thewindcaughthermantle,sothatitspreadoutonallsides,likethelargesailofaship,andthemoonshonethroughit."howithails,tobesure!"saidtheprincess,ateachblowshereceivedfromtherod;anditservedherrighttobewhipped.

atlastshereachedthesideofthemountain,andknocked.themountainopenedwithanoiseliketherollofthunder,andtheprincesswentin.thetravellerfollowedher;noonecouldseehim,ashehadmadehimselfinvisible.theywentthroughalong,widethousandgleamingspidersranhereandthereonthewalls,causingthemtoglitterasiftheywereilluminatedwithfire.theynextenteredalargehallbuiltofsilverandgold.largeredandblueflowersshoneonthewalls,lookinglikesunflowersinsize,butnoonecoulddaretopluckthem,forthestemswerehideouspoisonoussnakes,andtheflowerswereflamesoffire,dartingoutoftheirjaws.shiningglow-wormscoveredtheceiling,andsky-bluebatsflappedtheirtransparentwings.altogethertheplacehadafrightfulappearance.inthemiddleofthefloorstoodathronesupportedbyfourskeletonhorses,whoseharnesshadbeenmadebyfiery-redspiders.thethroneitselfwasmadeofmilk-whiteglass,andthecushionswerelittleblackmice,eachbitingtheother'sverithungacanopyofrose-coloredspider'swebs,spottedwiththeprettiestlittlegreenflies,whichsparkledlikepreciousthethronesatanoldmagicianwithacrownonhisuglyhead,andasceptreinhishand.hekissedtheprincessontheforehead,seatedherbyhissideonthesplendidthrone,andthenthemusiccommenced.greatblackgrasshoppersplayedthemouthorgan,andtheowlstruckherselfonthebodyinsteadofadrum.itwasaltogetheraridiculousconcert.littleblackgoblinswithfalselightsintheircapsdancedaboutthehall;butnoonecouldseethetraveller,andhehadplacedhimselfjustbehindthethronewherehecouldseeandheareverything.thecourtierswhocameinafterwardslookednobleandgrand;butanyonewithcommonsensecouldseewhattheyreallywere,onlybroomsticks,withcabbagesforheads.themagicianhadgiventhemlife,anddressedtheminembroideredansweredverywell,astheywereonlywantedforshow.aftertherehadbeenalittledancing,theprincesstoldthemagicianthatshehadanewsuitor,andaskedhimwhatshecouldthinkofforthesuitortoguesswhenhecametothecastlethenextmorning.

"listentowhatisay,"saidthemagician,"youmustchoosesomethingveryeasy,heislesslikelytoguessitthen.thinkofoneofyourshoes,hewillneverimagineitisthat.thencuthisheadoff;andmindyoudonotforgettobringhiseyeswithyouto-morrownight,thatimayeatthem."

theprincesscurtsiedlow,andsaidshewouldnotforgettheeyes.

themagicianthenopenedthemountainandsheflewhomeagain,butthetravellerfollowedandfloggedhersomuchwiththerod,thatshesighedquitedeeplyabouttheheavyhail-storm,andmadeasmuchhasteasshecouldtogetbacktoherbedroomthroughthetravellerthenreturnedtotheinnwherejohnstillslept,tookoffhiswingsandlaiddownonthebed,forhewasverytired.earlyinthemorningjohnawoke,andwhenhisfellow-travellergotup,hesaidthathehadaverywonderfuldreamabouttheprincessandhershoe,hethereforeadvisedjohntoaskherifshehadnotthoughtofhershoe.ofcoursethetravellerknewthisfromwhatthemagicianinthemountainhadsaid.

"imayaswellsaythatasanything,"saidjohn."perhapsyourdreammaycometrue;stilliwillsayfarewell,forifiguesswrongishallneverseeyouagain."

thentheyembracedeachother,andjohnwentintothetownandwalkedtothepalace.thegreathallwasfullofpeople,andthejudgessatinarm-chairs,witheider-downcushionstoresttheirheadsupon,becausetheyhadsomuchtothinkof.theoldkingstoodnear,wipinghiseyeswithhiswhitepocket-handkerchief.whentheprincessentered,shelookedevenmorebeautifulthanshehadappearedthedaybefore,andgreetedeveryonepresentmostgracefully;buttojohnshegaveherhand,andsaid,"goodmorningtoyou."

nowcamethetimeforjohntoguesswhatshewasthinkingof;andoh,howkindlyshelookedathimasshespoke.butwhenheutteredthesinglewordshoe,sheturnedaspaleasaghost;allherwisdomcouldnothelpher,forhehadguessedrightly.oh,howpleasedtheoldkingwas!