Page:The Allies Fairy Book.djvu/169

 almost killed himself in his rage. Next morning, he went down again to the shore to wait for the peahens, and rode about a long time till the servant again found an opportunity of blowing the bellows behind his neck, so that he again fell asleep as though dead. Hardly had he fallen asleep before the nine peahens came flying, and eight of them alighted by the water, but the ninth settled down by the side of his horse and caressed him, and cried out to awaken him: “Arise, my darling! Arise, my heart! Arise, my soul!”

But it was of no use; the prince slept on as if he were dead. Then she said to the servant: “Tell your master to-morrow he can see us here again, but nevermore.”

With these words the peahens flew away. Immediately after the king’s son woke up, and asked the servant: “Have they not been here?” And the man answered: “Yes, they have been, and say that you can see them again to-morrow, at this place, but after that they will not return again.”

When the unhappy prince heard that, he knew not what to do with himself, and in his great trouble and misery tore the hair from his head.

The third day he went down again to the shore, but, fearing to fall asleep, instead of riding slowly, galloped along the shore. His servant, however, found an opportunity of blowing with the bellows behind his neck, and again the prince fell asleep. A moment after came the nine peahens, and the eight alighted on the lake and the ninth by him, on his horse, and sought to awaken him, caressing him. “Arise, my darling! Arise, my heart! Arise, my soul!” But it was of no use, he slept on as if dead. Then the peahen said to the servant: “When your master awakens tell him he ought to strike off the head of the nail from the lower part, and then he will find me.” Thereupon all the peahens flew away. Immediately the king’s son awoke, and said to his servant: “Have they been here?” And the servant answered: “They have been, and the one which alighted on your horse