But, though she could be out-spoken enough on occasion, she felt that this was hardly an explanation she could give to his mother. "Well, my dear," she said, "it's very trying for you, of course. But I don't know that there's anything _I_ can do." "I--I thought perhaps," said Queen Selina, with some natural hesitation, "that you, as a Fairy, might--er--know some quite simple little spell which----" "As I have told you before," interrupted the Fairy, "I make a point of using my knowledge of Magic as seldom as I can nowadays. I have my health to consider. And, in any case, I am acquainted with no spell for making a Prince into a horseman. Princes in Maerchenland," she added, rather unkindly, "have never needed such aids." But, after all, she was anxious that this Royal family, whom she had been largely responsible for importing, should do her as much credit as possible, and so she applied herself to think of something that might be of help to the unfortunate Crown Prince. A means occurred to her at length, but as she was by no means sure that it would be effectual, she was careful not to commit herself. She did not even mention it till she was on the point of starting for Clairdelune, and then, before she stepped into her dove-chariot, she suddenly said to the Queen, _a propos_ of nothing in particular, "By the way, my dear, that jewel you were wearing when you first came--I haven't seen you with it for a long while--how is that?" "Well, you see, Court Godmother, my Crown jewels seem to suit me so much better." "Then, if you don't want that pendant yourself, you had better give it to your son." "To Clarence?" cried the Queen. "Why, what use would it be to him?" "It is a jewel which any Prince might be proud to wear," said the Fairy; "and I should strongly advise you to see that he wears it. Not merely now and then, but constantly. It may--mind, I don't say it _will_--but it _may_ bring him better luck than he has enjoyed as yet." "But really, Godmother, I can't quite believe that a thing--" began the Queen, when the Fairy cut her short unceremoniously. "I've no time to stay here arguing about it," she said; "my doves will be catching cold if they stand about any longer. By all means don't take my advice if you don't believe in it; I merely thought you might find it worth trying--but you must please yourself. And now, with your permission, I'll take my leave of you." At a sign from her, the team of doves fluttered up in a snow-white cloud and winged their flight to the neighbouring Kingdom of Clairdelune, where she had another Royal Godson, Prince Mirliflor, in whose affairs she took a keener interest than she could in Clarence's.