"What would you have me do?" asked Ned, turning again to the beautiful princess, for he felt that she was unwilling to ask him the favor, fearing it might prove of harm to him.

Still the beautiful princess remained silent until the bluebird began to sing a sweet song, perching meanwhile upon her shoulder, as if intending the song for her ears especially.

Then tears fell from her eyes.

"'Tis the song my brother was wont to sing," she said, "but now"--and hiding her face in her hands, she wept more bitterly than before--"he has been sent away and hidden by my cruel stepfather I know not where."

"We will find him for you, princess," cried Ned. "Fear not, for I have confidence in my two comrades and in myself. Give us all something to eat that we may have strength to undertake this adventure."

The princess immediately ordered a great feast to be set before them, and when our three comrades had eaten their fill they once more set out upon their journey, with the prayers of the beautiful princess for their safety and successful return.

As they wound their way through the pleasant valley, every so often the little bluebird would sing her song, loud and sweet, and then would pause, with folded wing, to listen, as if expecting an answer.

So they went on for many miles, until, as they approached a cottage by the roadside, Ned thought he heard a familiar air. Indeed, he was sure that something important was about to happen, for the bluebird was whirring around in circles and singing as if her life depended upon the way she trilled and warbled.

"Why, there is a bluebird in that wicker cage!" exclaimed Ned, pointing toward the cottage porch, from which swung a bird cage.

It was, indeed, true, and in another moment Ned's bluebird was perched on the railing close by.

Scrambling down from the giant's friendly shoulder, Ned touched the cage, and, to his amazement, the little door flew open and out walked a handsome young prince, about his own age.

"Who are you?" cried Ned, but before he could reply the giant exclaimed: "He must be the brother of the princess! We have, indeed, completed our adventure, or nearly so," he added, remembering they had yet to deal with the crafty stepfather.

"How can I ever repay you?" cried the little prince, who was at first unable to speak from the joy of it all. "I am free! I am free!" And he almost cried with delight, flinging his arms about Ned's st.u.r.dy form and patting the leg of the giant.

"Come, little bluebird, and let me thank you, too," he added, as the pretty bird circled in the air and alighted on Ned's shoulder. Indeed, it was a happy moment for all.

"And now," said Ned, "let us think of the best way to return to the castle, so that the princess may receive her long-lost brother."

"The easiest way is the best way," said the giant. "Both you boys climb up on my back, and in 500 short seconds we'll be back at the castle, or I have forgotten my early training on the cinder path."

All of which goes to show that even in Gnomeland there are sports, although few fairy tales tell us anything about them.

When Ned and the prince had seated themselves comfortably on the great shoulders of the obliging giant, he set off at a tremendous rate, and soon they were ascending the hill on which stood the castle of the beautiful princess.

THE MAGIC RING

The Unhappy Little Princess leaned out of the window and sobbed.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

THE MAGIC RING

NED followed the beautiful princess and her brother into the castle, while the giant, who had to stoop nearly to the floor in order to enter the doorway, brought up the rear.

As it was late, everyone decided to go to bed. Besides, they were all well tired out after their exciting day.

You would have laughed to see the giant ascend the stairway to the royal bedchambers, for the steps were too small for his feet, and it was with great difficulty that he managed to get a foothold with the toes of his boots.

When at last he was safely inside his bedroom, the largest in the castle, it was found that the bedstead was not nearly long enough for him.

So the princess gave orders that two cot beds be placed ends together, and in this way the giant, by allowing his feet to project through the open window, could lie down at full length. His feet nearly reached the tree that grew just outside, on which the little bluebird had perched for the night, and it was lucky, indeed, that it was midsummer, for otherwise our big friend might have caught a severe cold.

After bidding the giant goodnight the little bluebird had a few minutes'

talk with Ned while he undressed himself.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE STEPS WERE TOO SMALL FOR THE GIANT.]

She agreed to act as sentinel during the night, to keep a vigilant lookout from the treetop, and in case of approaching danger instantly to awaken Ned and the giant.

Gradually the great castle grew quiet, until nothing was stirring, "not even a mouse."

At times the night wind rustled the leaves in the tree where the little bluebird sentinel sat winking and blinking, and the big yellow moon glistened fantastically on the big toe of the giant.

Toward midnight a faint sound in the distance, like the beat of horses'

hoofs, startled the bluebird.

Hastily flying toward the castle entrance she gazed out upon the roadway that wound up from the valley below.

At some distance she made out dimly the figures of a number of hors.e.m.e.n.

Returning swiftly to the castle, she tweaked the giant's big toe. That, you can easily imagine, awoke him with a start.

"What's the matter?" he asked in a frightened whisper which, although only a whisper, was enough to make the castle tremble, thereby awakening Ned and the princess herself.

"The crafty stepfather of the princess is coming," answered the bluebird.

"Then it's all up with me," cried the giant, "for he'll change me again into a pine tree."

The bluebird made no reply, but hastened to find Ned. On entering his bedroom through the half open window she found him already dressing.

"Take the ring," he said, slipping it over her glossy neck, after she had informed him of what she had seen. "If you can manage to touch him with it, this wicked man will find that he has no power whatever to harm us."

"I will make haste," replied the little bird, "for they must by this time have reached the drawbridge."

So saying she flew swiftly away and reached the other side of the moat just as the cavalcade set foot upon the bridge.

Awaiting her opportunity to touch the wicked stepfather of the princess with the magic ring, she alighted quietly on the tip of a spear which one of the hors.e.m.e.n carried.

As they neared the center of the drawbridge the king, as if suddenly aware of an unseen power, exclaimed: "I feel there is danger near!"

Then the horseman shook his spear defiantly and so startled the little bluebird that she nearly lost her footing, and alas! what was much more serious, caused her to loosen her hold upon the little magic gold ring, which slipped from between her bill and fell into the waters of the moat.

Like a falling star, it shivered and glimmered in the rays of the moon as it descended, attracting the attention of a speckled trout, who opened his mouth and swallowed it as it splashed upon the silvery surface of the water.

"Your trusty spear has done me good service in times gone by," exclaimed the wicked king, not knowing that its owner had unknowingly been the cause of saving him at the present moment.