“Goodbye, Joan,” he said; “do not quite forget me for seven years, for perhaps I may yet come back and marry you.”
“And why do you go?” said Joan; “I had thought there would be a grand wedding, and I should have all the gifts that are being prepared for me, and now I shall have nothing; but goodbye, if go you must.”
Michael sighed as he mounted his horse and bade her farewell. When he looked back at the palace, the Queen and Joan still stood at the door, and the Queen sobbed; but Princess Joan looked quite happy and contented, and smiled brightly.
Prince Michael rode and rode, till he came to his own home, and then he turned at once to the tower in which dwelt the magician. He climbed the tower and found the old man sitting alone as before, but he had no book before him, and he looked very grave.
“I know why you are come,” he said, as soon as Michael entered the room. “So you have seen Princess Joan; and do you still wish to marry her?”
“I will marry her, or no one,” said Michael. “But not till I have found out who has bewitched her, and have broken the charm.”
“You will have to search far for that,” said the wizard; “And it may be years ere you could set her free. Forget her, my son, and return to your own home, and do not waste your life in a fruitless quest.”
“I will seek to break the charm, even if it take my whole life,” said Michael. “But tell me what it is, and how shall I find out how to break it.”
“A fairy has stolen her heart,” said the wizard, “and that is why she loves no one, and can feel no sorrow; she has no heart with which to love or pity, and till it is found and restored to her, she will be hard and cold as stone. The fairy swore she would be revenged on her mother for her pride, and so she is.”
“Then I will go and seek her heart, and bring it back to her,” said Michael. “But where shall I look for it? Tell me at least where has the fairy hidden it.”
“She has taken it to a castle in which are kept all the hearts of men and women, that fairies steal, or that they themselves throw away; and this castle is very far from here; moreover, it is guarded by an old gnome, who is spiteful and cruel, and who pays no heed to those who beg him to let them enter. Give up the Princess and return to your home, for if you go, you will only die, or be enchanted like poor Princess Joan.”
“Nevertheless, I shall go,” said Michael. “So tell me what path to take, and I will start at once.”
On hearing this the sorcerer took from his bosom a small round piece of glass, and gave it to the young man. “Take this,” he said; “It is all that I can give you, to help you, and through it you must look at the stars, and you will see that they are all of different colours—blue, green, red, and yellow; look for the one which is the deepest, brightest red, and follow it; it will lead you many miles both by land and sea, but follow steadily, and let nothing turn you from your course, and you will surely come to the castle wherein is imprisoned the heart of your Princess.”
The Prince thanked the magician, and took the glass; then bidding him “Goodbye,” he left the strangely lighted chamber, and went down the dark staircase, and stood again on the hill outside, with the dark sky overhead filled with shining stars.
Michael raised the glass and looked at them through it, and then he almost shouted with surprise, for they looked wonderful. They were like jewels of all colours—green, blue, yellow, pink—and in the south was one of a deep glowing red, like a bloodred rose, and Michael knew that that was the star he must follow.
Then he looked back towards his father’s palace. “Farewell,” he said; “some day I will return, and bring with me my Princess Joan.” So he set off, and journeyed and journeyed, till he had reached towns and villages which he had never seen before. All that night he travelled while the stars shone, and he could see the rosy star to follow. But when the stars grew pale, and the sun rose, and people began to wake up and turn to their work, he lay down under a tree and slept soundly. When he woke the day was almost done, and the sun was sinking. So he went to a little town near and bought food, and rested till again the stars shone in the sky. Then he rose and went on all night, still following the crimson star. So passed many days and nights, and he journeyed through strange lands, and his heart sank when he thought, “So may I wander all round the world, and come no nearer to the star, or to the castle where they keep the heart of my poor Joan.”
At last he came to the seashore, and in front of him lay a great cold sea, and beyond it he saw no sign of land. But the star shone right over it, and he knew that he must cross, if he still would follow it. It was in the evening, the sun had set, but some fishermen still remained on the beach, resting beside their boats. Michael went up to them, and taking some money from his pocket, asked for how much they would sell him one of their boats.
At this the men looked surprised, and one of them said, “Why do you wish to buy a boat? We use them to fish near the shore, but no boat or ship has ever crossed this sea, for
