uet
to be set forth, while hidden musicians played softly, and the silvery
fountains plashed down into their marble basins, and when presently
the music stopped a single nightingale broke the stillness with his
delicious chant.

'Ah!' cried the Princess, recognizing the voice of one of her
favourites, 'Philomel, my sweet one, who taught you that new song?'

And he answered: 'Love, my Princess.'

Meanwhile the Enchanter was very ill-pleased with the entertainment,
which he declared was dulness itself.

'You don't seem to have any idea in these parts beyond little squeaking
birds!' said he. 'And fancy giving a banquet without so much as an ounce
of plate!'

So the next day, when the Princess went out into her garden, there stood
a summer-house built of solid gold, decorated within and without with
her initials and the Enchanter's combined. And in it was spread an
enormous repast, while the table so glittered with golden cups and
plates, flagons and dishes, candlesticks and a hundred other things
beside, that it was hardly possible to look steadily at it. The
Enchanter ate like six ogres, but the Princess could not touch a morsel.
Presently Grumedan remarked with a grin:

'I have provided neither musicians nor singers; but as you seem fond of
music I will sing to you myself.'

Whereupon he began, with a voice like a screech-owl's, to chant the
words of his 'opera,' only this time happily not at such a length, and
without the frog accompaniment. After this the Prince again asked the
aid of his friends the birds, and when they had assembled from all the
country round he tied about the neck of each one a tiny lamp of some
brilliant colour, and when darkness fell he made them go through a
hundred pretty tricks before the delighted Potentilla, who clapped her
little hands with delight when she saw her own name traced in points of
light against the dark trees, or when the whole flock of sparks grouped
themselves into bouquets of different colours, like living flowers.
Grumedan leaning back in his arm-chair, with one knee crossed over the
other and his nose in the air, looked on disdainfully.

'Oh! if you like fireworks, Princess,' said he; and the next night all
the will-o'-the-wisps in the country came and danced on the plain, which
could be seen from the Princess's windows, and as she was looking out,
and rather enjoying the sight, up sprang a frightful volcano, pouring
out smoke and flames which terrified her greatl