eir backs, and then she sprang out, and in an instant had stolen the
little Princess's heart and made her escape, only being chased by a few
dogs and scullions on her way across the courtyard. Once outside she
mounted her chariot and flew straight away to the North Pole, where
she shut up her stolen treasure on the summit of the Ice Mountain, and
surrounded it with so many difficulties that she felt quite easy about
its remaining there as long as the Princess lived, and then she went
home, chuckling at her success. As to the other Fairies, they went home
after the banquet without discovering that anything was amiss, and so
the King and Queen were quite happy. Sabella grew prettier day by day.
She learnt everything a Princess ought to know without the slightest
trouble, and yet something always seemed lacking to make her perfectly
charming. She had an exquisite voice, but whether her songs were grave
or gay it did not matter, she did not seem to know what they meant; and
everyone who heard her said:

'She certainly sings perfectly; but there is no tenderness, no heart in
her voice.' Poor Sabella! how could there be when her heart was far away
on the Ice Mountains? And it was just the same with all the other things
that she did. As time went on, in spite of the admiration of the whole
Court and the blind fondness of the King and Queen, it became more and
more evident that something was fatally wrong: for those who love no one
cannot long be loved; and at last the King called a general assembly,
and invited the Fairies to attend, that they might, if possible, find
out what was the matter. After explaining their grief as well as he
could, he ended by begging them to see the Princess for themselves. 'It
is certain,' said he, 'that something is wrong--what it is I don't know
how to tell you, but in some way your work is imperfect.'

They all assured him that, so far as they knew, everything had been done
for the Princess, and they had forgotten nothing that they could bestow
on so good a neighbour as the King had been to them. After this they
went to see Sabella; but they had no sooner entered her presence than
they cried out with one accord:

'Oh! horror!--she has no heart!'

On hearing this frightful announcement, the King and Queen gave a cry
of despair, and entreated the Fairies to find some remedy for such an
unheard-of misfortune. Thereupon the eldest Fairy consulted her Book of
Magic, which she always carried about