The young Prince was now of an age to seek a bride, but the King was too fond of his son to wish him to marry anyone whom he did not love with all his heart. Many princesses and beautiful ladies would have been glad to be chosen by him, but the young Prince cared for none of them. And although the wise men of the country came often to their King to urge the Prince to take a wife, the old King always replied, “Not yet, not yet. My son must make his own choice, and in his own way.”
So time passed, until one day Prince Radiance asked his father’s permission to visit the Land of the Fire Fairies. He had heard of their strange magic, and wished to behold it with his own eyes.
The King gave him leave, and bidding his father farewell, the Prince set out, quite alone, as was his wish.
By traveling swiftly, he soon reached the boundary of his father’s kingdom, and crossed into the Land of the Fire Fairies. Now the Fire Fairies have always been friendly to the Fairies of Light, so the Prince was made welcome wherever he went.
The magic of the Fire Fairies charmed and delighted him. He stood and watched them rear their shining palaces, saw them deck the walls with glittering jewels, or wreathe them with flaming vines by the mere wave of a wand. He wandered from place to place, learning many new and wonderful things.
And all the time he drew nearer and nearer to the Palace of Burning Coals, but as yet he had heard nothing, had seen nothing of the Princess White Flame.
At last he came to a garden, whose open gate showed him bright trees rustling in the breeze and bushes thick-set with flame-colored blossoms, showed him paths that wound away into stretches of still greater loveliness and bloom. He had come to the garden of the Princess.
He entered, and stood a moment, to see if any would come to stop his progress; but all was still in the garden, and not a living creature was anywhere in sight. He chose the path of greatest beauty, but had not gone far upon it when he became aware of a voice singing in the distance, a voice that drew nearer and more near, until the air around him was filled with its exquisite music. Entranced, rooted to the spot, Prince Radiance listened. Never had he heard so wondrous a voice. It was as though it drew his very heart from his breast to follow it.
So spellbound was he, that at first he thought only of the voice, but presently he was filled with an ardent desire to know from whom it came. But even as he looked eagerly about him for the singer, the voice began to recede from him, and to fade away among the tree-tops. Then it was, that glancing upward, he saw a pure and pearl-white flame, and from the flame came the magic voice that had so stirred his heart.
Awaking from his trance of wonder and delight, the Prince sought to follow it; even as he did so the flame was lost to sight. He pursued it in the direction in which he had seen it pass, but in vain.