When the young girl had left the cavern, the woman bent over the blazing fire, with alembic and crucible. “Who can tell the wonderful mystery,” she muttered to herself, as the liquid boiled up yellow as gold. “I myself will wash in it, and become young and fair again.”
The night came on in darkness, and at eleven o’clock the old witch carried the liquid out in the chill air, and with her red eyes, that could see best in the darkness, watched it as it changed in form, till, just as the bell in the church tower rung out twelve, she saw before her the Elixir of Beauty, the magic golden snow.
Just at that moment she heard the voice of the consul’s daughter calling, “It is so dark, I cannot see; give me your hand, and lead me to the Elixir of Beauty. I have dared so much for it! I am almost dead with fright.”
“In a moment,” answered the old woman, and she slipped the golden snow into a crevice in the rock, leaving only a little for the maiden. Reaching out her hand, she led the trembling girl into the cavern, and, taking an ivory box, filled it with pure white snow. Sprinkling over it the remnant of the Elixir of Beauty, she gave it to the maiden, saying, “Wash in it, and you will become as lovely as the dawn.”
When the young girl opened the box, it looked to her yellow and shiny, for the old witch had cast a glamour over it, so she went away quite satisfied.
She concealed her treasure in her private closet, and every night, after all in the house had retired, she washed her face, and, because there was the remnant of the Elixir of Beauty in it, she became fairer every day. All who saw her wondered, and said, “Surely the consul’s daughter is the most beautiful maiden!”
Through the whole week the herald of the prince rode over the Gold Land, everywhere seeking for Golden Snow. Once he passed the fisherman’s cottage, but that morning the fisher folk and their adopted child had gone down to the beach. As chance would have it, they missed the messenger.
Again the castle was illuminated, and the guests were assembled.
There were beautiful maidens, but the consul’s daughter shone like the morning. Again the heart of the prince re-echoed the wondering admiration of the guests, and his deep dark eyes flashed with a strange magnetic fire.
As the evening advanced, it grew warm, with the great lights flashing everywhere, and the delicious notes of the music vibrating and thrilling in every form.