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woman！ she hasn't got a traveling…cloak！〃
And when he was left alone at last； and crept into his little bed； where
he lay awake a good while； watching what he called his 〃sky… garden；〃 all
planted with stars； like flowers； his chief thought was〃I must be up very
early to…morrow morning； and get my lessons done； and then I'll go
traveling all over the world on my beautiful cloak。〃
So next day he opened his eyes with the sun； and went with a good
heart to his lessons。 They had hitherto been the chief amusement of his
dull life； now； I am afraid； he found them also a little dull。 But he tried to
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be good；I don't say Prince Dolor always was good； but he generally tried
to be；and when his mind went wandering after the dark； dusty corner
where lay his precious treasure； he resolutely called it back again。
〃For；〃 he said； 〃how ashamed my godmother would be of me if I grew
up a stupid boy！〃
But the instant lessons were done； and he was alone in the empty room；
he crept across the floor； undid the shabby little bundle； his fingers
trembling with eagerness； climbed on the chair； and thence to the table； so
as to unbar the skylight；he forgot nothing now；said his magic charm；
and was away out of the window； as children say； 〃in a few minutes less
than no time。〃
Nobody missed him。 He was accustomed to sit so quietly always that
his nurse； though only in the next room； perceived no difference。 And
besides； she might have gone in and out a dozen times； and it would have
been just the same； she never could have found out his absence。
For what do you think the clever godmother did？ She took a quantity
of moonshine； or some equally convenient material； and made an image；
which she set on the window…sill reading； or by the table drawing； where it
looked so like Prince Dolor that any common observer would never have
guessed the deception； and even the boy would have been puzzled to know
which was the image and which was himself。
And all this while the happy little fellow was away； floating in the air
on his magic cloak； and seeing all sorts of wonderful thingsor they
seemed wonderful to him； who had hitherto seen nothing at all。
First； there were the flowers that grew on the plain； which； whenever
the cloak came near enough； he strained his eyes to look at； they were very
tiny； but very beautifulwhite saxifrage； and yellow lotus； and ground…
thistles； purple and bright； with many others the names of which I do not
know。 No more did Prince Dolor； though he tried to find them out by
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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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