(unlabelled) In the meanwhile Prince Dorion, distracted with grief, was trying in every way to dig down deep enough to rescue his beloved bride. But the stones would not yield. He had seen his darling disappear in the hands of the hideous black dwarf, and he often came to that place to mourn. Night after night he visited it, hoping a miracle would restore Ethelda to him there. But all day he searched the world for her.
 
155
The Earth, mortified by this outrage to her hospitality, tried to help him. Her granddaughters, the mermaids, had sought information from every part of the globe, but as yet without success. The Moon Princess had disappeared from the face of the Earth completely. The year passed, and sorrowful and sick at heart the Sun Prince bade his companions adieu. He determined to abide upon the Earth until he found Ethelda. What was his amazement, therefore, when the knights and maidens refused to leave him. They would wait with him, they said. The loss of his bride had bound them more closely together. The Sun’s rays looked down appealingly and the Moon ladder glittered temptingly, but they bravely turned their eyes away. They built a beautiful city near the Ocean, where they could see the Moon ladder more plainly, but they had lost the right to climb its shining steps, for the twelve months had expired.
 
Prince Dorion searched every day for his bride. He consulted a wise witch living alone in a deep forest, but she shook her head sadly, and always replied in these curious words:—
 
“Search as you please,
But not among trees
Shall the fair Princess be found.
Go from the water
To the Moon’s daughter;
There lies she in prison bound!”
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Never a word more would she utter, and the poor Prince would puzzle himself about how he could reach the Princess. But he continued his search. He would often go to the spot where his beloved had disappeared. A stately tree, as slender as the Princess, had sprung up there. Its waving green branches swayed gently, and stretched out with delicate, tender leaves. Its trunk wore the white and silver dress of the Moon maiden, and stood like a ghost to mark the place.
 
The Earth people ever after called it the Silver Birch. At its foot a beautiful little spring had bubbled up, and its crystal-clear waters had formed a tiny stream that gurgled over the rocks, seeking to reach the sea. In its shining depths he sometimes saw the Moon’s ladder, and he fancied the clear blue eyes of Ethelda looked out wistfully at him. But it was only the blue patches of sky overhead.
 
One night, sad and depressed, he sat beside the Ocean. The great throbbing sea seemed to soothe him a little. While he sat there thinking of Ethelda, and almost despairing, a mermaid floated shoreward. Resting her beautiful arms on the white gleaming sand, she spoke to him.
 
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“O, Prince of the Sun,” she began, “I have news for you—news of your lost bride.”
 
“News of my beloved Ethelda?” cried the Prince, joyously.
 
“Yes,” answered the mermaid, “your Ethelda is safe and unharmed. I have seen her.”
 
“You have seen her?” cried the Prince. “O favored mermaid, take me to her at once.”
 
“Mighty Prince,” replied she, “I have come to show you the way. Do you remember the bubbling stream you have often sat beside? It was formed from Ethelda’s tears. Those crystal drops arose even through the rocks to comfort you; but deeper down ran the stream, cutting into the Earth until it formed a dark and gloomy river to lead you back to her. I found this stream and followed it—straight from the crystal spring into a dark and gloomy cave. There Ethelda lives and waits for you.”
 
A moment more and Prince Dorion was swimming beside the little mermaid. They swam along the coast until a dark line showed them where the river joined the ocean. And after many a turn and twist in the black river, they reached Ethelda’s cave.
 
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The Moon Princess sat within the vaulted Star Chamber alone. What a radiant creature she was! Her silver halo surrounded her, and she was chanting in a musical voice the pretty words which had caused it to form. The Sun Prince’s eyes dwelt lovingly upon her, but he was amazed to see overhead the stars shining in the clear blue vault of heaven.
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