WhiletheKingwasatabanquet，Iwanichtooksomepursesofgold，andmountingthequickesthorseintheroyalstable，hespedofflikethewindwithoutasinglesoulbeinganythewiser。
Itwasonlyonthenextdaythattheymissedhim；theKingwasverydistressedathisdisappearance，andsentsearch-partiesalloverthekingdomtolookforhim，butinvain；andaftersixmonthstheygavehimupasdead，andinanothersixmonthstheyhadforgottenallabouthim。ButinthemeantimethePrince，withthehelpofhisring，hadhadamostsuccessfuljourney，andnoevilhadbefallenhim。
Attheendofthreemonthshecametotheentranceofahugeforest，whichlookedasifithadneverbeentroddenbyhumanfootbefore，andwhichseemedtostretchoutindefinitely。ThePrincewasabouttoenterthewoodbyalittlepathhehaddiscovered，whenheheardavoiceshoutingtohim:’Hold，youth！
Whitherareyougoing？’
Iwanichturnedround，andsawatall，gaunt-lookingman，cladinmiserablerags，leaningonacrookedstaffandseatedatthefootofanoaktree，whichwassomuchthesamecolourashimselfthatitwaslittlewonderthePrincehadriddenpastthetreewithoutnoticinghim。