“Do you love the Princess very much?” said she.
“Oh, more than all the world,” said the Prince.
“Then back you go, to Mushroom Land, and you will find her in the old place. But perhaps she will not be pleased to forgive you at first.”
The Prince thought he would chance that, but he did not say so. He only bowed very low, and thanked the Water Fairy. Then off he set, with the Blue Bird to guide him, in search of Mushroom Land. At long and at last he reached it, and glad he was to see the little sentinel on the border of the country.
All up and down Mushroom Land the Prince searched, and at last he saw his own Princess, and he rushed up, and knelt at her feet, and held out his hands to ask pardon for having disobeyed the Fairy law.
But she was still rather cross, and down she jumped, and ran round the Mushroom, and he ran after her.
