A splendid hall it was, all of white marble, with a roof of fretted gold, and rich curtains of pale blue velvet hanging between the slender pillars. The throne of solid gold flashed like a jewel, and Duldy’s feet sank in the soft velvet carpets as he stood before the King, a royal-looking man with a crown of silver, for in Aurea silver was thought to be much more precious than gold. But Duldy did not look upon the King, as his attention was fixed upon a great golden fountain in the centre of the hall, out of which spouted the most beautiful coloured water, which first ascended and fell into the topmost basin like liquid silver, then fell from the first to the second basin a sheet of gold, from the second to the third a beautiful crimson tint, from the third to the fourth a bright blue, and from the fourth to the lowest and last a pale green colour. All these different coloured waters glittered like gems in the sunlight which came through the wide windows of the hall, so that the fountain was called the Fountain of Jewels, and Duldy guessed it to be the one which Foamina had sent to the King. Meanwhile Arago was rather angry at Duldy staring at the fountain instead of himself, for no king likes to be neglected, so he called out to him in a loud voice,— “Well, my lad, what do you want?” “To cure the Princess, sire,” said Duldy, quickly turning to the throne. “You know the penalty if you fail?” said Arago, looking at him steadily. “Yes, I lose my head.” “Are you not afraid?” “No, not a bit; but if I succeed, of course I marry the Princess Elsa, and succeed your Majesty on the throne of Metella,” said Duldy frankly. “We have passed our royal word that such will be the case,” replied the King, smiling. “Now, begin at once and awaken the Princess.” “First of all, I must have the Princess brought into this hall,” declared the shepherd. “Impossible!” said Arago, frowning; “my daughter is asleep on a couch in her bedroom.” “Then she must be brought here, couch and all,” said Duldy boldly, determined to have his own way; “I can only break the spell here.” “How so?” asked the King. “Because the Princess Elsa’s sleep is caused by that fountain,” said Duldy. “What! the Fountain of Jewels!” cried the King. “That’s nonsense; it was sent to me by the Queen of Faeryland, and she would not send me anything hurtful.” “I daresay _she_ would not,” said Duldy, with emphasis; “but she did not send that fountain. It came from Foamina.” “From Foamina!” cried every one, with a start of terror, for the water-faery was much dreaded in Aurea. “This is very serious,” said the King gravely. “Young man, you must prove the truth of what you say, and if such is the case, I shall have the fountain removed.” “Then bring in the Princess,” said Duldy, and, kneeling down, he opened his bundle, which was full of pine cones he had picked up in the forest. “I must have your Majesty’s permission to light a fire with these on the marble floor.”