and the lord chamberlain, being a man of some insight, perceived
that there was more in the prince's solicitation than met the ear.
He felt likewise that no one could tell whence a solution of the
present difficulties might arise. So he granted the prince's prayer
to be made shoeblack to the princess. It was rather cunning in the
prince to request such an easy post, for the princess could not
possibly soil as many shoes as other princesses.

He soon learned all that could be told about the princess. He went
nearly distracted; but after roaming about the lake for days, and
diving in every depth that remained, all that he could do was to
put an extra polish on the dainty pair of boots that was never
called for.

For the princess kept her room, with the curtains drawn to shut out
the dying lake, But she could not shut it out of her mind for a
moment. It haunted her imagination so that she felt as if the lake
were her soul, drying up within her, first to mud, then to madness
and death. She thus brooded over the change, with all its dreadful
accompaniments, till she was nearly distracted. As for the prince,
she had forgotten him. However much she had enjoyed his company in
the water, she did not care for him without it. But she seemed to
have forgotten her father and mother too. The lake went on sinking.
Small slimy spots began to appear, which glittered steadily amidst
the changeful shine of the water. These grew to broad patches of
mud, which widened and spread, with rocks here and there, and
floundering fishes and crawling eels swarming. The people went
everywhere catching these, and looking for anything that might have
dropped from the royal boats.