askedhe.

"thatdependsuponyourself,"repliedthefairy."ifyoudonot,likeadam,longforwhatisforbidden,youcanremainherealways."

"ishouldnottouchthefruitonthetreeofknowledge,"saidtheprince;thereisabundanceoffruitequallybeautiful."

"examineyourownheart,"saidtheprincess,"andifyoudonotfeelsureofitsstrength,returnwiththeeastwindwhobroughtyou.heisabouttoflyback,andwillnotreturnhereforahundredyears.thetimewillnotseemtoyoumorethanahundredhours,yeteventhatisalongtimefortemptationandresistance.everyevening,whenileaveyou,ishallbeobligedtosay,'comewithme,'andtobeckontoyouwithmyhand.butyoumustnotlisten,normovefromyourplacetofollowme;forwitheverystepyouwillfindyourpowertoresistweaker.ifonceyouattemptedtofollowme,youwouldsoonfindyourselfinthehall,wheregrowsthetreeofknowledge,forisleepbeneathitsperfumedbranches.ifyoustoopedoverme,ishouldbeforcedtosmile.ifyouthenkissedmylips,thegardenofparadisewouldsinkintotheearth,andtoyouitwouldbelost.akeenwindfromthedesertwouldhowlaroundyou;coldrainfallonyourhead,andsorrowandwoebeyourfuturelot."

"iwillremain,"saidtheprince.

sotheeastwindkissedhimontheforehead,andsaid,"befirm;thenshallwemeetagainwhenahundredyearshavepassed.farewell,farewell."thentheeastwindspreadhisbroadpinions,whichshonelikethelightninginharvest,orasthenorthernlightsinacoldwinter.

"farewell,farewell,"echoedthetreesandtheflowers.

storksandpelicansflewafterhiminfeatherybands,toaccompanyhimtotheboundariesofthegarden.

"nowwewillcommencedancing,"saidthefairy;andwhenitisnearlyoveratsunset,whileiamdancingwithyou,ishallmakeasign,andaskyoutofollowme:butdonotobey.ishallbeobligedtorepeatthesamethingforahundredyears;andeachtime,whenthetrialispast,ifyouresist,youwillgainstrength,tillresistancebecomeseasy,andatlastthetemptationwillbequiteovercome.thisevening,asitwillbethefirsttime,ihavewarnedyou."

afterthisthefairyledhimintoalargehall,filledwithtransparentlilies.theyellowstaminaofeachflowerformedatinygoldenharp,fromwhichcameforthstrainsofmusiclikethemingledtonesoffluteandlyre.beautifulmaidens,slenderandgracefulinform,androbedintransparentgauze,floatedthroughthedance,andsangofthehappylifeinthegardenofparadise,wheredeathneverentered,andwhereallwouldbloomforeverinimmortalyouth.asthesunwentdown,thewholeheavensbecamecrimsonandgold,andtintedthelilieswiththehueofroses.thenthebeautifulmaidensofferedtotheprincesparklingwine;andwhenhehaddrank,hefelthappinessgreaterthanhehadeverknownbefore.presentlythebackgroundofthehallopenedandthetreeofknowledgeappeared,surroundedbyahaloofglorythatalmostblindedhim.voices,softandlovelyashismother'ssoundedinhisears,asifsheweresingingtohim,"mychild,mybelovedchild."thenthefairybeckonedtohim,andsaidinsweetaccents,"comewithme,comewithme."forgettinghispromise,forgettingitevenontheveryfirstevening,herushedtowardsher,whileshecontinuedtobeckontohimandtosmile.thefragrancearoundhimoverpoweredhissenses,themusicfromtheharpssoundedmoreentrancing,whilearoundthetreeappearedmillionsofsmilingfaces,noddingandsinging."manshouldknoweverything;manisthelordoftheearth."thetreeofknowledgenolongerwepttearsofblood,forthedewdropsshonelikeglitteringstars.

"come,come,"continuedthatthrillingvoice,andtheprincefollowedthecall.ateverystephischeeksglowed,andthebloodrushedwildlythroughhisveins."imustfollow,"hecried;"itisnotasin,itcannotbe,tofollowbeautyandjoy.ionlywanttoseehersleep,andnothingwillhappenunlessikissher,andthatiwillnotdo,forihavestrengthtoresist,andadeterminedwill."

thefairythrewoffherdazzlingattire,bentbacktheboughs,andinanothermomentwashiddenamongthem.

"ihavenotsinnedyet,"saidtheprince,"andiwillnot;"andthenhepushedasidetheboughstofollowtheprincess.shewaslyingalreadyasleep,beautifulasonlyafairyinthegardenofparadisecouldbe.shesmiledashebentoverher,andhesawtearstremblingoutofherbeautifuleyelashes."doyouweepforme?"