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ever seen。 Her hair was like yellow corn； and
her smile made all the place merry。 Her white
gown fluttered as she danced； and her little
song sounded like a bird note。
The prince watched her till she danced out
of sight； and then until she once more came
toward him； and she seemed so like a moon…
beam herself； as she lifted her face to the sky；
that he was almost afraid to breathe。 He had
never seen anything so lovely。 By the time
she had danced twice round the circle； he could
think of nothing in the world except the hope
of finding out who she was； and staying near her。
But while he was waiting for her to appear
the third time； his weariness overcame him； and
he fell asleep。 And when he awoke； it was
broad day； and the beautiful maiden had
vanished。
He hunted about； hoping to find where she
lived； and on the other side of the glade he
came upon a lovely little house； covered with
moss and climbing roses。 He thought she
must live there； so he went round to the
kitchen door and asked the kind cook for a
drink of water； and while he was drinking it
he asked who lived there。 She told him it was
the house of the Princess Daylight； but she told
him nothing else about her； because she was not
allowed to talk about her mistress。 But she
gave him a very good meal and told him other
things。
He did not go back to the little old woman
who had been so kind to him first； but
wandered all day in the wood； waiting for the
moontime。 Again he waited at the edge of
the dell； and when the white moon was high
in the heavens； once more he saw the glimmering
in the distance； and once more the lovely
maiden floated toward him。 He knew her
name was the Princess Daylight； but this time
she seemed to him much lovelier than before。
She was all in blue like the blue of the sky
in summer。 （She really was more lovely； you
know； because the moon was almost at the
full。） All night he watched her； quite forgetting
that he ought not to be doing it； till she
disappeared on the opposite side of the glade。
Then； very tired； he found his way to the little
old woman's house； had breakfast with her； and
fell fast asleep in the bed she gave him。
The fairy knew well enough by his face that
he had seen Daylight； and when he woke up in
the evening and started off again she gave him
a strange little flask and told him to use it if
ever he needed it。
This night the princess did not appear in
the dell until midnight； at the very full of the
moon。 But when she came； she was so lovely
that she took the prince's breath away。 Just
think！she was dressed in a gown that looked
as if it were made of fireflies' wings； em…
broidered in gold。 She danced around and
around； singing； swaying； and flitting like a
beam of sunlight； till the prince grew quite
dazzled。
But while he had been watching her； he had
not noticed that the sky was growing dark
and the wind was rising。 Suddenly there was
a clap of thunder。 The princess danced on。
But another clap came louder； and then a
sudden great flash of lightning that lit up the
sky from end to end。 The prince couldn't help
shutting his eyes； but he opened them quickly
to see if Daylight was hurt。 Alas； she was
lying on the ground。 The prince ran to her；
but she was already up again。
〃Who are you？〃 she said。
〃I thought；〃 stammered the prince； 〃you
might be hurt。〃
〃There is nothing the matter。 Go away。〃
The prince went sadly。
〃Come back；〃 said the princess。 The prince
came。 〃I like you； you do as you are told。
Are you good？〃
〃Not so good as I should like to be；〃 said
the prince。
〃Then go and grow better；〃 said the princess。
The prince went； more sadly。
〃Come back；〃 said the princess。 The prince
came。 〃I think you must be a prince；〃 she
said。
〃Why？〃 said the prince。
〃Because you do as you are told； and you
tell the truth。 Will you tell me what the sun
looks like？〃
〃Why； everybody knows that；〃 said the
prince。
〃I am different from everybody；〃 said the
princess；〃I don't know。〃
〃But；〃 said the prince； 〃do you not look
when you wake up in the morning？〃
〃That's just it；〃 said the princess； 〃I never
do wake up in the morning。 I never can wake
up until〃 Then the princess remembered
that she was talking to a prince； and putting
her hands over her face she walked swiftly
away。 The prince followed her； but she turned
and put up her hand to tell him not to。 And
like the gentleman prince that he was； he
obeyed her at once。
Now all this time； the wicked swamp fairy
had not known a word about what was going
on。 But now she found out； and she was
furious； for fear that little Daylight should be
delivered from her spell。 So she cast her
spells to keep the prince from finding Daylight
again。 Night after night the poor prince
wandered and wandered； and never could find
the little dell。 And when daytime came； of
course； there was no princess to be seen。
Finally； at the time that the moon was almost
gone； the swamp fairy stopped her spells；
because she knew that by this time Daylight
would be so changed and ugly that the prince
would never know her if he did see her。 She
said to herself with a wicked laugh：
〃No fear of his wanting to kiss her now！〃
That night the prince did find the dell； but
no princess came。 A little after midnight he
passed near the lovely little house where she
lived； and there he overheard her waiting…
women talking about her。 They seemed in
great distress。 They were saying that the
princess had wandered into the woods and
was lost。 The prince didn't know； of course；
what it meant； but he did understand that the
princess was lost somewhere； and he started
off to find her。 After he had gone a long
way without finding her； he came to a big
old tree； and there he thought he would light
a fire to show her the way if she should happen
to see it。
As the blaze flared up； he suddenly saw a
little black heap on the other side of the tree。
Somebody was lying there。 He ran to the
spot； his heart beating with hope。 But when
he lifted the cloak which was huddled about
the form； he saw at once that it was not
Daylight。 A pinched； withered； white； little old
woman's face shone out at him。 The hood was
drawn close down over her forehead； the eyes
were closed； and as the prince lifted the cloak；
the old woman's lips moaned faintly。
〃Oh； poor mother；〃 said the prince； 〃what
is the matter？〃 The old woman only moaned
again。 The prince lifted her and carried her
over to the warm fire； and rubbed her hands；
trying to find out what was the matter。 But
she only moaned； and her face was so terribly
strange and white that the prince's tender heart
ached for her。 Remembering his little flask；
he poured some of his liquid between her lips；
and then he thought the best thing he could do
was to carry her to the princess's house； where
she could be taken care of。
As he lifted the poor little form in his arms；
two great tears stole out from the old woman's
closed eyes and ran down her wrinkled cheeks。
〃Oh； poor； poor mother；〃 said the prince
pityingly； and he stooped and kissed her
withered lips。
As he walked through the forest with the
old woman in his arms； it seemed to him that
she grew heavier and heavier； he could hardly
carry her at all； and then she stirred； and at
last he was obliged to set her down； to rest。
He meant to lay her on the ground。 But the
old woman stood upon her feet。
And then the hood fell back from her face。
As she looked up at the prince； the first； long；
yellow ray of the rising sun struck full upon
her；and it was the Princess Daylight！ Her
hair was golden as the sun itself； and her eyes
as blue as the flower that grows in the corn。
The pr