The Floating Prince and Other Fairy Tales. Frank Richard Stockton

      The Floating Prince

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      THE FLOATING PRINCE

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      AND OTHER

      FAIRY TALES.

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       THE FLOATING PRINCE.

      THERE was once an orphan prince, named Nassime, who had been carefully educated to take his place upon the throne of his native country. Everything that a king ought to know had been taught him, and he was considered, by the best judges, to be in every way qualified to wear a crown and to wield a scepter.

      But when he became of age, and was about to take his place upon the throne, a relative, of great power and influence in the country, concluded that he would be king himself, and so the young prince was thrown out upon the world. The new king did not want him in his dominions, and it was therefore determined, by his teachers and guardians, that he would have to become a "floating prince." By this, they meant that he must travel about, from place to place, until he found some kingdom which needed a king, and which was willing to accept him to rule over it If such a situation were vacant, he could easily obtain it.

      ​He was therefore furnished with a new suit of clothes and a good sword; a small crown and a scepter were packed into his bag; and he was started out to seek his fortune, as best he could.

      As the prince walked away from the walls of his native city, he felt quite down-hearted, although he was by nature gay and hopeful. He did not believe that he could find any country which would want him for a ruler.

      "That is all nonsense," he said to himself. "There are always plenty of heirs or usurpers to take a throne when it is empty. If I want a kingdom, I must build up one for myself, and that is just what I will do. I will gather together my subjects as I go along. The first person I meet shall be my chief councilor of state, the second shall be head of the army, the third shall be admiral of the navy, the next shall be chief treasurer, and then I will collect subjects of various classes."

      Cheered by this plan, he stepped gayly on, and just as he was entering a wood, through which his pathway led him, he heard some one singing.

      Looking about him, he saw a little lady, about five inches high, sitting upon a twig of a flowering bush near by, and singing to herself. Nassime instantly perceived that she was a fairy, and said to himself: "Oho! I did not expect a meeting of this sort" But as he was a bold and frank young fellow, he stepped up to her and said: "Good-morning, lady fairy. How would you like to be chief councilor to a king?"

      "It would be splendid!" said the lively little fairy, her eyes sparkling with delight. "But where is the king?"

      "I am the king," said Nassime, "or, rather, I am to be, as soon as I get my kingdom together."

      And then he told her his story and his plans. The fairy was charmed. The plan suited her exactly.

      ​"You might get a larger councilor than I am," she said, "but I know a good deal about government. I have been governed ever so much, and I could not help learning how it is done. I'm glad enough to have a chance to help somebody govern other people. I'll be your chief councilor."

      "All right," said the prince, who was much pleased with the merry little creature. "Now we'll go and hunt up the rest of the kingdom."

      He took the little fairy in his hand and placed her in one of the folds of his silken girdle, where she could rest, as if in a tiny hammock, and then he asked her name.

      "My name," she answered, "is Lorilla, chief councilor of the kingdom of—what are you going to call your kingdom?"

      "Oh, I haven't thought of a name, yet."

      "Let it be Nassimia, after yourself," said Lorilla.

      "Very well," answered the prince, "we will call it Nassimia. That will save trouble and disputes, after the kingdom is established."

      Nassime now stepped along quite briskly, talking to his little companion as he went, and explaining to her his various ideas regarding his future kingdom. Suddenly he stumbled over what he supposed was the trunk of a fallen tree, and then he was quickly raised into the air, astride of the supposed tree-trunk, which seemed to have a hinge in it.

      "What now?" said a great voice, and the prince perceived that he was sitting on the knee of a giant, who had been lying on his back in the wood.

      "Don't be afraid," said Lorilla, looking out of her little hammock. "He won't hurt you."

      "Excuse me," said the prince, "I did not see you, or I should have been more careful. How would you like to be general of the army of the kingdom of Nassimia?"

      ​"That sounds splendidly!" cried little Lorilla.

      The giant looked bewildered. He could not understand, at all, what the prince was talking about. But when Nassime explained