Mrs. Van Buren went in and took the plate down; and little Sky-High
said, "It is the mandarin plate of our country. In the plate you cannot
see the Good Spirit in the air, but it is there. This Good Spirit in the
air changes people into other forms when trouble comes, and they fly
away."

"But what is the story?" asked Lucy.

"There was once a prince," said Sky-High, "whose name was Chang. He was
a good prince; and there he is--the young man in the plate.

"And Prince Chang, the Good, loved a beautiful princess, as good as she
was pretty; and there _she_ is--the young woman in the plate.

"The prince and princess went to live on a beautiful isle, where was an
orange-tree--see--and there was an old mandarin who lived near--see his
house there--and he did not like the good prince and pretty princess
when he saw how happy they were on the Isle of the Orange-tree.

"So he determined to separate them; and one day, when he was very full
of dislike, he went towards the bridge that led to the Beautiful Isle to
catch them. But something very wonderful happened."

"Oh, what _did_ happen?" said Lucy. "I can hardly wait to learn."

"The Good Spirit of the air saw the grim old mandarin stealing away
toward the bridge to cross to the Beautiful Isle of the Orange-tree, and
he changed the prince and princess into two birds and they flew away.
See them flying there at the top of the plate!"