a phial which the princess had given him, he prepared to
descend into the cave.

"Cabriole," said he, "I shall soon be dead: then fill this phial with
my blood, and carry it to the Fair One with Golden Locks, and
afterwards to the king my master, to show him I have been faithful to
the last."

While he was thus speaking, a voice called, "Avenant, Avenant!"--and
he saw an owl sitting on a hollow tree. Said the owl: "You cut the net
in which I was caught, and I vowed to recompense you. Now is the time.
Give me the phial: I know every corner of the Grotto of Darkness--I
will fetch you the water of beauty."

Delighted beyond words, Avenant delivered up his phial; the owl flew
with it into the grotto, and in less than half-an-hour reappeared,
bringing it quite full and well corked. Avenant thanked her with all
his heart, and joyfully took once more the road to the city.

The Fair One with Golden Locks had no more to say. She consented to
accompany him back, with all her suite, to his master's court. On the
way thither, she saw so much of him, and found him so charming, that
Avenant might have married her himself had he chosen; but he would not
have been false to his master for all the beauties under the sun. At
length they arrived at the king's city, and the Fair One with Golden
Locks became his spouse and queen. But she still loved Avenant in her
heart, and often said to the king her lord--"But for Avenant I should
not be here; he has done all sorts of impossible deeds for my sake; he
has fetched me the water of beauty, and I shall never grow old--in
short, I owe him everything."

And she praised him in this sort so much, that at length the king
became jealous; and though Avenant gave him not the slightest cause of
offence, he shut him up in the same high tower once more--but with
irons on his hands and feet, and a cruel jailer besides, who fed him
with bread and water only. His sole companion was his little dog
Cabriole.

When the Fair One with Golden Locks heard of this, she reproached her
husband for his ingratitude, and then, throwing herself at his knees,
implored that Avenant might be set free. But the king only said, "She
loves him!" and refused her prayer. The queen entreated no more, but
fell into a deep melancholy.

When the king saw it, he thought she did not care for him because he
was not handsome enough; and that if he could wash his face with her
water of beauty, it would make her love him more. He k