askedtheprince.

"no,indeed,"repliedtheeastwind;"butweshallbethereverysoon.doyouseethatwallofrocks,andthecavernbeneathit,overwhichthegrapevineshanglikeagreencurtain?throughthatcavernwemustpass.wrapyourcloakroundyou;forwhilethesunscorchesyouhere,afewstepsfartheritwillbeicycold.thebirdflyingpasttheentrancetothecavernfeelsasifonewingwereintheregionofsummer,andtheotherinthedepthsofwinter."

"sothisthenisthewaytothegardenofparadise?"askedtheprince,astheyenteredthecavern.itwasindeedcold;butthecoldsoonpassed,fortheeastwindspreadhiswings,andtheygleamedlikethebrightestfire.astheypassedonthroughthiswonderfulcave,theprincecouldseegreatblocksofstone,fromwhichwatertrickled,hangingovertheirheadsinfantasticshapes.sometimesitwassonarrowthattheyhadtocreepontheirhandsandknees,whileatothertimesitwasloftyandwide,likethefreeair.ithadtheappearanceofachapelforthedead,withpetrifiedorgansandsilentpipes."weseemtobepassingthroughthevalleyofdeathtothegardenofparadise,"saidtheprince.

buttheeastwindanswerednotaword,onlypointedforwardstoalovelybluelightwhichgleamedinthedistance.theblocksofstoneassumedamistyappearance,tillatlasttheylookedlikewhitecloudsinmoonlight.theairwasfreshandbalmy,likeabreezefromthemountainsperfumedwithflowersfromavalleyofroses.ariver,clearastheairitself,sparkledattheirfeet,whileinitscleardepthscouldbeseengoldandsilverfishsportinginthebrightwater,andpurpleeelsemittingsparksoffireateverymoment,whilethebroadleavesofthewater-lilies,thatfloatedonitssurface,flickeredwithallthecolorsoftherainbow.theflowerinitscolorofflameseemedtoreceiveitsnourishmentfromthewater,asalampissustainedbyoil.amarblebridge,ofsuchexquisiteworkmanshipthatitappearedasifformedoflaceandpearls,ledtotheislandofhappiness,inwhichbloomedthegardenofparadise.theeastwindtooktheprinceinhisarms,andcarriedhimover,whiletheflowersandtheleavessangthesweetsongsofhischildhoodintonessofullandsoftthatnohumanvoicecouldventuretoimitate.withinthegardengrewlargetrees,fullofsap;butwhethertheywerepalm-treesorgiganticwater-plants,theprinceknewnot.theclimbingplantshungingarlandsofgreenandgold,liketheilluminationsonthemarginsofoldmissalsortwinedamongtheinitialletters.birds,flowers,andfestoonsappearedintermingledinseemingseby,onthegrass,stoodagroupofpeacocks,withradianttailsoutspreadtothesun.theprincetouchedthem,andfound,tohissurprise,thattheywerenotreallybirds,buttheleavesoftheburdocktree,whichshonewiththecolorsofapeacock'stail.thelionandthetiger,gentleandtame,werespringingaboutlikeplayfulcatsamongthegreenbushes,whoseperfumewaslikethefragrantblossomoftheolive.theplumageofthewood-pigeonglistenedlikepearlsasitstruckthelion'smanewithitswings;whiletheantelope,usuallysoshy,stoodnear,noddingitsheadasifitwishedtojoininthefrolic.thefairyofparadisenextmadeherrraimentshonelikethesun,andherserenecountenancebeamedwithhappinesslikethatofamotherrejoicingoverherchild.shewasyoungandbeautiful,andatrainoflovelymaidensfollowedher,eachwearingabrightstarinherhair.theeastwindgaveherthepalm-leaf,onwhichwaswrittenthehistoryofthephoenix;andhereyessparkledwithjoy.shethentooktheprincebythehand,andledhimintoherpalace,thewallsofwhichwererichlycolored,likeatulip-leafwhenitisturnedtothesun.theroofhadtheappearanceofaninvertedflower,andthecolorsgrewdeeperandbrightertothegazer.theprincewalkedtoawindow,andsawwhatappearedtobethetreeofknowledgeofgoodandevil,withadamandevestandingby,andtheserpentnearthem."ithoughttheywerebanishedfromparadise,"hesaid.

theprincesssmiled,andtoldhimthattimehadengravedeacheventonawindow-paneintheformofapicture;but,unlikeotherpictures,allthatitrepresentedlivedandmoved,-theleavesrustled,andthepersonswentandcame,asinalooking-glass.helookedthroughanotherpane,andsawtheladderinjacob'sdream,onwhichtheangelswereascendinganddescendingwithoutspreadthathadeverhappenedintheworldherelivedandmovedonthepanesofglass,inpicturessuchastimealonecouldproduce.thefairynowledtheprinceintoalarge,loftyroomwithtransparentwalls,throughwhichthelightshone.herewereportraits,eachoneappearingmorebeautifulthantheother-millionsofhappybeings,whoselaughterandsongmingledinonesweetmelody:someofthesewereinsuchanelevatedpositionthattheyappearedsmallerthanthesmallestrosebud,orlikepencildotsonpaper.inthecentreofthehallstoodatree,withdroopingbranches,fromwhichhunggoldenapples,bothgreatandsmall,lookinglikeorangesamidthegreenleaves.itwasthetreeofknowledgeofgoodandevil,fromwhichadamandevehadpluckedandeatentheforbiddenfruit,andfromeachleaftrickledabrightreddewdrop,asifthetreewereweepingtearsofbloodfortheirsin."letusnowtaketheboat,"saidthefairy:"asailonthecoolwaterswillrefreshus.butweshallnotmovefromthespot,althoughtheboatmayrockontheswellingwater;thecountriesoftheworldwillglidebeforeus,butweshallremainstill."

itwasindeedwonderfultobehold.firstcametheloftyalps,snow-clad,andcoveredwithcloudsanddarkpines.thehornresounded,andtheshepherdssangmerrilyinthevalleys.thebanana-treesbenttheirdroopingbranchesovertheboat,blackswansfloatedonthewater,andsingularanimalsandflowersappearedonthedistantholland,thefifthdivisionoftheworld,nowglidedby,withmountainsinthebackground,lookingblueinthedistance.theyheardthesongofthepriests,andsawthewilddanceofthesavagetothesoundofthedrumsandtrumpetsofbone;thepyramidsofegyptrisingtotheclouds;columnsandsphinxes,overthrownandburiedinthesand,followedintheirturn;whilethenorthernlightsflashedoutovertheextinguishedvolcanoesofthenorth,infireworksnonecouldimitate.

theprincewasdelighted,andyethesawhundredsofotherwonderfulthingsmorethancanbedescribed."canistayhereforever?"