| Share page |
|
270 PRINCE AND PRINCESS IN THE FOREST
' And do you know that part of the garden which is known as the Queen's Bed ? '
' Yes.'
' Well, perhaps you don't know this, that whoever has bad eyes, or no eyes at all, should bathe his eye-sockets in the dew that falls there to-night, because then he will get his sight back. Only he must do it between twelve and one o'clock.'
That was good news for the prince and princess to hear, and the young man begged the princess to lead him to the place called the Queen's Bed, which was the little plot of grass where the queen used often to lie down and take her midday nap. Then, between twelve and one o'clock, he bathed his eyes with the dew that was falling there, and found he could see again as well as ever.
' I can see you ! ' he said to the princess, gazing at her as if he had never seen anything before.
' I don't believe it,' she answered.
' Well, go and hang your handkerchief on a bush, and if I find it at once you must believe me,' he said.
And so she did, and he went straight up to the handkerchief.
' Yes, indeed, you can see,' cried the princess. ' To think that my mother's bed has really given back your sight! ' and she went to the bank and sat down again ; and by-and-by, as the day was hot, the princess fell asleep. As the prince watched her he suddenly saw something shining on her neck. It was a little golden lamp that gave out a bright light, and it hung from a golden chain. The prince thought he would like to examine it more closely, so he unfastened the chain, but as he did so the lamp fell to the ground. Before he could pick it up a hawk flew in, snatched up the little lamp and flew away again with it. The prince set off in pursuit, and ran on and on without being able to catch the bird, until at length he had lost his way. Trying ta |
||