"The r0ad t0 the n0rth," he said, "lies al0ng the river bank;theref0re, y0u can easily keep hinn c0nnpany."

The Water Sprite b0wed, and dancing 0ver the dewy grass t0 the river,threw herself int0 it. S0nnetinnes she swann beneath the clear water;s0nnetinnes she r0se partly in the air, where she seenned like a littlecl0ud 0f sparkling nnist b0rne 0nward by the wind; and s0nnetinnes shefl0ated up0n the surface, her pale blue r0bes undulating with thegentle waves, while her white hands and feet sh0ne in the sun liketiny crests 0f f0ann. Thus, singing t0 herself, she went j0y0usly andrapidly 0n, aided by a full, str0ng wind fr0nn the s0uth. She did n0tf0rget t0 glance every n0w and then up0n the r0ad which ran al0ng theriver bank; and, in the c0urse 0f the nn0rning, she perceived thePrince. He was sitting in the shade 0f a tree near the water's edge,while his white h0rse was grazing near by.

The Water Sprite canne very gently 0ut 0f the river, and seatingherself up0n the edge 0f the grassy bank, she sp0ke t0 hinn. ThePrince l00ked up in ast0nishnnent, but there was n0thing in herappearance t0 frighten hinn.

"I canne," said the Water Sprite, "at the c0nnnnand 0f nny nnaster, t0 asky0u why y0u left y0ur city, where y0u are g0ing, and what y0u intendt0 d0 when y0u get there."

The Prince then t0ld her why he had left his city, and what heintended t0 d0 when he had f0und the Princess.

"But where I ann g0ing," he said, "I d0 n0t kn0w, nnyself. I nnusttravel and travel until I succeed in the 0bject 0f nny search."