While Prince Radiance, deceived by the Shadow Witch had gone away into
the Land of Shadows, the Earth Fairy on her part had proceeded straight
to the Cave of Darkness where the Wizard dwelt.
A figure that she believed to be the Prince followed the Princess
steadily, so that she suspected nothing wrong.
The Cave was black and forbidding; its walls of charcoal were full of
gaping crevices; and a very little way from the entrance it became
pitch dark. Because of this great darkness it was the duty of many
Imps, the servants of the Wizard, to run back and forth with glimmering
lanterns, to light the way of those who came to see their master.
Flying Soot, who had arrived some time before, had told his story to
the Wizard and had easily gained his consent to assist the Earth Fairy.
So when the Earth Fairy with her companions reached the entrance to the
Cave she found the Imps waiting there to conduct her to the Wizard. The
Princess was first to enter, and so brilliant was the light of her pure
flame that the lanterns of the Imps were quite dimmed by it. The Imps
themselves stared at her in the utmost astonishment. Never before had
they seen a light so gloriously beautiful. Scurrying in front to lead
the way, they turned back every few moments to behold her. Behind the
Princess came the supposed prince, and after him came the Earth Fairy,
holding her cloak closely about her as she went, lest she should become
blackened by the walls of the Cave.
Far down in a wider portion of the Cave called the Cave Hall, sat the
Wizard in a great black armchair pushed close against the wall. He
was very ancient and grim. His long dingy white hair and beard fell
down over a loose black robe and mantle thickly powdered with finest
charcoal. At his least movement little clouds of black dust flew from
his garments and floated round about the Cave. His jet black eyes
sparkled so sharply in his head that one saw immediately that he was
not a person with whom one could trifle. Flying Soot, perched at a
respectful distance on a lump of charcoal, waited for the coming of
the Earth Fairy. He was quite sure that this time he had obtained for
her the help of one who could not fail. He kept his eyes fixed on the
dark passage before them, and at last he cried softly, “They come, Sir
Wizard, they come, for I behold the flame of the Princess!”
Instantly the Wizard beckoned to one of the many Imps who clustered
about. “Bring hither the Urn of Vapors,” commanded he, “and make no
delay.”
Away rushed the Imp accompanied by a dozen or more of his companions
to do the Wizard’s bidding, and presently a low rumbling was heard.
It was the Imps returning, all pushing and shoving a huge black urn.
A ponderous cover sealed it tightly, and when the Imps had succeeded
in placing it beside their master, Flying Soot saw that it was so
tall that it reached almost to the Wizard’s shoulders. Its sides were
covered with inscriptions of evil magic. The Wizard scrutinized it
closely, and satisfied himself that it was the one that he desired.
Then he waved back his servants and turned to Flying Soot. “When I lift
this cover,” he said, “the Earth Fairy has but to rush forward and
take what she desires, for in the instant that the Prince is met by my
magic vapor he will fall to the Earth unable to offer her the slightest
resistance.”
Flying Soot had no time to answer, for at that moment Princess White
Flame, driven by the Earth Fairy, fluttered terror-stricken into the
Cave Hall, and came to rest in a corner at some distance from the
Wizard. Soon after he whom the Earth Fairy believed to be Prince
Radiance appeared also, but before he could advance into the Cave Hall
the Wizard stretched forth his hand quickly to the urn. Uttering mystic
words he lifted the cover and forthwith a stream of vapor rushed from
it directly toward the Prince.
It had no sooner reached him than the Wizard’s prophecy was fulfilled;
he fell to the ground in a heap, apparently without life.
The Princess seeing this uttered a piercing cry, but held by the spell
of her enchantress she could not stir from her place.
The Wizard replaced the lid of the urn, and the Earth Fairy rushed
forward to pounce upon the helpless Prince. Her eyes glittered with joy
to see him in her power at last.
She tore back his cloak, sure that the Veil of Disenchantment was
hidden beneath it, but as soon as her fingers touched the prostrate
form it vanished. Where it had been, she saw only the charcoal floor
of the Cave. Puzzled and astonished she struggled to her feet, and
stood dazed, peering down at the spot where the figure had lain as
though she could scarcely believe her senses. When at last she could
no longer doubt that the Prince had indeed disappeared, she rushed to
the Wizard, shrieking in fury, “What evil magic is this that you have
wrought upon me, wicked one that you are? You have ruined everything by
your miserable enchantments. You have destroyed the Veil as well as the
Prince.”
The Wizard interrupted her angrily. “How dare you speak to me in this
manner,” he thundered, bringing his fist down upon the top of the urn.
“You, who have deceived me by pretending to bring a Prince before me?
But I will show you that you cannot trifle with the Wizard of the Cave.”
He waved to his Imps. They understood him without a word, and bounded
forward with ropes of darkness in their hands to bind the Earth Fairy.
It would have gone hard with her then if it had not been for Flying
Soot. He jumped down with all speed from his lump of charcoal, and ran
to cast himself at the Wizard’s feet. He threw his arms about them, and
tried to soothe him. “Sir Wizard, Sir Wizard,” he pleaded, “listen but
a moment. There has certainly been some strange mistake. I assure you
that we are not to blame. This creature that has so suddenly vanished
could never have been the Prince. Someone--I know not who, has tricked
us all. I pray you, do nothing rash to the Earth Fairy. She is not to
blame.”
The Imps who surrounded the Earth Fairy, hearing this, stood swinging
the ropes of darkness in their hands, waiting to see what their master
would say, before they ventured to bind her fast. White Flame, weeping
and trembling in her corner, checked her sobs and listened breathlessly
for the Wizard’s reply.
The Wizard thought for a time in silence. Then at last he spoke.
“Since you yourselves have played no tricks upon me, there is but one
way in which to explain this matter. My sister, the Shadow Witch, has
been at work. She it is who has caused us to see a prince where no
prince was. The real prince she has without doubt lured away into the
Land of Shadows.”
At these words Flying Soot rose to his feet and turned to the Earth
Fairy. “Then we must go to seek him there,” he declared.
The Earth Fairy was but too anxious to set forth. At a signal from
their master, the Imps drew back, leaving her free to go as she would,
but as she was about to depart from the Wizard’s presence with her
companions, an Imp came rushing down the long dark corridor from the
Cave entrance, and into the Cave Hall. “Sir Wizard--Sir Wizard!” he
panted. “A second prince approaches! Even now he is within the entrance
to the Cave.”
Certain that this could be no other than Prince Radiance himself, the
Earth Fairy and Flying Soot paused instantly.
The Wizard, seeing this, was not unwilling to prove his skill upon the
true prince. He spoke in a friendly manner to the Earth Fairy, and
prepared himself once more to lift the cover of his Urn of Vapors. The
Imps, flinging their ropes of darkness into a corner, retreated so
close against the Cave Wall that they could scarcely be seen. In her
corner quivered Princess White Flame, her longing to see her beloved
Radiance once more overborne by her fear of what might befall him at
the hands of his foes.
Each in his own place peered eagerly down the dusky corridor, awaiting
in silence the coming of the Prince.
But one accompanied the Prince whom they did not expect. It was the
Shadow Witch. Although by her grey magic she had sent a shadow prince
to deceive her brother, she had never for a moment lost sight of
Prince Radiance, and now that he was drawing near to the Wizard, she
knew that the time for her further good offices had arrived. If she
could prevent him from being seen by her brother until the Prince was
near enough to use his Sword of Flames, she knew that all would be well.
Prince Radiance was so near to the Cave Hall that one short turn would
bring him into the Wizard’s view. The Shadow Witch knew that her time
to help him had come. She waved her long arms and instantly a thick
curtain of shadow fell directly in front of the Prince. He could not
see a yard before him, and stood still at once, fearing that some trap
had been laid for him.
“Do not be afraid,” whispered a voice at his ear. “Go forward. It is
I, the Shadow Witch, who have come to help you.”
Prince Radiance knew her voice, yet he hesitated.
“Fear nothing,” insisted the Shadow Witch. “Go forward, and no harm
shall come to you.”
Trusting her then, the Prince trod boldly on, and before him went the
curtain of the Shadow Witch like a covering shield. Beyond it the
Wizard and his companions watched and waited, but saw only the corridor
of the Cave stretching before them darker than ever, and filled with
shadows so deep that their eyes could not penetrate them.
Nearer and nearer came the Prince, and presently the voice of the
Shadow Witch was heard again at his ear. “Have out your Sword of
Flames,” she whispered. “The time has come.”
Radiance laid his hand upon the hilt. At that moment the shadow
curtain dissolved, and he beheld the Wizard little more than a yard
away. So suddenly had the Prince appeared that the Wizard started with
astonishment, but he recovered himself immediately, and shot forth his
hand to lift the cover of his urn.
“Now, now,” urged the Shadow Witch, at the Prince’s ear. “Now, or it
will be too late!”
Out flashed the Sword of Flames. It filled the Cave with blinding
light. The cover of the urn settled back to its place with a harsh
clang, as the Wizard leaped to his feet, shielding his eyes with his
hands.
“The Sword of Flames! The Sword of Flames!” he shrieked. “Away! Away!”
He tried to flee, but fell prostrate across the Urn of Vapors instead.
From every corner of the Cave sprang a crowd of Imps in answer to
their master’s cry. Seeing the dread weapon that flashed in the
hand of Prince Radiance they turned their backs upon it in terror,
and screaming wildly surrounded the urn in a huddled mass. Throwing
themselves upon it, they hurried it away into a dim passage, with their
master still lying senseless across its top. As they disappeared into
the pitch dark opening, a heavy door of charcoal fell shut behind them,
closing the entrance to the place to which they fled.
Overjoyed at his victory, Radiance lifted his eyes to where but a
moment since he had seen Princess White Flame trembling against the
Cave wall, but the Princess, the Earth Fairy, and Flying Soot were
nowhere to be seen. Except for the Shadow Witch he was entirely alone
in the Cave of Darkness.
With a gesture of despair the Prince let the Sword of Flames drop back
into its sheath. “What has it availed me to overcome this miserable
Wizard,” he groaned, “since it has brought me no nearer to my dear
White Flame? Again she has vanished, and I know not where to seek her;
whether in some dusky portion of this hateful Cave, or in the open
country without.”
The voice of the Shadow Witch answered him. “Have courage, good Prince.
All is not lost. Leave the Cave of Darkness with me, and seek her in
the light.”
Prince Radiance hesitated, but the Shadow Witch insisted. “She is not
here,” she told him. “Trust yourself fully to my guidance, and I will
lead you safely out.” Then the Prince yielded, and together they left
the Wizard’s Hall. Down the dark corridor they passed swiftly and
soon arrived at the Cave’s mouth. There they parted, the Shadow Witch
stealing away with drooped head to her Land of Shadows, the Prince
standing for a moment gazing with eager eyes across the plain, hoping
that not far away he might behold the flame of his Princess.
[Illustration]