FAR away in the Land of the Fire Fairies, King Red Flame mourned daily the loss of his dear daughter. As day followed day and no news of her reached him he became more and more fearful that he should never again look upon her exquisite flame, or hear her voice speaking to him in tenderness and love.

The old nurse, Grey Smoke, did all that she could to hearten him, and as for herself, she never lost the hope and belief that at no distant day her beloved mistress would come safely home.

The Fire Fairies spoke of her always in hushed voices, and when they repeated her story to one another as they worked or played, they would sigh, and whisper, “Ah, she was beautiful, our Princess White Flame—beautiful and good as none else.” But they spoke of her always as one who would never come again.

At last one day King Red Flame could bear his anxious thoughts no longer. He left the Palace of Burning Coals, and took his way to the hut of the Wise One. There he hoped to find encouragement and counsel. Arrived at the low red door he knocked, and presently he heard the Wise One’s voice bidding him enter.The King did so, and talked to him long and despondently, but the Wise One enjoined upon him not to give up hope. “There will be difficulties to be met and conquered,” he told him, “and that takes time. But something assures me that the Princess is alive and well. As for Prince Radiance, you may trust him entirely. Take courage; at any time they may return in triumph.”

While the Wise One spoke thus to the King, Grey Smoke stood in the high tower of the Palace of Burning Coals and gazed earnestly out across the country, as she did many times each day, in order that she might be the first to catch a glimpse of the Princess when she should return.

Grey Smoke was old, but her eyes were still keen. On this day, as she looked, she saw in the distance two travelers approaching hand in hand. One of these travelers appeared to her to be Prince Radiance. She waited a few moments to make sure of it; but soon she could no longer doubt. It was he in very truth. The other, her eyes told her for a certainty, was her beloved young mistress. The heart of old Grey Smoke leaped for joy. As rapidly as her age would permit she descended the steps of the tower, calling out with trembling voice, “The Princess comes! The Princess White Flame comes!”

The palace fairies at their tasks heard it. Knowing that Grey Smoke was one who made no mistakes, they seized upon the glad news, and rushed from one end of the palace to the other shouting it: “The Princess comes! The Princess comes!”

The garden fairies were not slow to hear it, and they too took up the excited cry, “The Princess White Flame comes! The Princess White Flame comes!”

Grey Smoke, anxious to be the first to bring the glad tidings to her master, went in search of him, and after her the fairies one and all came trooping, trooping from everywhere. In this manner they drew near to the little red hut in the shrubbery. King Red Flame heard the tumult and caught the words of their cry. He hurried forth, followed by the Wise One. “Where is the Princess White Flame?” exclaimed the King, “Tell me quickly.”

There was no need of any answer, for in that instant he saw her coming down the shining way—his dear lost daughter—lovelier by far than he had ever dreamed she might be. He heard the music of her voice calling to him, sweeter even than he had so fondly remembered it.

Hand in hand with her came Prince Radiance leading her safely to her journey’s end.

King Red Flame opened his arms to her crying in ecstasy, “Ah that I should at last behold you, my White Flame, my own dear child!”

And Princess White Flame ran to him, and nestled at his breast, weeping and laughing all in a breath for pure happiness.

For a little he held her thus in silence; but presently, thirsting to hear of all that had transpired during her long absence from him, he begged the Prince to relate the story of their wanderings.

Briefly the tale was told, and as the King listened intently, the eager fairies clustered close about him meanwhile, that they also might lose no syllable concerning the perils that had been safely passed. The Wise One, hearing, stroked his beard with satisfaction that all had turned out so triumphantly and well.

When the last words had been spoken, King Red Flame led his beloved child to Prince Radiance, and placed her hand in his. “Noble Prince,” he exclaimed, with deep emotion, “take my daughter, with her father’s love and gratitude, for valiantly have you won your bride.”

Then King Red Flame turned to the thronging fairies, and raising his voice so as to be heard by all, he cried, “Hasten, one and all, to the Palace of Burning Coals. Prepare all things for the wedding. Let swift messengers speed to the Kingdom of Light, to bid its ruler to the marriage of his son. And you, my good Grey Smoke, who know so well how to carry out my desires, see to it that never fairy wedding in the Land of Fire has equaled this of my beloved daughter Princess White Flame, and my dear son Prince Radiance.”

Thus, amid tumults of rejoicing, did Princess White Flame and Prince Radiance enter upon their life of never-ending happiness.

FINIS