At　noon　they　ate　luncheon　by　the　wayside；　Nerle　having　filled　his　pouch　by　stealth　at　the　breakfast　table。　　There　were　great　fragments　of　rock　lying　all　about　them；　and　the　sun　beat　down　so　fiercely　that　the　heat　reflected　from　the　rocks　was　hard　to　bear。　　So　the　travelers　did　not　linger　over　their　meal；　but　remounted　and　rode　away　as　soon　as　possible。　　When　the　sun　began　to　get　lower　in　the　sky　the　rocks　beside　the　path　threw　the　riders　into　shadow；　so　that　their　journey　became　more　pleasant。　　They　rode　along；　paying　little　attention　to　the　way；　but　talking　and　laughing　merrily　together；　until　it　began　to　grow　dark。
  〃Does　this　path　never　end？〃　asked　Prince　Marvel；　suddenly。　　〃We　ought　to　reach　some　place　where　men　dwell　before　long；　else　we　shall　be　obliged　to　spend　the　night　among　these　rocks。〃
  〃And　then　perhaps　the　wolves　will　attack　us；〃　said　Nerle；　cheerfully；　〃and　tear　us　into　pieces　with　their　sharp　teeth　and　claws。〃
  But　even　as　he　spoke　they　rode　around　a　turn　in　the　path　and　saw　a　sight　that　made　them　pause　in　astonishment。　　For　just　before　them　rose　the　castle　of　King　Terribus；　and　along　both　sides　of　the　marble　walk　leading　up　to　it　were　ranged　the　lines　of　giants；　exactly　as　they　had　stood　in　the　morning。
  Nerle　turned　around　in　his　saddle。　　Sure　enough；　there　were　the　Gray　Men　in　the　rearstepping　from　behind　every　boulder　and　completely　filling　the　rocky　pathway。
  〃Well；　what　shall　we　do？〃　asked　the　esquire；　〃fight？〃
  〃No；　indeed！〃　returned　Prince　Marvel；　laughing　at　his　friend's　eager　face。　　〃It　appears　the　path　we　chose　winds　around　in　a　circle；　and　so　has　brought　us　back　to　our　starting…point。　　So　we　must　make　the　best　of　a　bad　blunder　and　spend　another　night　with　our　ugly　friend　King　Terribus。〃
  They　rode　forward　through　the　rows　of　giants　to　the　castle；　where　the　ever…courteous　servants　took　their　horses　and　escorted　them　to　their　former　handsome　apartments　with　every　mark　of　respect。
  No　one　seemed　in　the　least　surprised　at　their　speedy　return；　and　this　fact　at　first　puzzled　Nerle；　and　then　made　him　suspicious。
  After　bathing　and　dusting　their　clothing　they　descended　to　the　banquet　hall；　where　King　Terribus　sat　upon　his　gray　stone　throne　and　welcomed　them　with　quiet　courtesy。
  The　sight　of　the　king's　crimson　skin　and　deformed　face　sent　a　thrill　of　repugnance　through　Prince　Marvel；　and　under　the　impulse　of　a　sudden　thought　he　extended　his　hand　toward　Terribus　and　whispered　a　magic　word　which　was　unheard　by　any　around　him。
  Nerle　did　not　notice　the　prince's　swift　gesture　nor　the　whispered　word；　but　he　was　staring　straight　at　Terribus　at　the　time；　and　he　saw　with　surprise　the　eye　on　the　top　of　the　king's　head　move　down　toward　his　forehead；　and　the　eye　in　the　center　of　his　forehead　slide　slightly　toward　the　left；　and　the　elephant…like　nose　shrink　and　shorten　at　the　same　time。　　Also　it　seemed　to　him　that　the　king's　skin　was　not　so　crimson　in　color　as　before；　and　that　a　thin　growth　of　hair　had　covered　his　head。
  However；　no　one　else　appeared　to　notice　any　changeleast　of　all　Terribusso　Nerle　seated　himself　at　the　table　and　began　to　eat。
  〃It　was　very　kind　of　you　to　return　so　soon　to　my　poor　castle；〃　said　the　king　to　Prince　Marvel；　in　his　sweet　voice。
  〃We　could　not　help　it；〃　laughed　the　prince；　in　reply；　〃for　the　road　wound　right　and　left　until　we　knew　not　which　way　we　traveled；　and　then　it　finally　circled　around　again　to　your　castle。　　But　to…morrow　we　shall　seek　a　new　path　and　bid　you　farewell　forever。〃
  〃Still；〃　remarked　the　king；　gravely；　〃should　you　again　miss　your　way；　I　shall　be　glad　to　welcome　your　return。〃
  The　prince　bowed　politely　by　way　of　reply；　and　turned　to　address　the　little　maiden　he　had　once　saved　from　death　by　poison。　　And　so　in　feasting；　dancing　and　laughter　the　evening　passed　pleasantly　enough　to　the　prince；　and　it　was　late　when　he　called　Nerle　to　attend　him　to　their　apartment。
  12。　　The　Gift　of　Beauty
  The　following　morning　Marvel　and　Nerle　once　more　set　out　to　leave　the　Kingdom　of　Spor　and　its　ugly　king。　　They　selected　another　pathway　leading　from　the　castle　and　traveled　all　day；　coming　at　nightfall　into　view　of　the　place　whence　they　had　started；　with　its　solemn　rows　of　giants　and　Gray　Men　standing　ready　to　receive　them。
  This　repetition　of　their　former　experience　somewhat　annoyed　the　prince；　while　Nerle's　usually　despondent　face　wore　a　smile。
  〃I　see　trouble　ahead；〃　murmured　the　esquire；　almost　cheerfully。　〃Since　the　king　can　not　conquer　us　by　force　he　intends　to　do　it　by　sorcery。〃
  Marvel　did　not　reply；　but　greeted　the　king　quietly；　while　Terribus　welcomed　their　return　as　calmly　as　if　he　well　knew　they　could　not　escape　him。
  That　evening　the　prince　made　another　pass　toward　the　king　with　his　hand　and　muttered　again　the　magic　word。　　Nerle　was　watching；　and　saw　the　upper　eye　of　Terribus　glide　still　farther　down　his　forehead　and　the　other　eye　move　again　toward　the　left。　　The　swaying　nose　shrank　to　a　few　inches　in　length；　and　the　skin　that　had　once　been　so　brilliantly　crimson　turned　to　a　dull　red　color。　　This　time　the　courtiers　and　ladies　in　waiting　also　noticed　the　change　in　the　king's　features；　but　were　afraid　to　speak　of　it；　as　any　reference　to　their　monarch's　personal　appearance　was　by　law　punishable　by　death。　　Terribus　saw　the　startled　looks　directed　upon　him；　and　raised　his　hand　to　feel　of　his　nose　and　eyes；　but　thinking　that　if　any　change　in　his　appearance　had　taken　place；　he　must　be　uglier　than　before；　he　only　frowned　and　turned　away　his　head。
  The　next　day　the　king's　guests　made　a　third　attempt　to　leave　his　dominions；　but　met　with　no　better　success　than　before；　for　a　long　and　tedious　ride　only　brought　them　back　to　their　starting…place　in　the　evening。
  This　time　Prince　Marvel　was　really　angry；　and　striding　into　the　king's　presence　he　reproached　him　bitterly；　saying：
  〃Why　do　you　prevent　us　from　leaving　your　kingdom？　　We　have　not　injured　you　in　any　way。〃
  〃You　have　seen　ME；　returned　Terribus；　calmly；　〃and　I　do　not　intend　you　shall　go　back　to　the　world　and　tell　people　how　ugly　I　am。〃
  The　prince　looked　at　him；　and　could　not　repress　a　smile。　　The　two　eyes　of　the　king；　having　been　twice　removed　from　their　first　position；　were　now　both　in　his　forehead；　instead　of　below　it；　and　one　was　much　higher　than　the　other。　　And　the　nose；　although　small　when　compared　to　what　it　had　been；　still　resembled　an　elephant's　trunk。　　Other　changes　had　been　made　for　the　better；　but　Terribus　was　still　exceedingly　repulsive　to　look　upon。
  Seeing　the　prince　look　at　him　and　smile；　the　king　flew　into　a　fury　of　anger　and　declared　that　the　strangers　should　never；　while　they　lived；　be　permitted　to　leave　his　castle　again。　　Prince　Marvel　became　thoughtful　at　this；　reflecting　that　the　king's　enmity　all　arose　from　his　sensitiveness　about　his　ugly　appearance；　and　this　filled　the　youthful　knight　with　pity　rather　than　resentment。
  When　they　had　all　assembled　at　the　evening　banquet　the　prince；　for　a　third　time；　made　a　mystic　pass　at　the　king　and　whispered　a　magic　word。　And　behold！　this　time　the　charm　was　complete。　　For　the　two　front　eyes　of　Terribus　fell　into　their　proper　places；　his　nose　became　straight　and　well　formed；　and　his　skin　took　on　a　natural；　healthy　color。　Moreover；　he　now　had　a　fine　head　of　soft　brown　hair；　with　eyebrows　and　eyelashes　to　match；　and　his　head　was　shapely　and　in　proportion　to　his　body。　　As　for　the　eye　that　had　formerly　been　in　the　back　of　his　head；　it　had　disappeared　completely。
  So　amazed　were　the　subjects　of　the　transformed　kingwho　was　now　quite　handsome　to　look　uponthat　they　began　to　murmur　together　excitedly；　and　something　in　the　new　sensations　he　experienced　gave　to　the　king's　face　likewise　an　expression　of　surprise。　　Knowing　from　their　pleased　looks　that　he　must　have　improved　in　appearance；　he　found　courage　to　raise　his　hand　to　his　nose；　and　found　it　well　formed。　　Then　he　touched　his　eyes；　and　realized　they　were　looking　straight　out　from　his　face；　like　those　of　other　people。
  For　some　moments　after　making　these　discoveries　the　king　remained　motionless；　a　smile　of　joy　gradually　spreading　over　his　features。　Then　he　said；　aloud：
  〃What　has　happened？　　Why　do　you　all　look　so　startled？〃
  〃Your　Majesty　is　no　longer　ugly；〃　replied　Marvel；　laughingly；　〃so　that　when　Nerle　and　I　leave　your　kingdom　we　can　proclaim　nothing　less　than　praise　of　your　dignified　and　handsome　appearance。〃
  〃Is　my　face　indeed　pleasing？〃　demanded　the　king；　eagerly。
  〃It　is！〃　cried　the　assembled　courtiers　and　ladies；　as　with　one　voice。
  〃Bring　me　a　mirror！〃　said　the　king。　　〃I　shall　look　at　my　reflection　for　the　first　time　in　many　years。〃
  The　mirror　being　brought　King　Terribus　regarded　himself　for　a　long　time　with　pleased　astonishment；　and　then；　his　sensitive　nature　being　overcome　by　the　shock　of　his　good　fortune；　he　burst　into　a　flood　of　tears　and　rushed　from　the　room。
  The　courtiers　and　ladies　now　bestowed　many　grateful　thanks　upon　Prince　Marvel　for　his　kind　deed；　for　they　realized　that　thereafter　their　lives　would　be　safer　from　the　king's　anger　and　much　pleasanter　in　every　way。
  〃Terribus　is　not　bad　by　nature；〃　said　one；　〃but　he　brooded　upon　his　ugliness　so　much　that　the　least　thing　served　to　throw　him　into　a　violent　passion；　and　our　lives　were　never　safe　fro