“The ogre looked with his one eye in eager derision; then forgetting his danger, and regarding the boy much as he might do an unwary fish that he would gobble up, he sprang from his boat into the shallow water, preparing not only to snatch the one boy, but to seize them all in a great seine he dragged after him, when suddenly the waves from the centre of the lake began hissing and seething, a tremendous swell set in towards the shore, driving the brave little fellow who had gone out to tempt the enemy completely off his legs, and obliging him to swim to the land, which he had no sooner reached than a great shout from all the boys made him look back, when, lo and behold! there was no ogre, only a great shark, with open jaws and a shining row of teeth, floundering about, and dashing himself in angry transports against the sides of the ogre boat, which he vainly attempted to board.  And now could be seen swarms of little fish attacking the great one, darting hither and thither, now at his head, now at his tail, but keeping well away from his open jaws.  And the waves began to be colored with the shark’s blood.  At last, wearied and wounded, with an angry snap of his jaws he dived down, and was seen no more.

“Then the boys gave another loud huzza, when, like a broad flash of sunshine, the lovely Princess came among them.

“‘Boys,’ said she, ’you have proved yourselves brave youngsters.  The ogre can never again trouble you.  He will be a shark for three thousand years, and he will not care to stay in these waters, with so many enemies about him.  Now, when you have regained your good looks and strength, I will take you all home.  Here is the key to my sweetmeat closet.  Run off, now, and have a good time.’

“The sweetmeat closet was a large enclosure where grew sugar-almond trees, candied pears, candied plums, and where even the bark and twigs of trees and bushes were of chocolate.  In the centre was a pond of quivering jelly.  Mounds and pyramids of jumbles and iced cakes abounded.  They were too tempting to be long looked at without tasting, and the boys helped themselves gladly.

“A long, sweet strain from a bugle called them away from this delightful spot, and on a broad, smooth field they found bats and balls, tenpins and velocipedes—­in short, everything a boy could want to play with.

“After this they supped in simple fashion, each boy with only a great bowl of bread and milk.  Then to more music they were marched to their beds—­downy white nests, in a great room arched with glass, through which they could see the moon and stars shining, and where the dawn could awaken them with its early light.