"On his way home he met a huntsman, his bow and quiver slung on his back. "'That's an odd huntsman who hunts nowadays with bow and arrow,' thought the little prince, and looked straight into his eyes. It was _the man with the green eyes_! "'So you can't find the way to the better land unless you love me, eh?' said he, and disappeared as if the earth had swallowed him up. "'We'll see,' thought the little prince. 'I heard once that there is a great sea, and that many people who went on that sea in ships found the way to that land. Perhaps I may succeed in finding that big sea.' "So he commanded his Grand Vizier to fit out a great ship on the Black Sea for him; and in this they sailed to the country of the fire-worshippers, which had been the home of the prince's mother. The voyage out was propitious; but coming back they were caught in a terrific storm. It thundered and lightened, the sky grew quite dark, and as the lightning lit it up and the rifts of cloud opened, they could clearly see in the sky beyond the radiant angel host; and as the storm-winds made clefts in the sea they could see the sea-nymphs at the bottom. "'At last!' thought the king's son. 'Whether from above or below, I shall find the way to the better land.' "The waves ran so high they had already broken the ship's rudder; the man at the helm had been washed overboard; the ship was fast running on to a huge mass of rocks; there was no doubt but that it must inevitably go to pieces. "At that moment the prince saw some one by the steering-gear, a stranger, who began steering the ship with an old-fashioned helm. "'That's an odd sort of man who thinks to steer this great ship with that old-fashioned gear!' "Suddenly the storm ceased; sky and sea quieted down, the ship ran unharmed past the threatening rocky shore, and reached its homeward destination in safety. "The little prince looked round for the stranger steersman, whom no one on board knew; but he, with a laugh, said: "'You will not find the better land before you get to love me, eh?' "And the little king's son, looking still more closely, recognized in him _the man with the green eyes_; but he disappeared as if the sea had swallowed him up. "And now the little prince began to be very angry. "'Can there be no road for me to the better land? Oh yes, there is. I have heard that many a hero has found it on the battle-field.' "So he commanded his Grand Vizier, then and there, to declare war against the King of the Tartars. "And the Grand Vizier, with his army, invaded Tartary; but its king was very powerful. He let the little prince's army go farther and farther into the heart of his country, then surrounded them on all sides. "The Grand Vizier was frightened. "'We are lost, little king's son! The Tartar knows no mercy; he will either kill us or make us slaves. His army is countless as an army of locusts.' "The little king's son exulted. "'Give the signal for attack at once, that it may be the sooner over.'