At last the prince gave in and the pixie went away with the statue.

The prince was sad indeed. He sat alone at twilight and sang:

“O princess dear, O princess dear,

I am sad in the fall of the year.

I should be happy, it is plain,

If you would come back to me again.”

The prince’s heart gave a crack. It almost broke in two.

An autumn leaf floated in through the window. On it was written:

“The princess dear will come again.