As he stood, the noise of the sea roaring underground in remote hollows of the rocks smote desolately on his ear, and, for a moment, the dreary sound made his heart sink in his body. But he thought of the Princess, and courage leaped up in his soul. [Illustration: A THING WHICH LOOKED LIKE A HUMAN FIGURE WAS LYING BY A FIRE] A column of stone, reaching to the roof, stood in the middle of the cave, and, at its foot, was a thing which looked like a human figure lying by a fire. He approached, thanking Heaven for the power of becoming invisible, and saw that he was in the presence of the witch. By a happy chance she had overslept herself, and had not yet gone up to the Princess. As he looked there was a stir in her recumbent form. She rose, and, drawing off her left shoe, approached the wall. “Left-foot shoe, left-foot shoe, Open, rock, and I’ll pass through,” she muttered, striking it. Then the wall cracked open and she gathered her skirt more closely round her and disappeared through the opening, which closed behind her. He paced up and down, straining his ears to catch any sound that might steal through some chink in the rock, and give him an idea of what was going on above. But no sound came. At last the wall opened and his enemy appeared. An evil smile was on her face, and he guessed that she had been taunting her victim. His blood boiled. When the chasm closed, the hag, instead of replacing her shoe, drew off its fellow and, putting them both in a corner, flung herself down by the fire. The Prince had not expected such luck and he bounded towards them. At this she looked up quickly; he had forgotten, in his excitement, that, though invisible, his movements could be heard, and for a minute he stood waiting to see if she would notice the footprints he had made in the sand. But after sitting erect to listen, she seemed re-assured and lay down, while he, pausing a little space ere he moved again, heard her breathing grow heavier and saw that she was falling asleep again over her fire. Then he picked up her left shoe. He advanced to the wall and struck it, saying the words he had heard her use. It flew open before him and the fresh air rushed against his face. With one backward glance at the sleeper he climbed the incline, and, in a moment, had wished himself visible again and was standing on the rock by the Princess.