ndred days will be over in an
hour, and long before we could reach the Egyptian capital the doctor
will be on his way home. Still, I will go out again, and cast the net
once more myself.' And so he did, and at the very moment that the
hundred days were up, he drew in the net with the Golden-headed Fish
entangled in its meshes.

'Success has come, but, as happens often, it is too late,' murmured
the young man, who had studied in the schools of philosophy; 'but, all
the same, put the fish in that vessel full of water, and we will take
it back to show my father that we have done what we could.' But when
he drew near the fish it looked up at him with such piteous eyes that
he could not make up his mind to condemn it to death. For he knew well
that, though the doctors of his own country were ignorant of the
secret of the ointment, they would do all in their power to extract
something from the fish's blood. So he picked up the prize of so much
labour, and threw it back into the sea, and then began his journey
back to the palace. When at last he reached it he found the king in a
high fever, caused by his disappointment, and he refused to believe
the story told him by his son.

'Your head shall pay for it! Your head shall pay for it!' cried he;
and bade the courtiers instantly summon the executioner to the palace.

But of course somebody ran at once to the queen, and told her of the
king's order, and she put common clothes on the prince, and filled his
pockets with gold, and hurried him on board a ship which was sailing
that night for a distant island.

'Your father will repent some day, and then he will be thankful to
know you are alive,' said she. 'But one last counsel will I give you,
and that is, take no man into your service who desires to be paid
every month.'

The young prince thought this advice rather odd. If the servant had to
be paid anyhow, he did not understand what difference it could make
whether it was by the year or by the month. However, he had many times
proved that his mother was wiser than he, so he promised obedience.

* * * * *

After a voyage of several weeks, he arrived at the island of which his
mother had spoken. It was full of hills and woods and flowers, and
beautiful white houses stood everywhere in gardens.

'What a charming spot to live in,' thought the prince. And he lost no
time in buying one of the prettiest of the dwellings.

Then servants came pressi