Page:Face to Face With the Mexicans.djvu/484

478 was not at home, but that he must tell them what he wanted, and as soon as the king returned they would make known his wishes.

He told them he had heard that the king wanted to employ a secretary, and he had come asking the position.

The king was not at home, but the queen's old friend, who had supplanted her in the king's affections, was there, and as she belonged to a family of witches, she knew it was the king's son.

At that moment the king returned, and on learning the boy's errand, and having tested his ability as a scribe, he was so pleased with the lad that he gave him the position.

The woman was much displeased at this, and at once set about trying to get rid of the boy, although the king still did not know the boy was his son. She pretended to be so pleased with Gaitagileno that it was the greatest desire of her heart that her sisters should know him, and at once asked for and obtained the king's permission that he should go on a visit to them. She then wrote a letter, which she gave to Gaitagileno, telling her sisters, who were witches, who he was, and that they must be sure to bewitch him and make him suffer a great deal.

He read this letter in the carriage, and as he had taken pen, ink, and paper along with him, he wrote another letter in exactly the same handwriting as the first, but telling them exactly to the contrary, and that they must show him all through their palace. They received him with kindness, and the youngest one at once offered to go with him, leading the way into the garden, where he found gorgeous flowers, grand old walks, and an exquisite fountain in which were fishes of brilliant shades swimming about unconcerned, while birds in their cages sang their sweetest songs.

The stones about the fountain were black and enchanted, and the birds and fishes were princes.

They went into a large hall where were the pictures of all the family, and before each there was a lighted candle. She said to Gaitagileno: "If you cut the faces out of these pictures you will at the same time cut the real faces of living people; and if you put out the light of any one of these candles in front of the pictures, the person will