slid from the horse and ran to them and threw his arms around them.
"This is my Daddy, and this is my Mamma!" he told them.

The little boy's Mamma and the little boy's Daddy dismounted and came to
the three little gnomes and thanked them for returning the little boy to
them. "We will give you anything you wish for!" said the little boy's
Mamma and Daddy.

"We wish for nothing!" said the three little gnomes, "We live happily
here in the forest and our wants are simple, but if you could send
us some clean white cloths to bind up the wounds you give our forest
friends we would be very grateful!"

"I told Daddy of the wounded creatures!" said the little boy. "Yes," his
Daddy said, "and I have given orders that no one in my country shall
hunt through this forest, and from now on your forest friends will be
unmolested and can always live here in peace and happiness." For the
great king was sorry that he or his men had ever caused any of the
forest creatures any sorrow. And after that the creatures of the forest
were never harmed and they grew up so tame they would wander right up to
the castle, where the king's men would feed them.

The tiny thread of smoke still curls up over the trunk of the fallen
tree, and the voices of the little boy and his Daddy mingle with the
tiny voices of the three little gnomes as they prepare their dinner; for
the great King and the little Prince come often to visit their friends,
the three little gnomes.

[Illustration]