WhenPrinceDolorhadpatientlyuntiedalltheknots，aremarkablethinghappened。Thecloakbegantoundoitself。Slowlyunfolding，itlaiditselfdownonthecarpet，asflatasifithadbeenironed;thesplitjoinedwithalittlesharpcrick-crack，andtherimturnedupallroundtillitwasbreast-high;formeantimethecloakhadgrownandgrown，andbecomequitelargeenoughforonepersontositinitascomfortableasifinaboat。
ThePrincewatcheditratheranxiously;itwassuchanextraordinary，nottosayafrightening，thing。However，hewasnocoward，butathoroughboy，who，ifhehadbeenlikeotherboys，woulddoubtlesshavegrownupdaringandadventurous——asoldier，asailor，orthelike。Asitwas，hecouldonlyshowhiscouragemorally，notphysically，bybeingafraidofnothing，andbydoingboldlyallthatitwasinhisnarrowpowerstodo。AndIamnotsurebutthatinthiswayheshowedmorerealvalorthanifhehadhadsixpairsofproperlegs。
Hesaidtohimself：\"WhatagooseIam！Asifmydeargodmotherwouldeverhavegivenmeanythingtohurtme。Heregoes！\"
So，withoneofhisactiveleaps，hesprangrightintothemiddleofthecloak，wherehesquatteddown，wrappinghisarmstightroundhisknees，fortheyshookalittleandhisheartbeatfast。Buttherehesat，steadyandsilent，waitingforwhatmighthappennext。
Nothingdidhappen，andhebegantothinknothingwould，andtofeelratherdisappointed，whenherecollectedthewordshehadbeentoldtorepeat——\"Abracadabra，dumdumdum！\"