As　they　left　the　clearing　by　the　narrow　passage　that　led　between　the　overhanging　rocks；　the　prince　looked　back　and　saw　that　the　sign　above　the　gate　of　the　cave；　which　had　told　of　the　thieves'　treasure　house；　had　been　changed。　　It　now　read　as　follows：
  WUL…TAKIM　　　　　　　　　KING　OF　HONEST　MEN　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…　　　　　　　　　HIS　PLEASURE　HOUSE　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WALK　IN
  〃That　is　much　better；〃　laughed　the　prince。　　〃I　accomplished　some　good　by　my　adventure；　anyway！〃
  Nerle　did　not　reply。　　He　seemed　especially　quiet　and　thoughtful　as　he　rode　by　his　master's　side；　and　after　they　had　traveled　some　distance　in　silence　Prince　Marvel　said：
  〃Tell　me　how　you　came　to　be　in　the　cave　of　thieves；　and　perched　upon　the　casks　where　I　found　you。〃
  〃It　is　a　sad　story；〃　returned　Nerle；　with　a　sigh；　〃but　since　you　request　me　to　tell　it；　the　tale　may　serve　to　relieve　the　tedium　of　your　journey。
  〃My　father　is　a　mighty　baron；　very　wealthy　and　with　a　heart　so　kind　that　he　has　ever　taken　pleasure　in　thrusting　on　me　whatever　gift　he　could　think　of。　　I　had　not　a　single　desire　unsatisfied；　for　before　I　could　wish　for　anything　it　was　given　me。
  〃My　mother　was　much　like　my　father。　　She　and　her　women　were　always　making　jams；　jellies；　candies；　cakes　and　the　like　for　me　to　eat；　so　I　never　knew　the　pleasure　of　hunger。　　My　clothes　were　the　gayest　satins　and　velvets；　richly　made　and　sewn　with　gold　and　silver　braid；　so　it　was　impossible　to　wish　for　more　in　the　way　of　apparel。　　They　let　me　study　my　lessons　whenever　I　felt　like　it　and　go　fishing　or　hunting　as　I　pleased；　so　I　could　not　complain　that　I　was　unable　to　do　just　as　I　wanted　to。　　All　the　servants　obeyed　my　slightest　wish：　if　I　wanted　to　sit　up　late　at　night　no　one　objected；　if　I　wished　to　lie　in　bed　till　noon　they　kept　the　house　quiet　so　as　not　to　disturb　me。
  〃This　condition　of　affairs；　as　you　may　imagine；　grew　more　and　more　tedious　and　exasperating　the　older　I　became。　　Try　as　I　might；　I　could　find　nothing　to　complain　of。　　I　once　saw　the　son　of　one　of　our　servants　receive　a　flogging；　and　my　heart　grew　light。　　I　immediately　begged　my　father　to　flog　me；　by　way　of　variety；　and　he；　who　could　refuse　me　nothing；　at　once　consented。　　For　this　reason　there　was　less　satisfaction　in　the　operation　than　I　had　expected；　although　for　the　time　being　it　was　a　distinct　novelty。
  〃Now；　no　one　could　expect　a　high…spirited　boy　to　put　up　with　such　a　life　as　mine。　　With　nothing　to　desire　and　no　chance　of　doing　anything　that　would　annoy　my　parents；　my　days　were　dreary　indeed。〃
  He　paused　to　wipe　the　tears　from　his　eyes；　and　the　prince　murmured；　sympathetically：　〃Poor　boy！　　Poor　boy！〃
  〃Ah；　you　may　well　say　that！〃　continued　Nerle。　　〃But　one　day　a　stranger　came　to　my　father's　castle　with　tales　of　many　troubles　he　had　met　with。　　He　had　been　lost　in　a　forest　and　nearly　starved　to　death。　　He　had　been　robbed　and　beaten　and　left　wounded　and　sore　by　the　wayside。　He　had　begged　from　door　to　door　and　been　refused　food　or　assistance。　In　short；　his　story　was　so　delightful　that　it　made　me　envy　him；　and　I　yearned　to　suffer　as　he　had　done。　　When　I　could　speak　with　him　alone　I　said：　'Pray　tell　me　how　I　can　manage　to　acquire　the　misfortunes　you　have　undergone。　　Here　I　have　everything　that　I　desire；　and　it　makes　me　very　unhappy。'
  〃The　stranger　laughed　at　me；　at　first；　and　I　found　some　pleasure　in　the　humiliation　I　then　felt。　　But　it　did　not　last　long；　for　presently　he　grew　sober　and　advised　me　to　run　away　from　home　and　seek　adventure。
  〃'Once　away　from　your　father's　castle；'　said　he；　'troubles　will　fall　upon　you　thick　enough　to　satisfy　even　your　longings。'
  〃'That　is　what　I　am　afraid　of！'　I　answered。　　'I　don't　want　to　be　satisfied；　even　with　troubles。　　What　I　seek　is　unsatisfied　longings。'
  〃'Nevertheless；'　said　he；　'I　advise　you　to　travel。　　Everything　will　probably　go　wrong　with　you；　and　then　you　will　be　happy。'
  〃I　acted　upon　the　stranger's　advice　and　ran　away　from　home　the　next　day。　　After　journeying　a　long　time　I　commenced　to　feel　the　pangs　of　hunger；　and　was　just　beginning　to　enjoy　myself　when　a　knight　rode　by　and　gave　me　a　supply　of　food。　　At　this　rebuff　I　could　not　restrain　my　tears；　but　while　I　wept　my　horse　stumbled　and　threw　me　over　his　head。　I　hoped　at　first　I　had　broken　my　neck；　and　was　just　congratulating　myself　upon　the　misfortune；　when　a　witch…woman　came　along　and　rubbed　some　ointment　upon　my　bruises；　in　spite　of　my　protests。　　To　my　great　grief　the　pain　left　me；　and　I　was　soon　well　again。　　But；　as　a　slight　compensation　for　my　disappointment；　my　horse　had　run　away；　so　I　began　my　journey　anew　and　on　foot。
  〃That　afternoon　I　stepped　into　a　nest　of　wasps；　but　the　thoughtless　creatures　flew　away　without　stinging　me。　　Then　I　met　a　fierce　tiger；　and　my　heart　grew　light　and　gay。　　'Surely　this　will　cause　me　suffering！'　I　cried；　and　advanced　swiftly　upon　the　brute。　　But　the　cowardly　tiger　turned　tail　and　ran　to　hide　in　the　bushes；　leaving　me　unhurt！
  〃Of　course；　my　many　disappointments　were　some　consolation；　but　not　much。　　That　night　I　slept　on　the　bare　ground；　and　hoped　I　should　catch　a　severe　cold；　but　no　such　joy　was　to　be　mine。
  〃Yet　the　next　afternoon　I　experienced　my　first　pleasure。　　The　thieves　caught　me；　stripped　off　all　my　fine　clothes　and　jewels　and　beat　me　well。　　Then　they　carried　me　to　their　cave；　dressed　me　in　rags；　and　perched　me　on　the　top　of　the　casks；　where　the　slightest　movement　on　my　part　would　send　me　tumbling　among　the　sword　points。　　This　was　really　delightful；　and　I　was　quite　happy　until　you　came　and　released　me。
  〃I　thought　then　that　I　might　gain　some　pleasure　by　provoking　you　to　anger；　and　our　fight　was　the　result。　　That　blow　on　the　ear　was　exquisite；　and　by　forcing　me　to　become　your　servant　you　have　made　me；　for　the　first　time　in　my　life；　almost　contented。　　For　I　hope　in　your　company　to　experience　a　great　many　griefs　and　disappointments。〃
  As　Nerle　concluded　his　story　Prince　Marvel　turned　to　him　and　grasped　his　hand。
  〃Accept　my　sympathy！〃　said　he。　　〃I　know　exactly　how　you　feel；　for　my　own　life　during　the　past　few　centuries　has　not　been　much　different。〃
  〃The　past　few　centuries！〃　gasped　Nerle。　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
  At　this　the　prince　blushed；　seeing　he　had　nearly　disclosed　his　secret。　But　he　said；　quickly：
  〃Does　it　not　seem　centuries　when　one　is　unhappy？〃
  〃It　does；　indeed！〃　responded　Nerle；　earnestly。　　〃But　please　tell　me　your　story。〃
  〃Not　now；〃　said　Prince　Marvel；　with　a　smile。　　〃It　will　please　you　to　desire　in　vain　to　hear　a　tale　I　will　not　tell。　　Yet　I　promise　that　on　the　day　we　part　company　I　shall　inform　you　who　I　am。〃
  7。　　The　Gray　Men
  The　adventurers　gave　no　heed　to　the　path　they　followed　after　leaving　the　cave　of　the　reformed　thieves；　but　their　horses　accidentally　took　the　direction　of　the　foot…hills　that　led　into　the　wild　interior　Kingdom　of　Spor。　　Therefore　the　travelers；　when　they　had　finished　their　conversation　and　begun　to　look　about　them；　found　themselves　in　a　rugged；　mountainous　country　that　was　wholly　unlike　the　green　plains　of　Heg　they　had　left　behind。
  Now；　as　I　have　before　said；　the　most　curious　and　fearful　of　the　island　people　dwelt　in　this　Kingdom　of　Spor。　　They　held　no　friendly　communication　with　their　neighbors；　and　only　left　their　own　mountains　to　plunder　and　rob；　and　so　sullen　and　fierce　were　they　on　these　occasions　that　every　one　took　good　care　to　keep　out　of　their　way　until　they　had　gone　back　home　again。
  There　was　much　gossip　about　the　unknown　king　of　Spor；　who　had　never　yet　been　seen　by　any　one　except　his　subjects；　and　some　thought　he　must　be　one　of　the　huge　giants　of　Spor；　and　others　claimed　he　was　a　dwarf；　like　his　tiny　but　ferocious　dart…slingers；　and　still　others　imagined　him　one　of　the　barbarian　tribe；　or　a　fellow　to　the　terrible　Gray　Men。　But；　of　course；　no　one　knew　positively；　and　all　these　guesses　were　very　wide　of　the　mark。　　The　only　certainty　about　this　king　was　that　his　giants；　dwarfs；　barbarians　and　Gray　Men　meekly　acknowledged　his　rule　and　obeyed　his　slightest　wish；　for　though　they　might　be　terrible　to　others；　their　king　was　still　more　terrible　to　them。
  Into　this　Kingdom　of　Spor　Prince　Marvel　and　Nerle　had　now　penetrated　and；　neither　knowing　nor　caring　where　they　were；　continued　along　the　faintly　defined　paths　the　horses　had　found。　　Presently；　however；　they　were　startled　by　a　peal　of　shrill；　elfish　laughter；　and　raising　their　eyes　they　beheld　a　horrid…looking　old　man　seated　upon　a　high　rock　near　by。
  〃Why　do　you　laugh？〃　asked　Prince　Marvel；　stopping　his　horse。
  〃Have　you　been　invited？　　Tell　mehave　you　been　invited？〃　demanded　the　old　man；　chuckling　to　himself　as　if　much　amused。
  〃Invited　where？〃　inquired　the　prince。
  〃To　Spor；　stupid！　　To　the　Kingdom　of　Spor！　　To　the　land　of　King　Terribus！〃　shrieked　the　old　man；　going　into　violent　peals　of　laughter。
  〃We　go　and　come　as　we　please；〃　answered　Prince　Marvel；　calmly。
  〃Goyes！　　Go　if　you　will。　　But　you'll　never　come　backnever！　never！　never！〃　The　little　old　man　seemed　to　consider　this　such　a　good　joke　that　he　bent　nearly　double　with　laughing；　and　so　lost　his　balance　and　toppled　off　the　rock；　disappearing　from　their　view；　but　they　could　hear　him　laugh　long　after　they　had　passed　on　and　left　him　far　behind　them。
  〃A　strange　creature！〃　exclaimed　the　prince　though