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As the king stood confused and astonished at this strange adventure, he suddenly found a mist before his eyes, and himself lifted up in the air by some extraordinary power; for the Desert Fairy had fallen in love with him. To secure him for herself, therefore, she carried him to a frightful eavern, hoping he would there forget All-Fair, and tried many artifiees to eomplete her designs. But finding this scheme ineffectual, she resolved to carry him to a plaee altogether as pleasant as the other was terrible; and accordingly set him by herself in a chariot drawn by swans. In passing through the air, he had the unspeakable surprise to see his adored princess in a castle of polished steel, leaning her head on one hand, and wiping away the tears with the other. She happened to look up, and had the mortifieation to see the king sitting by the fairy, who then, by her art, made herself appear extremely beautiful. Had not the king been sensible of the fairy's power, he would certainly then have tried to free himself from her. At last they came to a stately palace, fenced on one side by walls of emeralds, and on the other by a boisterous sea.
The king, by pretending to be in love with the fairy, obtained liberty to walk by himself on the shore; and, as he was one day invoking the powers of the sea, he heard a voice, and presently after was surprised with the appearance of a Mermaid, which, coming up with a pleasant smile, spoke these words:—"O King of the Golden Mines, I well know all that has passed in regard to you and the fair princess. Don't suspect this to be a contrivance of the fairy's to try you, for I am an inveterate enemy both to her and the Yellow Dwarf; therefore, if you will have confidence in me, I will lend you my assistance to procure the release not only of yourself, but of All-Fair also." The overjoyed king promised to do whatever the Mermaid bade him; whereupon, setting him upon her tail, they sailed away on a rolling sea.
When they had sailed some time, "Now,"” said the Mermaid to the king, "we draw near the palace where your prinecss is kept by the Yellow Dwarf. You will have many enemies to fight before you can come to her; take, therefore, this sword, with which you may overcome every thing, provided you never let it go out of your hand." The king returned her all the thanks that the most grateful heart could suggest; and the Mermaid landed and took leave of him, promising him farther assistanee when necessary.
The king boldly advanced, and meeting with two terrible sphinxes, laid them dead at his feet with his sword. Next he attacked six dragons that opposed him, and despatched them also. Then he met with four-and-twenty nymphs, with
