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And you must stand before it, and say,—

Then the doors will fly open, and you can pass in. Within grows the Hair Tree. What else you will find there I shall not say. Now, I have kept my part of the agreement; see that you keep yours when you return.”

So saying, the bird flapped his wings once and disappeared.

Rupert looked about, and finding himself very near land, rowed to shore, and stepped from his boat. It seemed to be a pretty sort of country, and at first he did not notice anything unusual. He walked straight on till he came to a row of splendid sunflowers, and stopped in front of them to admire them, when all at once a pair of beautiful white hands and arms were thrust out from the nearest stalk, and grasping him by the shoulders began to pull him, with a strength he could not resist. At once all the other stalks had put out their hands, and were reaching