a bright
green! I waited till nightfall, stole into the castle unobserved, and
sought the aid of my aunt, the fairy. You know the rest. Speak, O
wonderful dog and wonderful cat, and bid me hope a little!"

And the poor King hid his bright green face in his hands.

"The Enchanter Zidoc is an old enemy of our dear master," said the white
dog, "and his power as a sorcerer is the greatest in Fairyland!'

"I have tried all my powers against him in vain," said the Fairy Jocapa,
sadly.

"But let us not despair," broke in the cat. "Zidoc is now to be found in
these dominions. His castle lies on the border of the Silver Hills. The
dog and I will go there, and see if we can help the King."

So the Fairy and the unhappy King thanked the wise animals, and sent for
the blind old women to lead them back to the upper world. Early next
morning, the famous pair began the journey to the Enchanter's den. The
dog's plan was to pretend to be but an everyday stray dog, and to this
end, he rolled several times in a mud-puddle; the cat, too, was to
appear as a stray cat, and neglected his fine black coat in order to
look the part.

Unfortunately for their plan, Zidoc