“Now the king had promised to spare Mouk’s life if he could prove his innocence; but having discovered the secret of the staff, he began to suspect that there was some magic connected with the marvellous running powers the little man possessed, and so he declared that, unless Mouk instantly disclosed the secret, though he would spare his life, as he had promised, Mouk would be sent to perpetual imprisonment. “Little Mouk, who had had enough of prison life during the short time he had been shut up in the tower, confessed that his speed had nothing to do with himself, but was given him by the magic slippers. He did not, however, tell him the secret of turning round on his heel three times. [Illustration: _The king slipped into the shoes and commenced running round the garden._ (P. 79.)] “The king slipped into the shoes and commenced running round the garden like mad. He ran and ran until he was exhausted, for little Mouk could not deny himself this small revenge and did not tell him how to make the shoes cease running, and so the king went on and on until he fell down in a faint. “As soon as the king regained consciousness he commenced to abuse little Mouk in no measured terms. ‘I promise you life and pardon,’ said he, ‘but unless you are out of my kingdom in less than twelve hours, I will go back upon my word and have you hanged.’ “He then walked off, carrying little Mouk’s magic shoes and wand with him, and these he shut up at once in his treasure chamber. “As for the poor little fellow, he went out of the country just as poor as he came into it, blaming his own folly in having supposed he was suited to life at court. “As the country he had been in was not of very vast dimensions he found himself upon the borders of it within a week, but after having been used to the magic shoes he found it very troublesome to be obliged to walk. “Once across the border little Mouk sought out the woods and took up his abode in the most solitary and forsaken situation he could find, for he was tired of the ways of men and wished to dwell alone. “He threw himself down upon the soft green grass beside a clear brooklet, in the waters of which were reflected the green fig trees which grew in abundance upon the bank. He made up his mind that he would never taste any food again, for he thought he was tired of life and wished to die. However, he fell asleep, and when he awoke he felt so terribly hungry that he decided that death by starvation would not be a pleasant one and got up to search for something to eat.