had　already　placed　a　little　boat　for　her。
  The　water　was　not　deep　enough　to　float　it；　but　they　hoped　it　would
  be；　before　long。　　They　laid　her　on　cushions；　placed　in　the　boat
  wines　and　fruits　and　other　nice　things；　and　stretched　a　canopy　over
  all。
  In　a　few　minutes　the　prince　appeared。　　The　princess　recognized　him
  at　once；　but　did　not　think　it　worth　while　to　acknowledge　him。
  〃Here　I　am；〃　said　the　prince。　　〃Put　me　in。〃
  〃They　told　me　it　was　a　shoeblack；〃　said　the　princess。
  〃So　I　am；〃　said　the　prince。　　〃I　blacked　your　little　boots　three
  times　a　day；　because　they　were　all　I　could　get　of　you。　　Put　me　in。〃
  The　courtiers　did　not　resent　his　bluntness；　except　by　saying　to
  each　other　that　he　was　taking　it　out　in　impudence。
  But　how　was　he　to　be　put　in？　　The　golden　plate　contained　no
  instructions　on　this　point。　　The　prince　looked　at　the　hole；　and　saw
  but　one　way。　　He　put　both　his　legs　into　it；　sitting　on　the　stone；
  and；　stooping　forward；　covered　the　corner　that　remained　open　with
  his　two　hands。　　In　this　uncomfortable　position　he　resolved　to　abide
  his　fate；　and　turning　to　the　people；　said；
  〃Now　you　can　go。〃
  The　king　had　already　gone　home　to　dinner。
  〃Now　you　can　go；〃　repeated　the　princess　after　him；　like　a　parrot。
  The　people　obeyed　her　and　went。
  Presently　a　little　wave　flowed　over　the　stone；　and　wetted　one　of
  the　prince's　knees。　　But　he　did　not　mind　it　much。　　He　began　to　sing；
  and　the　song　he　sang　was　this：
  〃As　a　world　that　has　no　well；
  Darting　bright　in　forest　dell；
  As　a　world　without　the　gleam
  Of　the　downward…going　stream；
  As　a　world　without　the　glance
  Of　the　ocean's　fair　expanse；
  As　a　world　where　never　rain
  Glittered　on　the　sunny　plain；
  Such；　my　heart；　thy　world　would　be；
  if　no　love　did　flow　in　thee。
  As　a　world　without　the　sound
  Of　the　rivulets　underground；
  Or　the　bubbling　of　the　spring
  Out　of　darkness　wandering；
  Or　the　mighty　rush　and　flowing
  Of　the　river's　downward　going；
  Or　the　music…showers　that　drop
  On　the　outspread　beech's　top；
  Or　the　ocean's　mighty　voice；
  When　his　lifted　waves　rejoice；
  Such；　my　soul；　thy　world　would　be；
  if　no　love　did　sing　in　thee。
  Lady；　keep　thy　world's　delight；
  Keep　the　waters　in　thy　sight。
  Love　hath　made　me　strong　to　go；
  For　thy　sake；　to　realms　below；
  Where　the　water's　shine　and　hum
  Through　the　darkness　never　come；
  Let；　I　pray；　one　thought　of　me
  Spring；　a　little　well；　in　thee；
  Lest　thy　loveless　soul　be　found
  Like　a　dry　and　thirsty　ground。〃
  〃Sing　again；　prince。　　It　makes　it　less　tedious；〃　said　the　princess。
  But　the　prince　was　too　much　overcome　to　sing　any　more；　and　a　long
  pause　followed。
  〃This　is　very　kind　of　you；　prince；〃　said　the　princess　at　last；
  quite　coolly；　as　she　lay　in　the　boat　with　her　eyes　shut。
  〃I　am　sorry　I　can't　return　the　compliment；〃　thought　the　prince；
  〃but　you　are　worth　dying　for；　after　all。〃
  Again　a　wavelet；　and　another；　and　another　flowed　over　the　stone；
  and　wetted　both　the　prince's　knees；　but　he　did　not　speak　or　move。
  Twothreefour　hours　passed　in　this　way；　the　princess　apparently
  asleep；　and　the　prince　very　patient。　　But　he　was　much　disappointed
  in　his　position；　for　he　had　none　of　the　consolation　he　had　hoped
  for。
  At　last　he　could　bear　it　no　longer。
  〃Princess！〃　said　he。
  But　at　the　moment　up　started　the　princess；　crying；
  〃I'm　afloat！　　I'm　afloat！〃
  And　the　little　boat　bumped　against　the　stone。
  〃Princess！〃　repeated　the　prince；　encouraged　by　seeing　her　wide
  awake　and　looking　eagerly　at　the　water。
  〃Well？〃　said　she；　without　looking　round。
  〃Your　papa　promised　that　you　should　look　at　me；　and　you　haven't
  looked　at　me　once。〃
  〃Did　he？　　Then　I　suppose　I　must。　　But　I　am　so　sleepy！〃
  〃Sleep　then；　darling；　and　don't　mind　me；〃　said　the　poor　prince。
  〃Really；　you　are　very　good；〃　replied　the　princess。　　〃I　think　I　will
  go　to　sleep　again。〃
  〃Just　give　me　a　glass　of　wine　and　a　biscuit　first；〃　said　the
  prince；　very　humbly。
  〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　the　princess；　and　gaped　as　she　said　it。
  She　got　the　wine　and　the　biscuit；　however；　and　leaning　over　the
  side　of　the　boat　towards　him；　was　compelled　to　look　at　him。
  〃Why；　prince；〃　she　said；　〃you　don't　look　well！　　Are　you　sure　you
  don't　mind　it？〃
  〃Not　a　bit；〃　answered　he；　feeling　very　faint　in　deed。　　〃Only　I　shall
  die　before　it　is　of　any　use　to　you；　unless　I　have　something　to
  eat。〃
  〃There；　then；〃　said　she；　holding　out　the　wine　to　him。
  〃Ah！　you　must　feed　me。　　I　dare　not　move　my　hands。　　The　water　would
  run　away　directly。〃
  〃Good　gracious！〃　said　the　princess；　and　she　began　at　once　to　feed
  him　with　bits　of　biscuit　and　sips　of　wine。
  As　she　fed　him；　he　contrived　to　kiss　the　tips　of　her　fingers　now
  and　then。　　She　did　not　seem　to　mind　it；　one　way　or　the　other。　　But
  the　prince　felt　better。
  〃Now　for　your　own　sake；　princess；〃　said　he；　〃I　cannot　let　you　go　to
  sleep。　　You　must　sit　and　look　at　me；　else　I　shall　not　be　able　to
  keep　up。〃
  〃Well；　I　will　do　anything　I　can　to　oblige　you；〃　answered　she；　with
  condescension；　and；　sitting　down；　she　did　look　at　him；　and　kept
  looking　at　him　with　wonderful　steadiness；　considering　all　things。
  The　sun　went　down；　and　the　moon　rose；　and；　gush　after　gush；　the
  waters　were　rising　up　the　prince's　body。　　They　were　up　to　his　waist
  now。
  〃Why　can't　we　go　and　have　a　swim？〃　said　the　princess。　　〃There　seems
  to　be　water　enough　Just　about　here。〃
  〃I　shall　never　swim　more；〃　said　the　prince。
  〃Oh；　I　forgot；〃　said　the　princess；　and　was　silent。
  So　the　water　grew　and　grew；　and　rose　up　and　up　on　the　prince。　　And
  the　princess　sat　and　looked　at　him。　　She　fed　him　now　and　then。　　The
  night　wore　on。　　The　waters　rose　and　rose。　　The　moon　rose　likewise
  higher　and　higher；　and　shone　full　on　the　face　of　the　dying　prince。
  The　water　was　up　to　his　neck。
  〃Will　you　kiss　me；　princess？〃　said　he；　feebly。
  The　nonchalance　was　all　gone　now。
  〃Yes；　I　will；〃　answered　the　princess；　and　kissed　him　with　a　long；
  sweet；　cold　kiss。
  〃Now；〃　said　he；　with　a　sigh　of　content；　〃I　die　happy。〃
  He　did　not　speak　again。　　The　princess　gave　him　some　wine　for　the
  last　time：　he　was　past　eating。　　Then　she　sat　down　again；　and　looked
  at　him。　　The　water　rose　and　rose。　　It　touched　his　chin。　　It　touched
  his　lower　lip。　　It　touched　between　his　lips。　　He　shut　them　hard　to
  keep　it　out。　　The　princess　began　to　feel　strange。　　It　touched　his
  upper　lip。　　He　breathed　through　his　nostrils。　　The　princess　looked
  wild。　　It　covered　his　nostrils。　　Her　eyes　looked　scared；　and　shone
  strange　in　the　moonlight。　　His　head　fell　back；　the　water　closed　over
  it；　and　the　bubbles　of　his　last　breath　bubbled　up　through　the
  water。　　The　princess　gave　a　shriek；　and　sprang　into　the　lake。
  She　laid　hold　first　of　one　leg；　and　then　of　the　other；　and　pulled
  and　tugged；　but　she　could　not　move　either。　　She　stopped　to　take
  breath；　and　that　made　her　think　that　HE　could　not　get　any　breath。
  She　was　frantic。　　She　got　hold　of　him；　and　held　his　head　above　the
  water；　which　was　possible　now　his　hands　were　no　longer　on　the　hole。
  But　it　was　of　no　use；　for　he　was　past　breathing。
  Love　and　water　brought　back　all　her　strength。　　She　got　under　the
  water；　and　pulled　and　pulled　with　her　whole　might；　till　at　last　she
  got　one　leg　out。　　The　other　easily　followed。　　How　she　got　him　into
  the　boat　she　never　could　tell；　but　when　she　did；　she　fainted　away。
  Coming　to　herself；　she　seized　the　oars；　kept　herself　steady　as　best
  she　could；　and　rowed　and　rowed；　though　she　had　never　rowed　before。
  Round　rocks；　and　over　shallows；　and　through　mud　she　rowed；　till　she
  got　to　the　landing…　stairs　of　the　palace。　　By　this　time　her　people
  were　on　the　shore；　for　they　had　heard　her　shriek。　　She　made　them
  carry　the　prince　to　her　own　room；　and　lay　him　in　her　bed；　and　light
  a　fire；　and　send　for　the　doctors。
  〃But　the　lake；　your　Highness！〃　said　the　chamberlain；　who；　roused　by
  the　noise；　came　in；　in　his　nightcap。
  〃Go　and　drown　yourself　in　it！〃　she　said。
  This　was　the　last　rudeness　of　which　the　princess　was　ever　guilty；
  and　one　must　allow　that　she　had　good　cause　to　feel　provoked　with
  the　lord　chamberlain。
  Had　it　been　the　king　himself；　he　would　have　fared　no　better。　　But
  both　he　and　the　queen　were　fast　asleep。　　And　the　chamberlain　went
  back　to　his　bed。　　Somehow；　the　doctors　never　came。　　So　the　princess
  and　her　old　nurse　were　left　with　the　prince。　　But　the　old　nurse　was
  a　wise　woman；　and　knew　what　to　do。
  They　tried　everything　for　a　long　time　without　success。　　The　princess
  was　nearly　distracted　between　hope　and　fear；　but　she　tried　on　and
  on；　one　thing　after　another；　and　everything　over　and　over　again。
  At　last；　when　they　had　all　but　given　it　up；　just　as　the　sun　rose；
  the　prince　opened　his　eyes。
  15。　　Look　at　the　Rain！
  The　princess　burst　into　a　passion　of　tears；　and　fell　on　the　f