While she rested on the marble bench the great Serpent coiled himself in a ring, his head raised about two feet above the ground. He had wonderful black eyes and as he looked at her she almost fancied there were tears in them.
"Once upon a time, not so very long ago," he began, "a young prince lived in this castle. But one day a wicked magician disguised as a poor beggar came to the kitchen door and asked for bread. Now it happened to be baking day, and the Royal Baker had just placed a thousand loaves of dough in the oven. He was tired and hot and said to the beggar in a cross voice: 'You must wait until evening.' This made the beggar man dreadfully angry, and the next minute he waved a crooked stick above his head and cried, 'Let the master of this castle and his household become snakes!' Instantly, a great change came over all who lived in the castle. The prince turned into a serpent and all the retainers became snakes."As he finished speaking, the poor Snake gave a low cry and hid his head in the grass.
"Cheer up," said Mary Louise, for she knew at once that the serpent was the poor prince in disguise. "I have a magic ring!"Dear me, I forgot to mention that the Princess Mermaid had given it to little Mary Louise for a charm against evil.
"But what can that do for me?" asked the poor serpent prince.
"Leave that to me," replied little Mary Louise, and she turned the magic ring around three times, and, all of a sudden, a little Black Man appeared.
"What can I do for you, little Mistress?" he asked.
"This serpent was once a handsome prince," explained Mary Louise, "but by the magic of a wicked magician has been changed into a snake. Help him to regain his natural shape.""That is a hard matter," said the little Black Man thoughtfully. "I know this wicked magician. He has great power and it takes a strong charm to work against his evil power."And then the little Black Man ran his hand through his crinkly hair and thought for a while.
"There is a crimson apple that grows in the Gardens of the West," he said at last, "which if eaten, enables one to regain his natural shape. But the distance is far, and the way dangerous. And the owner of the garden refuses admittance to any man. But whether he would refuse a little girl, I do not know.""I can but try," said little Mary Louise bravely. And when the serpent heard this, he lifted up his head and said:
"If you will undertake this great deed for me, I will give you whatever you desire, even my castle and all my lands.""I would not take them from you," replied Mary Louise. "I am only a little girl." And she paused for a moment, wondering when and how she would return to her dear mother's home.
"How may I reach the Gardens of the West?" she asked anxiously. "You must go down to the sea and wait for the sun to sink in the west,"answered the little Black Man. "And when you see golden rays, like a bright road upon the water, call to King Neptune. I will give you a whistle made from a pearl shell on which you must blow three times, andwhen the King of the Sea hears it, he will come to you. But whether he will carry you across the ocean in his chariot, I know not. But you can try."And the little Black Man disappeared.
"Do you think you will be able to do all this?" asked the serpent anxiously.
"I do," replied Mary Louise, and she opened the garden gate and made straight for the great ocean, and by and by she came to the beach, where the great waves rolled and broke into foamy spray making the pretty shells glisten in the sun.
No sooner had Mary Louise blown three times upon the magic whistle than King Neptune drove up in his beautiful chariot. His splendid horses with foamy manes raised their forefeet and snorted till the old Sea King was forced to quiet them.
"What can I do for you, pretty maiden?" he asked kindly.
"Oh please, Mr. Neptune, take me to the garden of golden apples.I must give one to a poor Snake Prince that he may regain his human form."King Neptune remained silent for a time. At last he put his hand in his great pocket and said with a sigh:
"Here is a golden apple. It was to be a present to my wife. But it will be of greater use to this poor Snake Prince.""Thank you, thank you," cried Mary Louise, and running hastily back to the garden she stood before the poor miserable snake.
"Here is the magic golden apple," she cried in a glad voice. No sooner had the serpent eaten the apple, than, all of a sudden, just as he swallowed the last piece, he changed into a handsome prince and all his retainers and servants who were snakes, you remember, regained their human form.
"Now you shall have whatever is in my power to grant," said the prince, "even if you ask for my castle.""I will take nothing from you," replied generous little Mary Louise, "unless you wish to give me the ring you wear on your finger.""It is yours," said the prince. "May you always wear it and remember me."
