Now, the enchanter, Merlin, knew untruthful people even a long way off. He could tell them by their odor. So as Coralie and her mother drew near his palace, which was built of frosted glass, he threw some incense on the fire to keep himself from becoming ill.
At length, Coralie’s mother rang the door bell, and Merlin himself came to the door. “Good afternoon,” he said.
“Good afternoon,” replied Coralie’s mother; “we have come a long distance to see you, sir, because——”
Merlin raised his hand. “I know all about the reason,” he said. “You have come to see me because you cannot make your daughter tell the truth. She is one of the most untruthful children that ever lived. I know, because her lies often make me ill. When I smelled her coming, I had to burn incense;” and he frowned terribly.
You can imagine how this frightened Coralie. She hid behind her mother. Her mother seemed frightened, too.
“Oh, sir,” she begged, “please deal as gently with her as you can. We love her so dearly. We are so grieved that we cannot cure her our own selves.”
“Do not fear,” answered the magician. “I am not going to hurt her. All that I wish to do is to make her a present.”
So he invited them into the palace, and led the way to his workroom. All the woodwork in the room was light green. The windows were studded with red and blue and green jewels, and they threw rainbow colors on the floor.
Merlin went to a golden table, and, opening a drawer, took out a beautiful amethyst necklace, with a diamond clasp. He threw the necklace around Coralie’s neck.