casting into it some of the water out of her bottle. When she had
finished the circuit she muttered yet again, and flung a handful of
water towards the moon. Thereupon every spring in the country
ceased to throb and bubble, dying away like the pulse of a dying
man. The next day there was no sound of falling water to be heard
along the borders of the lake. The very courses were dry; and the
mountains showed no silvery streaks down their dark sides. And not
alone had the fountains of mother Earth ceased to flow; for all the
babies throughout the country were crying dreadfully--only without
tears.



12. Where Is the Prince?


Never since the night when the princess left him so abruptly had
the prince had a single interview with her. He had seen her once or
twice in the lake; but as far as he could discover, she had not
been in it any more at night. He had sat and sung, and looked in
vain for his Nereid; while she, like a true Nereid, was wasting
away with her lake, sinking as it sank, withering as it dried. When
at length he discovered the change that was taking place in the
level of the water, he was in great alarm and perplexity. He could
not tell whether the lake was dying because the lady had forsaken
it; or whether the lady would not come because the lake had begun
to sink. But he resolved to know so much at least.

He disguised himself, and, going to the palace, requested to see
the lord chamberlain. His appearance at once gained his request;