es me to
do as hinds do. I feel myself every morning irresistibly compelled to
run into the wood, to leap and bound, and eat grass, and behave myself
exactly like a wild creature of the forest. Oh, how weary I am!"

Her soft eyes closed, and she fell asleep until the dawn of day, when
again she was driven out in the shape of a poor four-footed creature,
to fulfil her sad destiny.

The prince on his part came home also very much wearied and vexed.
"Becafico," he said, "I have spent the day in chasing the most
beautiful hind I ever saw. She has slipped from me time after time
with the most wondrous adroitness; yet my arrows were so true that I
marvel how she escaped. At dawn to-morrow I must be after her once
more."

So he did not fail to go, at earliest dawn, to her hiding-place; but
the hind took care not to re-visit her favourite haunt. He sought her
everywhere, and could see nothing; then being very tired and hot, he
gathered some luscious apples which he saw hanging upon a tree over
his head. As soon as he ate them he fell fast asleep.

Meantime the hind, roaming stealthily about, came to the place where
he lay--came quite suddenly, or else she would have taken to flight;
but now seeing her enemy sound asleep, she paused a minute to look at
him; and in his features, wasted with grief, but still so loveable
and beautiful, she recognised the face which had long been engraven on
her heart. The poor hind! she crouched down at a little distance, and
watched him, her eyes beaming with joy. Then she sighed: at length,
become bolder, she approached nearer, and softly touched him with her
fore-foot.

Awaking, what was the prince's surprise to see beside him, tame and
familiar, the pretty creature whom he had hunted all yesterday; but
when he put out his hand to seize her, she fled away like lightning.
He followed with all the speed he could, and thus, she flying and he
pursuing, they passed the whole day. Towards evening her strength
failed; and when the hunter came up to her it was a poor half-dying
deer that he found lying on the grass. She thought her death was
certain--still, from his hands, it did not seem so terrible as from
any one else; but instead of killing her he caressed her.

"Beautiful hind," said he, "do not be afraid. I only wish to take you
home with me, and have you with me always." He cut branches of trees,
wove them ingeniously into a sort of couch, which he strewed with
roses and moss; then took t