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her husband, and told him of what she had dreamt three nights running.

“And now, my dear husband,” she continued, “I am sure that the only thing which can ever make my hair grow is some seeds from the Hair Tree. I entreat you to spare no effort to discover it, and to offer a reward to any one who will bring you news of it. For I feel”—here the Queen’s voice grew very husky—“that if I do not find it I shall never recover my hair, and if not, I shall die, for I cannot live without it.” So saying she fell back on the pillow and closed her eyes.

The King at once called a great meeting of his lords together, and told them the Queen’s dream, and a herald was sent round to proclaim that one hundred thousand pounds would be given to any one who could bring some seeds from the Hair Tree, or even tell where it was to be found. And great placards were pasted up all over the kingdom, offering the reward. So every one began to talk of this strange Hair Tree, which no one had ever heard of before, and to wonder where it could be—for all would have liked to have earned the reward—but all agreed that the Hair Tree was nowhere in that country.