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recalling any pictures he had seen of them。 But he was too far off； and
though it was pleasant enough to admire them as brilliant patches of color；
still he would have liked to examine them all。 He was； as a little girl I
know once said of a playfellow； 〃a very examining boy。〃
〃I wonder；〃 he thought； 〃whether I could see better through a pair of
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glasses like those my nurse reads with； and takes such care of。 How I
would take care of them； too； if I only had a pair！〃
Immediately he felt something queer and hard fixing itself to the
bridge of his nose。 It was a pair of the prettiest gold spectacles ever seen；
and looking downward； he found that； though ever so high above the
ground； he could see every minute blade of grass； every tiny bud and
flowernay； even the insects that walked over them。
〃Thank you； thank you！〃 he cried； in a gush of gratitudeto anybody
or everybody； but especially to his dear godmother； who he felt sure had
given him this new present。 He amused himself with it for ever so long；
with his chin pressed on the rim of the cloak； gazing down upon the grass；
every square foot of which was a mine of wonders。
Then； just to rest his eyes； he turned them up to the skythe blue；
bright； empty sky； which he had looked at so often and seen nothing。
Now surely there was something。 A long； black； wavy line； moving on
in the distance； not by chance； as the clouds move apparently； but
deliberately； as if it were alive。 He might have seen it beforehe almost
thought he had； but then he could not tell what it was。 Looking at it
through his spectacles； he discovered that it really was alive； being a long
string of birds； flying one after the other； their wings moving steadily and
their heads pointed in one direction； as steadily as if each were a little ship；
guided invisibly by an unerring helm。
〃They must be the passage…birds flying seaward！〃 cried the boy； who
had read a little about them； and had a great talent for putting two and two
together and finding out all he could。 〃Oh； how I should like to see them
quite close； and to know where they come from and whither they are going！
How I wish I knew everything in all the world！〃
A silly speech for even an 〃examining〃 little boy to make； because； as
we grow older； the more we know the more we find out there is to know。
And Prince Dolor blushed when he had said it； and hoped nobody had
heard him。
Apparently somebody had； however； for the cloak gave a sudden
bound forward； and presently he found himself high in the air； in the very
middle of that band of aerial travelers； who had mo magic cloak to travel
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The Little Lame Prince
onnothing except their wings。 Yet there they were； making their fearless
way through the sky。
Prince Dolor looked at them as one after the other they glided past him；
and they looked at himthose pretty swallows； with their changing necks
and bright eyesas if wondering to meet in mid…air such an extraordinary
sort of bird。
〃Oh； I wish I were going with you； you lovely creatures！ I'm getting so
tired of this dull plain； and the dreary and lonely tower。 I do so want to see
the world！ Pretty swallows； dear swallows！ tell me what it looks likethe
beautiful； wonderful world！〃
But the swallows flew past himsteadily； slowly pursuing their course
as if inside each little head had been a mariner's compass； to guide them
safe over land and sea； direct to the place where they wished to go。
The boy looked after them with envy。 For a long time he followed with
his eyes the faint； wavy black line as it floated away； sometimes changing
its curves a little； but never deviating from its settled course； till it
vanished entirely out of sight。
Then he settled himself down in the center of the cloak； feeling quite
sad and lonely。
〃I think I'll go home；〃 said he； and repeated his 〃Abracadabra； tum tum
ti！〃 with a rather heavy heart。 The more he had； the more he wanted； and it
is not always one can have everything one wantsat least； at the exact
minute one craves for it； not even though one is a prince； and has a
powerful and beneficent godmother。
He did not like to vex her by calling for her and telling her how
unhappy he was； in spite of all her goodness； so he just kept his trouble to
himself； went back to his lonely tower； and spent three days in silent
melancholy； without even attempting another journey on his traveling…
cloak。
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CHAPTER VI
The fourth day it happened that the deaf…mute paid his accustomed
visit； after which Prince Dolor's spirits rose。 They always did when he got
the new books which； just to relieve his conscience； the King of
Nomansland regularly sent to his nephew； with many new toys also；
though the latter were disregarded now。
〃Toys； indeed！ when I'm a big boy；〃 said the Prince； with disdain； and
would scarcely condescend to mount a rocking…horse which had come；
somehow or other；I can't be expected to explain things very exactly；
packed on the back of the other； the great black horse； which stood and fed
contentedly at the bottom of the tower。
Prince Dolor leaned over and looked at it； and thought how grand it
must be to get upon its backthis grand live steedand ride away； like the
pictures of knights。
〃Suppose I was a knight；〃 he said to himself； 〃then I should be obliged
to ride out and see the world。〃
But he kept all these thoughts to himself； and just sat still； devouring
his new books till he had come to the end of them all。 It was a repast not
unlike the Barmecide's feast which you read of in the 〃Arabian Nights；〃
which consisted of very elegant but empty dishes； or that supper of Sancho
Panza in 〃Don Quixote；〃 where； the minute the smoking dishes came on
the table； the physician waved his hand and they were all taken away。
Thus almost all the ordinary delights of boy… life had been taken away
from； or rather never given to this poor li