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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。
At length the lake was all but gone； only a few of the deepest
pools remaining unexhausted。
It happened one day that a party of youngsters found themselves on
the brink of one of these pools in the very centre of the lake。 it
was a rocky basin of considerable depth。 Looking in； they saw at
the bottom something that shone yellow in the sun。 A little boy
jumped in and dived for it。 It was a plate of gold covered with
writing。 They carried it to the king。 On one side of it stood these
words：
〃Death alone from death can save。
Love is death； and so is brave
Love can fill the deepest grave。
Love loves on beneath the wave。〃
Now this was enigmatical enough to the king and courtiers。 But the
reverse of the plate explained it a little。 Its writing amounted to
this：
〃If the lake should disappear； they must find the hole through
which the water ran。 But it would be useless to try to stop it by
any ordinary means。 There was but one effectual mode。The body of
a living man could alone stanch the flow。 The man must give himself
of his own will； and the lake must take his life as it filled。
Otherwise the offering would be of no avail。 If the nation could
not provide one hero； it was time it should perish。〃
13。 Here I Am。
This was a very disheartening revelation to the kingnot that he
was unwilling to sacrifice a subject； but that he was hopeless of
finding a man willing to sacrifice himself。 No time was to be lost；
however； for the princess was lying motionless on her bed； and
taking no nourishment but lake…water； which was now none of the
best。 Therefore the king caused the contents of the wonderful plate
of gold to be published throughout the country。
No one； however； came forward。
The prince； having gone several days' journey into the forest； to
consult a hermit whom he had met there on his way to Lagobel； knew
nothing of the oracle till his return。
When he had acquainted himself with all the particulars； he sat
down and thought；
〃She will die if I don't do it； and life would be nothing to me
without her； so I shall lose nothing by doing it。 And life will be
as pleasant to her as ever； for she will soon forget me。 And there
will be so much more beauty and happiness in the world！To be
sure； I shall not see it。〃 （Here the poor prince gave a sigh。） 〃How
lovely the lake will be in the moonlight； with that glorious
creature sporting in it like a wild goddess！It is rather hard to
be drowned by inches； though。 Let me seethat will be seventy
inches of me to drown。〃 （Here he tried to laugh； but could not。）
〃The longer the better； however；〃 he resumed： 〃for can I not
bargain that the princess shall be beside me all the time？ So I
shall see her once more； kiss her perhaps；who knows？and die
looking in her eyes。 It will be no death。 At least； I shall not
feel it。 And to see the lake filling for the beauty again！All
right！ I am ready。〃
He kissed the princess's boot； laid it down； and hurried to the
king's apartment。 But feeling； as he went； that anything
sentimental would be disagreeable； he resolved to carry off the
whole affair with nonchalance。 So he knocked at the door of the
king's counting…house； where it was all but a capital crime to
disturb him。
When the king heard the knock he started up； and opened the door in
a rage。 Seeing only the shoeblack； he drew his sword。 This； I am
sorry to say； was his usual mode of asserting his regality when he
thought his dignity was in danger。 But the prince was not in the
least alarmed。
〃Please your Majesty； I'm your butler；〃 said he。
〃My butler！ you lying rascal！ What do you mean？〃
〃I mean； I will cork your big bottle。〃
〃Is the fellow mad？〃 bawled the king； raising the point of his
sword。
〃I will put a stopperplugwhat you call it； in your leaky lake；
grand monarch；〃 said the prince。
The king was in such a rage that before he could speak he had time
to cool； and to reflect that it would be great waste to kill the
only man who was willing to be useful in the present emergency；
seeing that in the end the insolent fellow would be as dead as if
he had died by his Majesty's own hand。 〃Oh！〃 said he at last；
putting up his sword with difficulty； it was so long； 〃I am obliged
to you； you young fool！ Take a glass of wine？〃
'No； thank you；〃 replied the prince。
〃Very well；〃 said the king。 〃Would you like to run and see your
parents before you make your experiment？〃
〃No； thank you；〃 said the prince。
〃Then we will go and look for the hole at once；〃 said his Majesty；
and proceeded to call some attendants。
〃Stop； please your Majesty； I have a condition to make；〃 interposed
the prince。
〃What！〃 exclaimed the king； 〃a condition！ and with me！ How dare
you？〃
〃As you please；〃 returned the prince； coolly。 〃I wish your Majesty
a good morning。〃
〃You wretch！ I will have you put in a sack； and stuck in the hole。〃
〃Very well； your Majesty；〃 replied the prince； becoming a little
more respectful； lest the wrath of the king should deprive him of
the pleasure of dying for the princess。 〃But what good will that do
your Majesty？ Please to remember that the oracle says the victim
must offer himself。〃
〃Well； you have offered yourself；〃 retorted the king。
〃Yes； upon one condition。〃
〃Condition again！〃 roared the king； once more drawing his sword。
〃Begone！ Somebody else will be glad enough to take the honour off
your shoulders。〃
〃Your Majesty knows it will not be easy to get another to take my
place。〃
〃Well； what is your condition？〃 growled the king； feeling that the
prince was right。
〃Only this；〃 replied the prince： 〃that； as I must on no account die
before I am fairly drowned； and the waiting will be rather
wearisome； the princess； your daughter； shall go with me； feed me
with her own hands； and look at me now and then to comfort me； for
you must confess it IS rather hard。 As soon as the water is up to
my eyes； she may go and be happy； and forget her poor shoeblack。〃
Here the prince's voice faltered； and he very nearly grew
sentimental； in spite of his resolution。
〃Why didn't you tell me before what your condition was？ Such a fuss
about nothing！〃 exclaimed the king。
〃Do you grant it？〃 persisted the prince。
〃Of course I do；〃 replied the king。
〃Very well。 I am ready。〃
〃Go and have some dinner； then； while I set my people to find the
place。〃
The king ordered out his guards； and gave directions to the
officers to find the hole in the lake at once。 So the bed of the
lake was marked out in divisions and thoroughly examined； and in an
hour or so the hole was discovered。 It was in the middle of a
stone； near the centre of the lake； in the very pool where the
golden plate had been found。 It was a three…cornered hole of no
great size。 There was water all round the stone； but very little
was flowing through the hole。
14。This Is Very Kind of You。
The prince went to dress for the occasion； for he was resolved to
die like a prince。
When the princess heard that a man had offered to die for her； she
was so transported that she jumped off the bed； feeble as she was；
and danced about the room for joy。 She did not care who the man
was； that was nothing to her。 The hole wanted stopping； and if only
a man would do； why； take one。 In an hour or two more everything
was ready。 Her maid dressed her in haste； and they carried her to
the side of the lake。 When she saw it she shrieked； and covered her
face with her hands。 They bore her across to the stone where they
had already placed a little boat for her。
The water was not deep enough to float it； but they hoped it would