Princess White Flame. Gertrude Crownfield

OF all the fairy countries in the world none is more wonderful or beautiful than the country where the Fire Fairies live. Into that land no fairies of the earth, or air, or water dare venture. They would be seared, or changed to ash or vapor.

Many are the doors that open into the Fire Kingdom—thousands, and hundreds of thousands in number. Wherever you see the firelight flicker, wherever you see flames leaping and dancing, wherever you hear the snap of the burning logs, there you may be sure is an open door. Then if you choose to creep close to it, and peer in, you may perhaps see wonderful things; fairy forms that flit and vanish, and reappear, and vanish again among the leaping flames, and smoldering embers. Perhaps, also, you may see the shining domes and glittering turrets of the fairy palaces.

But when the fire burns down, and the hearth grows dark the door is closed—there is no more to be seen of that wonderland.

In the very heart of the Fire Country stands the palace of King Red Flame, the gleaming flame-colored palace, the Palace of Burning Coals. Round it lies a wonderful garden, where paths wind away among great fields of fire lilies, and flame roses lift their heads, and the tall shining trees rustle in the wind with a sound like the whispering of the fire on the hearth. Here in this glowing country the good and happy fairies work and play, and serve their king as all good fairies should.

But not all fairies in this land are good and happy. Beyond the glow of the roses and the lilies, beyond all sight of the glimmering trees, there lies another part of the country where live the evil fairies of that land. Here are great Plains of Ash, and huge Caverns of Soot, and stretches of gloom where comes and goes the Shadow Witch. Here Imps of Darkness lurk, here Dragons crouch, and Wizards dwell. Perhaps sometimes when you have looked into the Fireplace you have seen those dismal plains and darksome valleys. They lie away from the heart of the Fire, at the side of the Hearth, and between the flames and the heaps of ashes.

And now listen, and I will tell you of Prince Radiance, and Princess White Flame who lived in the Fire Country and of many strange and wonderful adventures through which they journeyed on to reach at last a never-ending happiness.

CHAPTER I

Table of Contents

ONCE upon a time a wicked Earth Fairy went forth to see what mischief she could do. She flitted on and on until she came to a House Door. She had come to one of the homes where the good and useful House Fairies dwell. The Door was open, and she crept up to it slyly, and peered in. There she saw a great room, in perfect order, for the House Fairies had put everything to rights before they went away to their tasks upstairs. The floor was swept, the pictures hung trim and straight upon the walls, the chairs were dusted and set about invitingly, and on the Hearth the Fire burned warm and clear.

“Hhm!” muttered the Earth Fairy. “Here is the very chance I’ve been looking for!”

She slipped inside the Door and set to work at once. She sprinkled ashes on the clean-swept floor, and set the chairs askew. She pulled the pictures crooked, and turned their faces to the wall. Into every corner of the room she went, making mischief, and leaving disorder behind her. No one came to interrupt her, so that she kept on and on with her malicious task until the room was in complete confusion. Wearied with the mischief she had done, she paused and looked about her for a place to rest. On the Hearth lay a great bank of warm ashes, soft as a feather-bed. She went to it at once, and threw herself down upon it, thinking to rest only a moment before she journeyed on. Now this was a very dangerous thing for an Earth Fairy to do, because none but Fire Fairies can safely rest so close to Fire and Flame. But this the Earth Fairy did not know, so she sank down, meaning to rest but for a short time, but she was so weary that before she knew it she had fallen off into a deep sleep, and while she slept the Fire stole from her all her Earth magic, and her Earth powers.

Since the Fire was burning, that Door to the Fire Country was of course wide open, so that King Red Flame riding out that morning on his flame-colored horse caught a glimpse of the Earth Fairy’s yellow hair as she lay in the ashes. He drew near to see who was slumbering there. At the first glance he knew that she was not a Fire Fairy. It was plain, too, that she was not a House Fairy. Whoever she was, he knew that she was in great danger, and that she must be rescued at once.

He called to her, but she neither answered nor stirred. He alighted from his horse, and bending over her shook her gently, but she gave no sign of life. He shook her more roughly, and called louder, but quite in vain.

“I shall have to take her to the palace,” murmured King Red Flame to himself. “Here I can do nothing. Queen Glow and I must consult together over the matter.”

He lifted the Earth Fairy in his arms, and laid her across his horse. Then mounting again, he rode away with her in the direction of the Palace of Burning Coals, satisfied that there, in counsel with his queen, he

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