Part 3

"Just as she reached the island she saw the Prince standing on a rock and bravely defending himself against the guard of the King.

"As quick as could be the mermaid called to him to leap off of the rocks into the sea, for although he had killed at least a dozen of his foes he was faint and sorely pressed. When he heard her call he smote the captain of the guard a fierce blow, and bounding up the rocks hesitated an instant, and then leaped boldly into the foaming waters at their feet.

"For a moment he felt his strength fail, then he saw a thousand colours before his eyes, then a gray mist came over them, and after that darkness, until he awakened as from a dream of death.

"When he became conscious, he was under the water seated at the foot of a vast tree of coral. About him was a forest of like trees, hung with huge pearls and covered with sea-weed of many tints, among which great fish and nameless ocean beasts floated lazily to and fro.

"'Come,' said the mermaid, 'You are now a son of the sea. Let us go.'

"Upon this he arose and in a great maze of wonder walked along, while the mermaid swam easily by his side. Sometimes they passed huge heaps of amber, and sometimes turned aside from the wrecks of mighty ships, or else trode through caverns whose sand was gold dust and gleaming jewels, till at length they came to a vast wall of rock.

"Here the mermaid knocked and a door opened and let them into a mighty hall builded throughout of the purest jasper.

"But what the Prince saw here no one will ever know, for here the mermen and mermaids lived, and here they made the Prince so welcome that he would never have wished for earth again if the Princess whom he loved had only been with him.

"Meanwhile King Omar felt himself growing old and feeble, but the nearer he came to death the more he desired to live. Then there came into his head a cunning way to cheat the Angel of Death. He therefore summoned his counsel and spake to them thus,

"'It has been foretold that I shall die when my daughter marries. Now let proclamation be made that whosoever shall bring to me a cup of water from the fountain of youth shall have the Princess for his wife. So shall I drink of the water and become young again, and that which was to kill me shall bring me life.'

"Then there was silence awhile till at last an aged Mufti arose.

"'Oh King!' said he, 'Beware how you resist the words of fate. Is it so easy to live rightly that you would crave for more of life? He who lengthens the life of this world makes shorter the life of the world to come. Beware!'

"'Fool!' said the King, 'thou art ten years younger than I. Let it be as I have said.'

"Soon after this the mermaid said to Ali, 'It is time Prince that you left us. The King desires a cup of the fountain of youth, and to him who brings it he will give the Princess. Therefore have no fear, but take thy sword and this crystal flask, and passing through yonder gateway journey on until you reach a deep valley, at the bottom of which you will find the fountain. Drink none, but fill your flask and hasten to the King without pause or fear.'

"With this counsel the Prince took his sword, and tying the flask about his neck set out. As he stepped through the gate-way of amber he looked up and saw above him the splendid blue of the deep sea like one vast quiet sapphire. Before him a gradual slope led downwards over rocks and sea grasses which at last ceased, and he came upon a floor of sand whiter than the purest snow.

"As the descent ended he saw in front of him a majestic angel of vast height. Her foot rested on a marble skull of huge proportions, and upon her brow was written _Azrael_.

"For a moment the Prince paused in dread; then he took courage and said humbly,

"'Is this the fountain of youth?' As he ceased the angel murmured, '_Out of death cometh all life_,' and solemnly struck the skull with her wand. Instantly a purple liquid gushed from under the skull and floated in slow spirals upward through the still water.

"With a bound the Prince knelt at the skull, filled his flask and turned away in haste, for already the purple color was tinting the whole sea about him, and he remembered well the mermaid's warning.

"Three days after this Ali reached the court of King Omar. To his great joy he found the court sitting, and the King on his throne.

"So splendid was Prince Ali's dress and so noble his air that no one stopped him, and he entered freely and unquestioned. Before him sat the King his uncle. He was very old, but still vigourous enough to live for many years beyond the common span of human life.

"Ali listened while the Muftis read aloud the promise of the King that whosoever brought the cup of water from the fountain of youth should marry the Princess Jessalie.

"No sooner had they ended than Ali bowed before the throne.

"'Oh King!' said he, 'I am the Prince Ali, thy nephew, whom you would have slain. I have brought to you here a cup of the water of the fountain of youth, Drink, but read first what words have come on the flask since I filled it at the fountain. Drink then if you will, and give me the Princess, for by my sword this is water of the fountain of youth and none other.'

"'Ha!' said the King, 'Give it to me!' and tottering he arose and descending a few steps seized the flask. Then he tore from it the silver cover with which the Prince had sealed it.

"At once a dense purple vapour rose in clouds from the lip of the flask and curled upwards through the hall. Whosoever breathed of this his eyes flashed and he dreamed of mornings long ago, and of fair women and of boyhood, so that all who felt it stood bewildered.

"Then cried the King, 'I drink to youth!' and would have drained the flask, but Ali held his hand and bade him read the words which were graven upon the vessel.

'"It is but a moment to wait for youth,' cried the King, and turning to a magician bade him read the words, 'For,' said he, 'I am old and my sight fails me.'

"'Oh my master!' said the magician, 'these are the words:

"'He who steals to-morrows Shall drink the wine of sorrows.'"

"Then the aged counsellor fell back with an altered face as he breathed the purple fumes, 'Woe is me! I am stronger! I am grown younger! Woe is me! I am further from Allah.'

"But the King, saying no word, set the flask to his lips and drained it to the utmost drop. Then with a cry of delight he threw the vessel away, and shouting aloud, 'I am young again!' bounded up the steps and pausing faced the mutely wondering crowd.

"When he turned he was seen as a man in the lusty vigour of life, stalwart and strong of limb.

"'Ho!' he said, 'my guard!' but none stirred, for his face was still changing, and now his beard was gone, and it was a lad who sat upon the throne, and a lad's voice which cried aloud.

"'This man to the dungeons! What ho! my guard!' And yet they moved not, for the lad was now a child.

"Still the stern will worked, and the child-King said faintly, 'My guards! my guards!' till his voice broke into baby lispings, and now it was an infant who sat upon the throne.

"Then the changes seemed to cease, and the ancient counsellor who had so wisely warned the King cried aloud, 'Allah il Allah! great and wonderful are thy ways!'

"When one man had thus broken silence a mighty tumult arose, amidst which the baby King looked right and left with blue eyes of wonder.

"But Ali drew his sword and in a terrible voice ordered the guard to clear the hall. Instantly he was obeyed, and then there was great counsel held as to what should be done with the King. At length it was decided that he should be sent to the island where Ali had lived, and be kept there all his days. These indeed proved few, for it is recorded in the chronicles of the kingdom that he took teething rather hard, and died in his second summer of malignant whooping-cough.

"As to Prince Ali he married his cousin the Princess Jessalie, and the mermen and the mermaids came to the wedding and brought with them for presents pearls and amber and tortoise shells such as folks never see now-a-days.

"They lived long together, and loved one another well, and they both died at one and the same moment, which was the happiest thing of all their happy lives."

* * * * *

The sun was not yet down on the next evening when the young spiders began to collect around Fuz-buz.

"Tell us," said one of them, "a story about giants."

"There's a jolly idea," cried another. "Is it to be a spider giant?"

"Ahem!" replied Fuz-buz. "I wish there were such giants, and I wish one of them would come along this very moment and gobble you all up."

This he said in so fierce a voice that the young spiders ran away squealing so loud that if you had been a spider and had owned an ear-trumpet, you might have heard them at least three inches off.

As for Mrs. Grabem she hurried in a rage to Fuz-Buz, and gave him a shake, saying, "Have a care old rascal, how you scare my young ones. Tell them a story at once, or you shall never tell another on this earth."

"Yes, madam," answered Fuz-buz very meekly, and as soon as ever he could get his breath he began as follows, to tell them the story of Krusstikuss and Growlegrum.

KRUSSTIKUSS AND GROWLEGRUM.

"There have been many giants I believe, but there never were any others like the great giant Growlegrum and his twin brother Krusstikuss.

"These two giants were both of them Ogres. Their mother was an Afrite, and their grandfather a Ghoul. On which account they were probably the most unpleasant giants that anybody ever came across.

"When very young they were tall and stout, but one day unluckily for Krusstikuss, his grandmother, who was a fat giantess, sat down on him.

"Not feeling anything in particular she fell asleep and did not awaken for three months.

"Of course it was hard for Krusstikuss to grow while his grandmother sat upon him, so he began to spread out sideways and never afterwards got out of the habit. He therefore became as fat as a bun, while his brother Growlegrum grew as tall as the highest tree.

"So one was tall, and one stout, but both were of the same size in wickedness, and as to Krusstikuss he liked to eat babies, while Growlegrum was fond of young ladies, although their hoops sometimes disagreed with him.

"When these monsters grew up they ate so many people that their father told them they would cause a famine, and must go away and find another land where people were more plenty.

"At last they took his advice and started out together to seek a new home. After eating a great many folks they came to a beautiful country where lived a King who had a daughter as good as she was pretty.

"When the two giants reached the borders of this land they sat down and began to talk.

"'I am getting so big,' said Krusstikuss, 'that I find it a labour to walk about and look for babies. They must be very scarce.'

"'Not more so than young ladies,' cried Growlegrum. 'I should think they would like to be eaten before they grow to be old and ugly, but really it does not seem so.'

"While they were thus lamenting the scarcity of food, an old woman with a red cap and a green kirtle came from the wood and stood before them.

"'Sirs,' said she, 'I am a cousin of yours, and also a witch. Why should you be troubled about your meals? Order the King Hassan to send hither twice every day ten fat babies and one young lady.'

"'Good,' said the giants, 'we can lie on these hills and eat and sleep without labour. So let it be. Go you to King Hassan and tell him to send us the babies and the young ladies without fail, or else we will eat him and fry him first.'

"This made the old witch chuckle, and she went away quickly towards the city with her wicked news. Presently she entered the Palace, for she was a cousin of the King, and went straight to the garden where she told King Hassan that the two giants were on the borders of his country, and must have ten babies and a young lady twice a day or else they would eat the King and fry him first, which made Hassan feel hot all over.

"He soon saw that he could do nothing against such vast monsters, and therefore beat his breast and ordered his captains to take to the giants the babies and the young ladies.

"You may be sure that when this happened twice a day for a week folks began to be very much troubled. By and by the mammas hid away the babies in tree-tops and chimnies and in all sorts of out of the way places. And as to young ladies there were none to be found, for every one of them put on her brother's pantaloons, and it was hard work to catch a woman at all.

"It chanced about this time that the Princess was walking in a wood near the Palace when she saw a young girl crying. Now as the Princess was very kind-hearted she stopped at once and said,

"'Why do you cry? What ails you?'

"'Oh dear!' said the other, 'to-morrow I am to be taken by the guard to be eaten by the Ogres, Growlegrum and Krusstikuss, and when I am gone who will comfort my old mother, for she has no child but me?'

"When the Princess heard this she told her to wait a little, and went herself to find the King.

"'Father,' said she, 'it is hard that all the young girls should be eaten alive by these false giants. Why do not you raise an army and go and fight and kill them? It is base to give up to them in this way. Were I a man I would slay them myself.'

"'It would be in vain to try,' answered the King. 'Well,' said the Princess, 'to-morrow I shall go alone in place of the maiden who is chosen, and perhaps some good knight will not willingly let me die so mean a death.'

"The King was very angry, but the Princess was obstinate. Then a young Prince who was present arose and said,

"'I have come, lady, a thousand miles to help you. My name is Prince Bluets, and I am the great-grandson of John, who is sometimes called Jack, the Giant Killer. Go to the giants as you have said and all will yet be well.'

"Then the Princess looked and saw that the Prince had brave eyes and was fair of face, so she replied,

"'It shall be as you say.'

"'To-morrow, then,' continued the Prince, 'you shall go to the giants and I will follow you. But first take this amulet and hang it around your neck. So long as you wear it all things living and dead will love you, and no giant will wish to eat you.'

"Thus saying he hung around her neck a gold chain, and at once she went away and ordered her horse to ride to the giants. Meanwhile it was proclaimed that out of love for her people the Princess was going to beg the giants to go away and not to eat any more babies.

"As for the Princess, she sent word to the little maiden in the wood that she was going in her place, and then bravely mounted her horse and rode through the town to the gate.

"No sooner did the people see her than they began to follow her, because the amulet made every one wish to be near to her. But at the gate she bade them return, and rode away alone into the wood, though even there the charm still worked, and all things loved her more and more. The sun stared her in the eyes like a gallant over-bold, and the wind played with her chestnut hair and was happy, and the leaves bent down and kissed her, and all the mice and the birds and the bears and the foxes came out and followed her.

"But when she came near to the two Ogres and saw them sitting on a hill with their white eyes and rough faces and great black teeth like marble tombstones, all the animals set up a dismal howl and ran away. Yet still the lady rode along, and presently the two giants became aware of her presence.

"Then said Growlegrum, 'Here comes dinner,' but when she drew nearer he added, 'She's too pretty to eat. Who are you my dear?'

"'I am the Princess Violet,' said she, 'the King's daughter.'

"'Hah!' said both of the Ogres, 'You shall be my wife.'

"'Well,' cried she, 'I cannot have two husbands; put me in a safe place and after I have known you both for a month I can decide which I will have for my husband.'

"'Good,' returned Krusstikuss, 'So let it be.' Then they lifted her gently and put her near by in a castle whose owner they had devoured, and every day they brought her goodies to eat, enough for twenty dinners.

"In the morning came Growlegrum and looked over the castle wall and said, 'I love you my dear.' But in the afternoons came Krusstikuss and said, 'Bless me! how I love you!' Now the Princess knew that within a month she should hear of Prince Bluets.

"As for that Prince he went away to a magician and asked him how he could become thin.

"'There are four ways,' answered the magician,

'Eat nothing, 'Fall in love, 'Become jealous, and 'Think ever so much.'

"Then said the Prince, 'The advice is good,' and so saying he gave him three links of a gold chain which he wore, and mounted his horse and rode swiftly until he came to a high hill which at a great distance overlooked the castle where the lady was. Here he sat down and with his spy-glass looked until he saw Krusstikuss kissing his great hand to the lady.

"This made him horribly jealous, and at once he began to get thin. Then for four days he ate nothing and so became thinner and thinner. Of course he was miserably in love, and this also made him lose flesh.

"After four days he was still too fat, so he began to think of all the hard conundrums and riddles and charades that ever were heard of, but at last when he had been two days thinking how to make apple pies out of donkies he became so thin that his bones were no thicker than walking sticks, and when he stood sideways he had no shadow at all.

"Then he took his sword and walking carefully for fear of breaking into halves or of being blown away, he descended the hill, and late at night knocked at a side door of the castle where the Princess Violet now lived.

"As soon as she heard the noise she came to the door and said,

"'Who is it?'

"'It is I,' answered the Prince, but his voice was so thin that he could hardly be heard, and if the Princess had not loved him she never would have been able to hear a word he said.

"'My love,' he cried, 'It is I, Prince Bluets. Presently I shall squeeze my head through the key-hole, and you must then seize me by the hair and drag me in.'

"Of course giants' castles have very large key-holes, and as the Prince was as thin as could be he easily pushed his head through the key-hole, when the Princess took hold of his hair, and pretty soon drew him into the castle.

"She was very much amazed when she saw him so lean and meagre, but the Prince explained it all and they sat down and had a good talk until morning, when the Prince hid away in a corner under some hay.

"By and by came Krusstikuss, and looking over the castle wall said in a large voice, 'I love you my dear. Here are some nice little dishes for breakfast!' and so saying, he emptied his pockets of about two wagon loads of cakes and candy and bon-bons and all kind of goodies such as Princesses eat.

"'Sir,' said the Princess, 'If I am to be a giant's wife, I must learn to eat babies. If you love me you will bring me all the babies you get, that I may keep them until they get so fat and tender that I shall be tempted to eat them.'

"'But what shall I live on myself?' cried Krusstikuss.

"'Oh!' said the Princess, 'if you are in love you will not care to eat.'

"'That's queer,' returned the giant, 'but I suppose it won't hurt me to suck my paws for awhile like the bears.'

"Then he took four babies out of his hat and two out of his pockets, saying, 'I am sorry, but I ate four on the way. To-morrow you shall have all, and when you get them fat enough I will come and dine with you.'

"After this he went away leaving the babies to the Princess, who put them all in a row and fed them with nine dough-nuts apiece, so that if they did not get fat it was not her fault.

"In the afternoon came Growlegrum, who was as big in length as Krusstikuss was sideways.

"'My love,' said he, when he had peeped over the wall, 'What's this? Babies.'

"'Sir,' she replied, 'Your brother loves me, and has promised me all the babies, that I may fatten them. If you also love me at all, you will give me the young ladies you were to eat every day, that I may have some one to take care of the babies and feed them.'

"'Ah me!' said the giant, 'I shall die of starvation.'

"'Don't, if you love me,' said Violet.

"'Enough,' cried Growlegrum. 'Here lovely Princess is the first, and every day you shall have another.'

"So saying, he jerked a beautiful young lady out of his pocket and set her down inside of the castle.

"'Good-bye,' said the Princess.

"'Good-bye,' said the giant, 'If I stay I shall steal a baby.'

"So he gnashed his ugly grim teeth and walked away with vast steps.

"When he was out of sight Prince Bluets came forth, and the Princess and he laughed with joy, because of the babies whom they had saved. But as there was no time to lose the Prince kissed her and wriggled through the key-hole again.

"Then in haste he ran into the woods and took the road which led to the city where King Hassan lived.

"On the way he heard voices, and climbing a tree he listened eagerly until he learned that these came from five persons who were dressed in long robes and were riding from the town. By good luck they rested a little while just under the tree in which Bluets lay hidden. He soon understood that all five were lawyers whom the King had sent to see Krusstikuss, that they might offer the Princess in marriage to him with half of the kingdom if he would send his brother away, and learn to eat beef and mutton in place of babies.

"'Ho!' said the Prince, 'This won't do,' so he waited till they left, and then descending ran back to the castle and called the Princess.

"Then through the key-hole he gave her a little advice about the five lawyers. After this he went away once more towards the city.

"As for the Princess she waved her handkerchief from the castle wall until Growlegrum espied her and strode over the hills and valleys to the castle.

"'Sir,' she said, 'Do not be surprised if you see a party of men in gowns coming from the city. Go and meet them, if they think you are Krusstikuss they will tell you something.'

"'Good,' answered he. 'Now I perceive that you love me.'

"Then, without waiting, he walked towards the city. A little way on he met the five lawyers. As soon as they saw him they dismounted and threw themselves on the ground.

"'What do ye want?' roared Growlegrum.

"'Oh sir!' said they, 'we would see the great giant Krusstikuss.'

"'It is well,' returned the giant. 'Speak.'

"'Sir,' said they, 'We come to offer to the great giant Krusstikuss one-half of the kingdom and the Princess for a wife.'

"'Ha!' answered the giant, 'and what shall his brother have?'

"'Perhaps,' returned one of the lawyers, 'he might be persuaded to leave, or else your highness could quietly knock him on the head.'

"'Scoundrels!' roared Growlegrum, 'My name is not Krusstikuss. I'll teach you to make trouble, you rascals.'

"Upon this he seized them one after another, and ate the whole five. The effects of this meal were dreadful. In five minutes Growlegrum was bent double with stomach-ache, for you see the lawyers disagreed with him, and they also disagreed with one another inside of him.

"But this was not all, for in a few moments he began to grow so quarrelsome that he became the most unsafe giant that could anywhere be found.

"In half an hour he was outrageous, and by the time he met his brother he was ready to fight anybody.

"Well the end of it was they did fight. They fought for two days and two nights, when Krusstikuss got so weak that Growlegrum took him up by the heels and stood him on his head and gave him a mighty spin, for he was made just like a top, and then, while he was spinning, treated him to a kick, and hoisted him over two hills into the sea, where he spun to the bottom and never more was heard of.