Tina followed them till they came to a city.
She was careful to keep fifty yards behind them.
As they went on, the streets became very narrow, the houses nearer together and crowded with people who looked from the windows and doors, and sat in the streets outside.
As the prince and the maiden came up to them, they seemed very much afraid and distressed, and once the pair stopped, and the maiden said:
“Do not be afraid, my good people; the prince is on his way to his father’s house, and he must come this way. It will only be for a little while.” But as she looked at a woman holding a little sick child, she began to sob, and hurried on.
Tina could not imagine what was the matter, until she noticed that it grew warmer and warmer, and the people could hardly breathe for the heat.
After a while they came to the gates of the palace, and, for the first time, Tina saw that the prince did not have on his crown. He must have left it hanging on the tree, she thought.
As they went through the gates there was a great noise of trumpets. Everything seemed to be blazing with light and heat.
They went on from hall to hall. Just before they were to go into the last one, some one handed the prince a harp.