with her, hung to her girdle by
a thick silver chain, and there she found out at once that it was
Gorgonzola who had stolen the Princess's heart, and also discovered what
the wicked old Fairy had done with it.

'What shall we do? What shall we do?' cried the King and Queen in one
breath.

'You must certainly suffer much annoyance from seeing and loving
Sabella, who is nothing but a beautiful image,' replied the Fairy, 'and
this must go on for a long time; but I think I see that, in the end,
she will once more regain her heart. My advice is that you shall at once
cause her portrait to be sent all over the world, and promise her hand
and all her possessions to the Prince who is successful in reaching her
heart. Her beauty alone is sufficient to engage all the Princes of the
world in the quest.'

This was accordingly done, and Prince Mannikin heard that already five
hundred Princes had perished in the snow and ice, not to mention their
squires and pages, and that more continued to arrive daily, eager to try
their fortune. After some consideration he determined to present
himself at Court; but his arrival made no stir, as his retinue was as
inconsiderable as his stature, and the splendour of his rivals was great
enough to throw even Farda-Kinbras himself into the shade. However, he
paid his respects to the King very gracefully, and asked permission to
kiss the hand of the Princess in the usual manner; but when he said he
was called 'Mannikin,' the King could hardly repress a smile, and the
Princes who stood by openly shouted with laughter.

Turning to the King, Prince Mannikin said with great dignity:

'Pray laugh if it pleases your Majesty, I am glad that it is in my
power to afford you any amusement; but I am not a plaything for these
gentlemen, and I must beg them to dismiss any ideas of that kind from
their minds at once,' and with that he turned upon the one who had
laughed the loudest and proudly challenged him to a single combat. This
Prince, who was called Fadasse, accepted the challenge very scornfully,
mocking at Mannikin, whom he felt sure had no chance against himself;
but the meeting was arranged for the next day. When Prince Mannikin
quitted the King's presence he was conducted to the audience hall of the
Princess Sabella. The sight of so much beauty and magnificence almost
took his breath away for an instant, but, recovering himself with an
effort, he said:

'Lovely Princess, irresistibly drawn by the