“At break of day, on the edge of a beautiful lake, she left him; but he was in full view of the magician’s elegant palace. The Lady of the Mist bade him remain in hiding until the sunset hour, and when the Princess came out to view his dead body (or the wicked magician’s skill in changing him into some animal), he must hold his gleaming sword in front of him, and boldly advance to her side. The White Lady of the Mist promised to aid him at the critical moment, and she would give him a sign to advance and rescue the Princess: it would be a veil of mist descending the mountain. He must not rush forward until the mist appeared, however, as she could not help him while the sun shone. “The Prince promised faithfully to follow her instructions, though it was hard to wait all day. He walked around the lake, keeping well in the bushes, and finally hiding himself beneath the Princess’s balcony. “The magician’s palace was truly magnificent, for it was built all of solid black ebony. It was very gloomy and terrible to look upon, but also very costly, Oswald could see. The great arches of ebony that upheld the balcony were inlaid with glittering gold and diamonds, so that the palace sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight. But a black palace was an unusual sight, and one felt at a glance that it was the abode of a magician. The floor of the balcony was inlaid with a border of splendid white pearls, and precious rugs lay on the floor. Costly jewels were scattered carelessly about in quantities, for the magician felt if he lost anything his magic could easily restore it. Enticing fruit gardens grew down to the borders of the lake, and handsome trees spread out their cool green branches. The place was so lovely it seemed a shame that such a wicked old magician should own it. “Toward evening, when the sun was low, the magician came out and angrily called for the Princess. It was plain to see he was in a very bad humor. He had heard of the golden shuttle being restored to the White Lady of the Mist, and he was fearful of her power against him. He did not know, however, that Oswald was the knight who had been successful in restoring it, for he had given such strict instructions to his imps of the forest, that he felt sure Oswald had not escaped death.