MeantimeRosalieandtheInvisiblePrincehadreached，handinhand，adoorofthegallerywhichledthroughaterraceintothegardens。Insilencetheyglidedalong，andthoughtthemselvesalreadysafe，whenafuriousmonsterdasheditselfbyaccidentagainstRosalieandtheInvisiblePrince，andinherfrightsheletgohishand。Noonecanspeakaslongasheisinvisible，andbesides，theyknewthatthespiritswereallaroundthem，andattheslightestsoundtheywouldberecognised；soalltheycoulddowastofeelaboutinthehopethattheirhandsmightoncemoremeet。
But，alas！thejoyoflibertylastedbutashorttime。ThePrincess，havingwanderedinvainupanddowntheforest，stoppedatlastontheedgeofafountain。Asshewalkedshewroteonthetrees:’IfeverthePrince，mylover，comesthisway，lethimknowthatitishereIdwell，andthatIsitdailyontheedgeofthisfountain，minglingmytearswithitswaters。’
Thesewordswerereadbyoneofthegenii，whorepeatedthemtohismaster。ThePrinceoftheAir，inhisturnmakinghimselfinvisible，wasledtothefountain，andwaitedforRosalie。Whenshedrewnearheheldouthishand，whichshegraspedeagerly，takingitforthatofherlover；and，seizinghisopportunity，thePrincepassedacordroundherarms，andthrowingoffhisinvisibilitycriedtohisspiritstodragherintothelowestpit。
ItwasatthismomentthattheInvisiblePrinceappeared，andatthesightofthePrinceoftheGeniimountingintotheair，holdingasilkencord，heguessedinstantlythathewascarryingoffRosalie。
Hefeltsooverwhelmedbydespairthathethoughtforaninstantofputtinganendtohislife。’CanIsurvivemymisfortunes？’
hecried。’IfanciedIhadcometoanendofmytroubles，andnowtheyareworsethanever。Whatwillbecomeofme？NevercanIdiscovertheplacewherethismonsterwillhideRosalie。’
Theunhappyyouthhaddeterminedtolethimselfdie，andindeedhissorrowalonewasenoughtokillhim，whenthethoughtthatbymeansofthecabinetsoftheyearshemightfindoutwherethePrincesswasimprisoned，gavehimalittlerayofcomfort。Sohecontinuedtowalkonthroughtheforest，andaftersomehourshearrivedatthegateofatemple，guardedbytwohugelions。
Beinginvisible，hewasabletoenterunharmed。Inthemiddleofthetemplewasanaltar，onwhichlayabook，andbehindthealtarhungagreatcurtain。ThePrinceapproachedthealtarandopenedthebook，whichcontainedthenamesofalltheloversintheworld:andinithereadthatRosaliehadbeencarriedoffbythePrinceoftheAirtoanabysswhichhadnoentranceexcepttheonethatlaybywayoftheFountainofGold。
Now，asthePrincehadnotthesmallestideawherethisfountainwastobefound，itmightbethoughtthathewasnotmuchnearerRosaliethanbefore。Thiswasnot，however，theviewtakenbythePrince。
’ThougheverystepthatItakemayperhapsleadmefurtherfromher，’hesaidtohimself，’Iamstillthankfultoknowthatsheisalivesomewhere。’
OnleavingthetempletheInvisiblePrincesawsixpathslyingbeforehim，eachofwhichledthroughthewood。Hewashesitatingwhichtochoose，whenhesuddenlybeheldtwopeoplecomingtowardshim，downthetrackwhichlaymosttohisright。
TheyturnedouttobethePrinceGnomeandhisfriend，andthesuddendesiretogetsomenewsofhissister，PrincessArgentine，causedtheInvisiblePrincetofollowthemandtolistentotheirconversation。
’Doyouthink，’thePrinceGnomewassaying，’doyouthinkthatI
wouldnotbreakmychainsifIcould？IknowthatthePrincessArgentinewillneverloveme，yeteachdayIfeelherdearerstill。Andasifthiswerenotenough，Ihavethehorroroffeelingthatsheprobablylovesanother。SoIhaveresolvedtoputmyselfoutofmypainbymeansoftheGoldenFountain。A
singledropofitswaterfallingonthesandaroundwilltracethenameofmyrivalinherheart。Idreadthetest，andyetthisverydreadconvincesmeofmymisfortune。’
ItmaybeimaginedthatafterlisteningtothesewordstheInvisiblePrincefollowedPrinceGnomelikehisshadow，andafterwalkingsometimetheyarrivedattheGoldenFountain。Theunhappyloverstoopeddownwithasigh，anddippinghisfingerinthewaterletfalladroponthesand。ItinstantlywrotethenameofPrinceFlame，hisbrother。Theshockofthisdiscoverywassoreal，thatPrinceGnomesankfaintingintothearmsofhisfriend。
MeanwhiletheInvisiblePrincewasturningoverinhismindhowhecouldbestdeliverRosalie。As，sincehehadbeentouchedbytheGiant’sring，hehadthepowertoliveinthewateraswellasonland，heatoncedivedintothefountain。Heperceivedinonecorneradoorleadingintothemountain，andatthefootofthemountainwasahighrockonwhichwasfixedanironringwithacordattached。ThePrincepromptlyguessedthatthecordwasusedtochainthePrincess，anddrewhisswordandcutit。InamomenthefeltthePrincess’shandinhis，forshehadalwayskepthermagicpebbleinhermouth，inspiteoftheprayersandentreatiesofthePrinceoftheAirtomakeherselfvisible。
SohandinhandtheinvisiblePrinceandRosaliecrossedthemountain；butasthePrincesshadnopoweroflivingunderwater，shecouldnotpasstheGoldenFountain。Speechlessandinvisibletheyclungtogetheronthebrink，tremblingatthefrightfultempestthePrinceoftheAirhadraisedinhisfury。Thestormhadalreadylastedmanydayswhentremendousheatbegantomakeitselffelt。Thelightningflashed，thethunderrattled，fireboltsfellfromheaven，burninguptheforestsandeventhefieldsofcorn。Inoneinstanttheverystreamsweredriedup，andthePrince，seizinghisopportunity，carriedthePrincessovertheGoldenFountain。
IttookthemalongtimestilltoreachtheGoldenIsle，butatlasttheygotthere，andwemaybequitesuretheyneverwantedtoleaveitanymore。
FromthePolish。Kletke。
OnceuponatimetherewerethreePrincesseswhowereallthreeyoungandbeautiful；buttheyoungest，althoughshewasnotfairerthantheothertwo，wasthemostloveableofthemall。
Abouthalfamilefromthepalaceinwhichtheylivedtherestoodacastle，whichwasuninhabitedandalmostaruin，butthegardenwhichsurroundeditwasamassofbloomingflowers，andinthisgardentheyoungestPrincessusedoftentowalk。
Onedaywhenshewaspacingtoandfrounderthelimetrees，ablackcrowhoppedoutofarose-bushinfrontofher。Thepoorbeastwasalltornandbleeding，andthekindlittlePrincesswasquiteunhappyaboutit。Whenthecrowsawthisitturnedtoherandsaid:
’Iamnotreallyablackcrow，butanenchantedPrince，whohasbeendoomedtospendhisyouthinmisery。Ifyouonlyliked，Princess，youcouldsaveme。Butyouwouldhavetosaygood-byetoallyourownpeopleandcomeandbemyconstantcompanioninthisruinedcastle。Thereisonehabitableroominit，inwhichthereisagoldenbed；thereyouwillhavetoliveallbyyourself，anddon’tforgetthatwhateveryoumayseeorhearinthenightyoumustnotscreamout，forifyougiveasmuchasasinglecrymysufferingswillbedoubled。’
Thegood-naturedPrincessatonceleftherhomeandherfamilyandhurriedtotheruinedcastle，andtookpossessionoftheroomwiththegoldenbed。
Whennightapproachedshelaydown，butthoughsheshuthereyestightsleepwouldnotcome。Atmidnightsheheardtohergreathorrorsomeonecomingalongthepassage，andinaminuteherdoorwasflungwideopenandatroopofstrangebeingsenteredtheroom。Theyatonceproceededtolightafireinthehugefireplace；thentheyplacedagreatcauldronofboilingwateronit。Whentheyhaddonethis，theyapproachedthebedonwhichthetremblinggirllay，and，screamingandyellingallthetime，theydraggedhertowardsthecauldron。Shenearlydiedwithfright，butsheneverutteredasound。Thenofasuddenthecockcrew，andalltheevilspiritsvanished。
Atthesamemomentthecrowappearedandhoppedallroundtheroomwithjoy。ItthankedthePrincessmostheartilyforhergoodness，andsaidthatitssufferingshadalreadybeengreatlylessened。
NowoneofthePrincess’seldersisters，whowasveryinquisitive，hadfoundoutabouteverything，andwenttopayheryoungestsisteravisitintheruinedcastle。Sheimploredhersourgentlytoletherspendthenightwithherinthegoldenbed，thatatlastthegood-naturedlittlePrincessconsented。
Butatmidnight，whentheoddfolkappeared，theeldersisterscreamedwithterror，andfromthistimeontheyoungestPrincessinsistedalwaysonkeepingwatchalone。
Soshelivedinsolitudeallthedaytime，andatnightshewouldhavebeenfrightened，hadshenotbeensobrave；buteverydaythecrowcameandthankedherforherendurance，andassuredherthathissufferingswerefarlessthantheyhadbeen。
Andsotwoyearspassedaway，whenonedaythecrowcametothePrincessandsaid:’InanotheryearIshallbefreedfromthespellIamunderatpresent，becausethenthesevenyearswillbeover。ButbeforeIcanresumemynaturalform，andtakepossessionofthebelongingsofmyforefathers，youmustgooutintotheworldandtakeserviceasamaidservant。’
TheyoungPrincessconsentedatonce，andforawholeyearsheservedasamaid；butinspiteofheryouthandbeautyshewasverybadlytreated，andsufferedmanythings。Oneevening，whenshewasspinningflax，andhadworkedherlittlewhitehandsweary，sheheardarustlingbesideherandacryofjoy。Thenshesawahandsomeyouthstandingbesideher；whokneltdownatherfeetandkissedthelittlewearywhitehands。
’IamthePrince，’hesaid，’whoyouinyourgoodness，whenIwaswanderingaboutintheshapeofablackcrow，freedfromthemostawfultorments。Comenowtomycastlewithme，andletuslivetherehappilytogether。’
Sotheywenttothecastlewheretheyhadbothenduredsomuch。
Butwhentheyreachedit，itwasdifficulttobelievethatitwasthesame，forithadallbeenrebuiltanddoneupagain。Andtheretheylivedforahundredyears，ahundredyearsofjoyandhappiness。
