performers will lose nothing by being seen; on the
contrary, they would please the more."

"Sire," answered the princess, smiling, "they are not musicians, but
the leaves of the tree your majesty sees before you, which form this
concert; and if you will give yourself the trouble to go a little
nearer, you will be convinced, for the voices will be the more
distinct."

The emperor went nearer, and was so charmed with the sweet harmony
that he could never have been tired with hearing it.

"Daughter," said he, "tell me, I pray you, whether this wonderful tree
was found in your garden by chance, or was a present made to you, or
have you procured it from some foreign country? It must certainly have
come from a great distance, otherwise, curious as I am after natural
rarities, I should have heard of it. What name do you call it by?"

"Sire," replied the princess, "this tree has no other name than that
of the singing-tree, and is not a native of this country. Its history
is connected with the yellow-water and the speaking-bird, which came
to me at the same time, and which your majesty may see after you have
rested yourself. And if it please you, I will relate to you the
history of these rarities."

"My daughter," replied the emperor, "my fatigue is so well recompensed
by the wonderful things you have shown me, that I do not feel it the
least. I am impatient to see the yellow-water and to admire the
speaking-bird."

When the emperor came to the yellow-water his eyes were fixed so
steadfastly upon the fountain that he could not take them off. At
last, addressing himself to the princess, he said, "Whence is this
wonderful water? Where its source? By what art is it made to play so
high that nothing in the world can be compared to it? I conclude that
it is foreign, as well as the singing-tree."

"Sire," replied the princess, "it is as your majesty conjectures; and
to let you know that this water has no communication with any spring,
I must inform you that the basin is one entire stone, so that the
water cannot come in at the sides or underneath. But what your majesty
will think most wonderful is, that all this water proceeded but from
one small flagon, emptied into this basin, which increased to the
quantity you see, by a property peculiar to itself, and formed this
fountain."

"Well," said the emperor, going from the fountain, "this is enough for
one time. I promise myself the pleasure to come and visit it often.
Now le