PRINCE HARWEDA. 39
enjoyed these many views of himself immensely , and would stand and sit and lie down just for the fun of seeing the many images of himself do the same thing.
He spent so much time looking at and admiring himself in the wonderful lookingglasses that he had very little time for the books and games which had been provided for his amusement . Hours were spent each day first before one mirror and then another , and he did not notice that the windows were growing narrower and the mirrors wider until the former had become so small that they hardly admitted light enough for him to see himself in the looking - glass . Still , this did not alarm him very much as he cared nothing whatever for the outside world . It only made him spend more time before the mirror , as it was now getting quite difficult for him to see himself at all . The windows at last became mere slits in the wall and the mirrors grew so large that they not only reflected little Harweda but all of the room besides in a dim , indistinct kind of a way .
Finally, however , Prince Harweda awoke one morning and found himself in total darkNot a ray of light came from the outside and of course , not an object in the room ness .
could be seen . He rubbed his eyes and sat up to make sure that he was not dreaming . Then he called loudly for some one to come and open a window for him , but no one came . He got up and groped his way to the iron door and tried to open it , but it was , as you know , locked . He kicked it and beat upon it , but he only bruised his fists and hurt his toes . He grew quite angry now. How dare any one shut him , a prince , up in a dark prison like this ! He abused his fairy god- mother , calling her all sorts of horrid names . Then he upbraided his father and mother , the King and Queen , for letting him go away with such a god-mother . In fact , he blamed everybody and everything but himself for his present condition , but it was of no use . The sound of his own voice was his only answer . The whole of the outside world seemed to have forgotten him .
As he felt his way back to his couch he knocked over one of the golden jars which had held the liquid perfume , but the perfume was all gone now and only an empty jar rolled over the floor . He laid himself down on the divan but its soft pillows had been removed and a hard iron frame - work received him . He was dismayed and lay for a long time thinking of
PRINCE HARWEDA. 41
what he had best do with himself . All before -
him was blank darkness , as black as the darkest night you ever saw . He reached out his hand to get some fruit to eat , but only one or two withered apples remained on the table was he to starve to death ? Suddenly he noticed that the tinkling music of the fountain had ceased . He hastily groped his way over to it and he found in place of the dancing , running stream stood a silent pool of water . had fallen upon everything about him , a dead silence was in the room . He threw himself down upon the floor and wished that he were dead also . He lay there for a long , long time .
At last he heard , or thought he heard , a faint sound . He listened eagerly . It seemed to be some tiny creature not far from him , trying to move about . For the first time for nearly a month he remembered the bird in its gilded cage . " Poor little thing , " he cried as he sprang up, " You too are shut within this terrible prison . This thick darkness must be as hard for you to bear as it is for me ." He went towards the cage and as he approached it the bird gave a sad little chirp .
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" That's better than nothing , " said the boy , you must need some water to drink , poor