He did not say what these lessons were, but left that for the boy to find out himself. Then he gave Willful a golden cross to protect him from harm, a magic glass to magnify even the tiniest creatures, and a curious fan-shaped instrument, by which the languages of the animal-world might be understood. With these to assist him, Willful started on his journey. He visited many countries and saw many wonderful things, but it was a long time before he learned anything from what he saw, for he was so proud that he thought nothing could teach him. But one day he was lying down in the shade of a tree, and was looking around for some object of interest, when he saw a number of ants going up and down the tree in great haste. He further noticed that when two ants met they would stop and touch each other with the little horns on their heads, just as people shake hands. This amused Willful, and he wished to know its meaning, so he took out his hearing fan, and placing it to his lips he found that one ant said to the other, "Good morning, Mr. Ant; fine day. Been to breakfast?" to which the other replied pleasantly, and passed on. While he was watching these tiny creatures, he saw one which appeared very much excited over something. It stopped one of its friends who was going up the tree, and said, "Have you seen my goats this morning? I went up to milk them a few moments ago; and can not find them anywhere." "Yes," replied the other, "They got over into my pasture; come with me and I will find them for you." Then the two went up the tree and disappeared. Willful's curiosity was thoroughly aroused; so he climbed the tree, and, crawling out upon one of the branches, took out his magic glass and looked around to see what the ants meant by their "_goats_." Soon he found the two ants, with a herd of tiny plant lice feeding on a large leaf. Then he knew what the ant meant by his "_goats_." The lost goats were soon picked out, and their master proceeded to milk them. Willful was so interested by these singular creatures that he determined to study their habits; so, descending from the tree he searched for the anthills. Then he spent hours in watching their occupants, and he learnt many things of benefit to him. He found that they had a regular government, which was as well organized as any human kingdom; and that in some respects they surpassed mankind, for they had reached the point where everything was held in common, yet quarrels over the right of property were unknown. Each had its own labor to perform and none were allowed to be idle. In fact, Willful thought he had never seen, even in his own country, so peaceable, happy, and contented a people as were these occupants of the sand-hills. "Surely," thought he, "I know now the value and importance of industry." After this the prince was not so proud as he once had been; but was more ready to learn from whatever he saw.