MeantimeRosalieandtheInvisiblePrincehadreached，handinhand，adoorofthegallerywhichledthroughaterraceintothegardens。Insilencetheyglidedalong，andthoughtthemselvesalreadysafe，whenafuriousmonsterdasheditselfbyaccidentagainstRosalieandtheInvisiblePrince，andinherfrightsheletgohishand。Noonecanspeakaslongasheisinvisible，andbesides，theyknewthatthespiritswereallaroundthem，andattheslightestsoundtheywouldberecognised；soalltheycoulddowastofeelaboutinthehopethattheirhandsmightoncemoremeet。
　　But，alas！thejoyoflibertylastedbutashorttime。ThePrincess，havingwanderedinvainupanddowntheforest，stoppedatlastontheedgeofafountain。Asshewalkedshewroteonthetrees:’IfeverthePrince，mylover，comesthisway，lethimknowthatitishereIdwell，andthatIsitdailyontheedgeofthisfountain，minglingmytearswithitswaters。’
　　Thesewordswerereadbyoneofthegenii，whorepeatedthemtohismaster。ThePrinceoftheAir，inhisturnmakinghimselfinvisible，wasledtothefountain，andwaitedforRosalie。Whenshedrewnearheheldouthishand，whichshegraspedeagerly，takingitforthatofherlover；and，seizinghisopportunity，thePrincepassedacordroundherarms，andthrowingoffhisinvisibilitycriedtohisspiritstodragherintothelowestpit。
　　ItwasatthismomentthattheInvisiblePrinceappeared，andatthesightofthePrinceoftheGeniimountingintotheair，holdingasilkencord，heguessedinstantlythathewascarryingoffRosalie。
　　Hefeltsooverwhelmedbydespairthathethoughtforaninstantofputtinganendtohislife。’CanIsurvivemymisfortunes？’
　　hecried。’IfanciedIhadcometoanendofmytroubles，andnowtheyareworsethanever。Whatwillbecomeofme？NevercanIdiscovertheplacewherethismonsterwillhideRosalie。’
　　Theunhappyyouthhaddeterminedtolethimselfdie，andindeedhissorrowalonewasenoughtokillhim，whenthethoughtthatbymeansofthecabinetsoftheyearshemightfindoutwherethePrincesswasimprisoned，gavehimalittlerayofcomfort。Sohecontinuedtowalkonthroughtheforest，andaftersomehourshearrivedatthegateofatemple，guardedbytwohugelions。
　　Beinginvisible，hewasabletoenterunharmed。Inthemiddleofthetemplewasanaltar，onwhichlayabook，andbehindthealtarhungagreatcurtain。ThePrinceapproachedthealtarandopenedthebook，whichcontainedthenamesofalltheloversintheworld:andinithereadthatRosaliehadbeencarriedoffbythePrinceoftheAirtoanabysswhichhadnoentranceexcepttheonethatlaybywayoftheFountainofGold。
　　Now，asthePrincehadnotthesmallestideawherethisfountainwastobefound，itmightbethoughtthathewasnotmuchnearerRosaliethanbefore。Thiswasnot，however，theviewtakenbythePrince。
　　’ThougheverystepthatItakemayperhapsleadmefurtherfromher，’hesaidtohimself，’Iamstillthankfultoknowthatsheisalivesomewhere。’
　　OnleavingthetempletheInvisiblePrincesawsixpathslyingbeforehim，eachofwhichledthroughthewood。Hewashesitatingwhichtochoose，whenhesuddenlybeheldtwopeoplecomingtowardshim，downthetrackwhichlaymosttohisright。
　　TheyturnedouttobethePrinceGnomeandhisfriend，andthesuddendesiretogetsomenewsofhissister，PrincessArgentine，causedtheInvisiblePrincetofollowthemandtolistentotheirconversation。
　　’Doyouthink，’thePrinceGnomewassaying，’doyouthinkthatI
　　wouldnotbreakmychainsifIcould？IknowthatthePrincessArgentinewillneverloveme，yeteachdayIfeelherdearerstill。Andasifthiswerenotenough，Ihavethehorroroffeelingthatsheprobablylovesanother。SoIhaveresolvedtoputmyselfoutofmypainbymeansoftheGoldenFountain。A
　　singledropofitswaterfallingonthesandaroundwilltracethenameofmyrivalinherheart。Idreadthetest，andyetthisverydreadconvincesmeofmymisfortune。’
　　ItmaybeimaginedthatafterlisteningtothesewordstheInvisiblePrincefollowedPrinceGnomelikehisshadow，andafterwalkingsometimetheyarrivedattheGoldenFountain。Theunhappyloverstoopeddownwithasigh，anddippinghisfingerinthewaterletfalladroponthesand。ItinstantlywrotethenameofPrinceFlame，hisbrother。Theshockofthisdiscoverywassoreal，thatPrinceGnomesankfaintingintothearmsofhisfriend。
　　MeanwhiletheInvisiblePrincewasturningoverinhismindhowhecouldbestdeliverRosalie。As，sincehehadbeentouchedbytheGiant’sring，hehadthepowertoliveinthewateraswellasonland，heatoncedivedintothefountain。Heperceivedinonecorneradoorleadingintothemountain，andatthefootofthemountainwasahighrockonwhichwasfixedanironringwithacordattached。ThePrincepromptlyguessedthatthecordwasusedtochainthePrincess，anddrewhisswordandcutit。InamomenthefeltthePrincess’shandinhis，forshehadalwayskepthermagicpebbleinhermouth，inspiteoftheprayersandentreatiesofthePrinceoftheAirtomakeherselfvisible。
　　SohandinhandtheinvisiblePrinceandRosaliecrossedthemountain；butasthePrincesshadnopoweroflivingunderwater，shecouldnotpasstheGoldenFountain。Speechlessandinvisibletheyclungtogetheronthebrink，tremblingatthefrightfultempestthePrinceoftheAirhadraisedinhisfury。Thestormhadalreadylastedmanydayswhentremendousheatbegantomakeitselffelt。Thelightningflashed，thethunderrattled，fireboltsfellfromheaven，burninguptheforestsandeventhefieldsofcorn。Inoneinstanttheverystreamsweredriedup，andthePrince，seizinghisopportunity，carriedthePrincessovertheGoldenFountain。
　　IttookthemalongtimestilltoreachtheGoldenIsle，butatlasttheygotthere，andwemaybequitesuretheyneverwantedtoleaveitanymore。
　　FromthePolish。Kletke。
　　OnceuponatimetherewerethreePrincesseswhowereallthreeyoungandbeautiful；buttheyoungest，althoughshewasnotfairerthantheothertwo，wasthemostloveableofthemall。
　　Abouthalfamilefromthepalaceinwhichtheylivedtherestoodacastle，whichwasuninhabitedandalmostaruin，butthegardenwhichsurroundeditwasamassofbloomingflowers，andinthisgardentheyoungestPrincessusedoftentowalk。
　　Onedaywhenshewaspacingtoandfrounderthelimetrees，ablackcrowhoppedoutofarose-bushinfrontofher。Thepoorbeastwasalltornandbleeding，andthekindlittlePrincesswasquiteunhappyaboutit。Whenthecrowsawthisitturnedtoherandsaid:
　　’Iamnotreallyablackcrow，butanenchantedPrince，whohasbeendoomedtospendhisyouthinmisery。Ifyouonlyliked，Princess，youcouldsaveme。Butyouwouldhavetosaygood-byetoallyourownpeopleandcomeandbemyconstantcompanioninthisruinedcastle。Thereisonehabitableroominit，inwhichthereisagoldenbed；thereyouwillhavetoliveallbyyourself，anddon’tforgetthatwhateveryoumayseeorhearinthenightyoumustnotscreamout，forifyougiveasmuchasasinglecrymysufferingswillbedoubled。’
　　Thegood-naturedPrincessatonceleftherhomeandherfamilyandhurriedtotheruinedcastle，andtookpossessionoftheroomwiththegoldenbed。
　　Whennightapproachedshelaydown，butthoughsheshuthereyestightsleepwouldnotcome。Atmidnightsheheardtohergreathorrorsomeonecomingalongthepassage，andinaminuteherdoorwasflungwideopenandatroopofstrangebeingsenteredtheroom。Theyatonceproceededtolightafireinthehugefireplace；thentheyplacedagreatcauldronofboilingwateronit。Whentheyhaddonethis，theyapproachedthebedonwhichthetremblinggirllay，and，screamingandyellingallthetime，theydraggedhertowardsthecauldron。Shenearlydiedwithfright，butsheneverutteredasound。Thenofasuddenthecockcrew，andalltheevilspiritsvanished。
　　Atthesamemomentthecrowappearedandhoppedallroundtheroomwithjoy。ItthankedthePrincessmostheartilyforhergoodness，andsaidthatitssufferingshadalreadybeengreatlylessened。
　　NowoneofthePrincess’seldersisters，whowasveryinquisitive，hadfoundoutabouteverything，andwenttopayheryoungestsisteravisitintheruinedcastle。Sheimploredhersourgentlytoletherspendthenightwithherinthegoldenbed，thatatlastthegood-naturedlittlePrincessconsented。
　　Butatmidnight，whentheoddfolkappeared，theeldersisterscreamedwithterror，andfromthistimeontheyoungestPrincessinsistedalwaysonkeepingwatchalone。
　　Soshelivedinsolitudeallthedaytime，andatnightshewouldhavebeenfrightened，hadshenotbeensobrave；buteverydaythecrowcameandthankedherforherendurance，andassuredherthathissufferingswerefarlessthantheyhadbeen。
　　Andsotwoyearspassedaway，whenonedaythecrowcametothePrincessandsaid:’InanotheryearIshallbefreedfromthespellIamunderatpresent，becausethenthesevenyearswillbeover。ButbeforeIcanresumemynaturalform，andtakepossessionofthebelongingsofmyforefathers，youmustgooutintotheworldandtakeserviceasamaidservant。’
　　TheyoungPrincessconsentedatonce，andforawholeyearsheservedasamaid；butinspiteofheryouthandbeautyshewasverybadlytreated，andsufferedmanythings。Oneevening，whenshewasspinningflax，andhadworkedherlittlewhitehandsweary，sheheardarustlingbesideherandacryofjoy。Thenshesawahandsomeyouthstandingbesideher；whokneltdownatherfeetandkissedthelittlewearywhitehands。
　　’IamthePrince，’hesaid，’whoyouinyourgoodness，whenIwaswanderingaboutintheshapeofablackcrow，freedfromthemostawfultorments。Comenowtomycastlewithme，andletuslivetherehappilytogether。’
　　Sotheywenttothecastlewheretheyhadbothenduredsomuch。
　　Butwhentheyreachedit，itwasdifficulttobelievethatitwasthesame，forithadallbeenrebuiltanddoneupagain。Andtheretheylivedforahundredyears，ahundredyearsofjoyandhappiness。