With that, he stretched out his tail as straight as the handle of a saucepan. Princess Hilda took hold if it; they sprang off the cloud and away! down they went till it seemed to her as if they never would be done falling. At last, however, they alighted softly on the top of a hay-mow, and in another moment were safe on the earth again.
Close beside the hay-mow was a field-mouse’s hole, and the cat began scratching at it with his two fore-paws, throwing up the dirt in a great heap behind, till in a few minutes a great passage was made through to the center of the earth.
“Keep hold of my tail,” said the cat, and into the passage they went.
It was quite dark inside, and if it had not been for the cat’s eyes, which shone like two yellow lamps, they might have missed their way. As it was, however, they got along famously, and pretty soon arrived at the center of the earth, where was the kingdom of the Gnomes.
“Now, Princess Hilda,” said the cat, “you must go the rest of the way alone. Ask the first Gnome you meet to show you the place where the King works; and when you have found him, ask him where the Golden Ivy-seed is. But be careful to do everything he bids you, no matter how little you may like it; for, if you do not, your brother Henry never can be saved.”
Though Princess Hilda did not much like the idea of going on alone, still, since it was for her brother’s sake, she consented; only she made up her mind to do everything the King bade her, whatever happened. Pretty soon she met a Gnome, who was running along on all-fours.
“Can you show me the place where the King works?” asked Princess Hilda.
“What do you want with him?” asked the Gnome.
“I want to ask him where the Golden Ivy-seed is,” answered Princess Hilda.
“He works in that great field over yonder,” said the Gnome; “but unless you can walk on all-fours better than you do, I don’t believe he will tell you anything.”