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Page:The Floating Prince - Frank R Stockton.djvu/105

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THE FLOATING PRINCE AND OTHER FAIRY TALES.

brought together in such a manner that an education can be obtained, by a girl like Volma, in a very short time."

Without further ado, the Gudra wrote the letter, and the Ordinary Man was ordered to have it conveyed to the Prince.

That same day the answer came. The Prince positively refused to allow any child, with the exception of his son, to enter his school.

Now, indeed, was the Gudra angry. No one had ever seen him storm around the room as he now stormed. He vowed he would send to the king of his country, borrow an army, and carry his daughter into the Prince's school at the point of the sword.

"I am afraid," said the Ordinary Man, "that an army of dwarfs would have but a small chance against the soldiers of our Prince. And he has plenty of them."

Thn Gudra could not help thinking that there was sound sense in this remark, but that did not make him feel in any better humor. He called for his head-councilor,

"Krignock!" he cried, "did you ever know me to fail in anything?"

"Never, most eminent sir," replied Krignock; "I never did, indeed"

"Well, then," said the Gudra striding up and down the floor, "I shall not fail now."

"Poor Velma was greatly terrified and troubled at all this, and begged her father to take her home. She would be perfectly satisfied, she said, to learn from her mother and the ordinary teachers of dwarfland. But her father would listen to nothing of the kind. He stalked up and down the floor, still vowing he would succeed in what he had resolved to do, although he did not seem to have any idea how to go about it.

Two or three days then passed, during which the Gudra fumed