“And it’s Cassiopeia’s!—For you!” they all finished. “Do you like it?” And the Princess reached around and gathered them all into one four-sided hug, because how she loved it she couldn’t otherwise tell. And Cassiopeia’s never had a quarter so many stars. “We didn’t leave one in the garden,—large enough to pick,” said Pat. “That’s where you’re going to sit to tell the story,” said the Kitten. “And when you’re ready, we’ll lead you up to it, and make ‘salaams,’” said Miss Phyllisy. When she had admired more particularly the way they had done it, she was ready, and they went off to the next tree to come back properly, Pat and Miss Phyllisy leading the Princess, and the Kitten holding up her gown behind. Then the Princess turned around and stood in front of the chair, and the Others stood facing her in a row. “Salaam alekûm,” said the Princess, bowing very low and saluting with her down-dropped hand from her feet, to her heart, to her forehead, in two scallops. “Alekûm essalaam,” replied the Others, saluting the same to her. And to the Princess and Miss Phyllisy and the Kitten it was a kind of game they played, but it was not play at all to Pat. Even the little children said, “My compliments to you,” like that, where she came from. “This story begins with Perseus and Andromeda sitting in a favorite place of theirs, where three tall poplars grow on the bank of the Starland River,” the Princess announced when she had taken her seat. “The three sisters that were changed into them?” asked Phyllisy. The Princess nodded. “Must have been.” “Is it a real river?” asked Pat. “Like any river?” “Like all the most beautiful rivers in the world in one, only changed into star-meanings—fireflies winking among the reeds, and fairy trees along the banks, with strange glowing fruit and blossoms on their shadowy branches. The poplars carry theirs proudly on their tops, like a crown.” “It’s something Beyond, isn’t it, Dearie?—to understand just what it’s like,” suggested Phyllisy, “you have to know it inside, and stop.” “That’s the only way,” said the Princess. “It’s gone in the telling—like fairy gold when you touch it. But the river was there in Starland, and there were Perseus and Andromeda having a cosy talk. “‘What do you suppose ails Little Bear, to make him act so?’ said she. “‘How does he act?’ asked Perseus. “‘I don’t see how you could have helped noticing him. It’s ever since my birthday. He hops when he walks, and looks so important; and lately he has taken to going off by himself—nobody knows where. I believe he’s planning something.’ “‘Let’s watch him, and find out what it is.’ “‘Yes. That’s what I spoke about it for. But we mustn’t let him guess we are watching. It would spoil his fun.’ “‘Of course not,’ said Perseus. “A few nights later, Perseus beckoned mysteriously to Andromeda. She was listening to old Aquarius. She often went to visit him, and it pleased him even more than it bored her, so she liked to do it.