In a little while the merry party had reached the mountain top, and stood gazing in a bewilderment of pleasure at the wonderful valley below. Exquisite lakes and shining silver rivers lay beneath; beautiful hills stretched away in the distance; and the glorious colors in the rocks, which the fairies had painted so vividly, reflected the pinks and yellows in a growing radiance that lighted up the whole valley in splendor. Innumerable rays flashed out in little threadlike flames, flooding the world below in a blaze of color. “How magnificent it is!” exclaimed the visitors; and the guide was well pleased with their admiration. I could never describe to you properly the entertainments that followed their arrival, nor the joy of Dorion and Ethelda in meeting the beautiful Sun Princess. Princess Kuldah was as beautiful as ever, and spared no pains to make her brother and his bride and their companions welcome. The Prince, her husband, showed them his wonderful workshop, and they marvelled over the geysers, and listened with awe to the description of his great problem. The days seemed all too short, and the guests were surprised when the time for their departure arrived. The feasting and dancing and sight-seeing were at last ended in the valley of enchantment; one glorious morning they rose with the Sun, and bidding good-bye to Princess Kuldah and her people, started to meet the black dwarf of the mountains. The same guide would accompany them to the place where they were to meet him. The Princess saw none of them felt much desire to go; Ethelda was particularly downcast, still she bore up bravely, and with a smiling face she began the journey. Although Ethelda and her companions were charmed with the splendors of the deep, they were still more impressed with delight over the new beauties they discovered upon the land. They had seen the glittering mountains of the Moon and the fiery craters of the Sun, and had wondered at such magnificence, but the Earth’s fresh coloring was a revelation. And the Earth had decked herself right royally to receive them. The month was April, and the world, rioting in flowers, was aflame with color. The poppies, yellow and scarlet, burst forth from the meadows’ tenderest green. The white petalled, yellow centred daisies came out in thousands to greet them, while the roses, pink and white and red, flashed everywhere. The trees, too, dressed in the earliest Spring green, nodded and waved their long branches in a glad welcome, and the tiny wood violet, modest and sweet, sent forth its perfumed breath in waves of delight, filling the air with sweetness.