The prince was now beside himself with remorse and misery, and when
the dumb nobleman made signs that they should pursue their search for
the magician, he only cried, "Too late! too late!"
But after a while he said, "I will return to the hermit, and pass the
rest of my miserable life in solitude and penance. And you, dear
friend, go back to my father."
But the dumb nobleman shook his head, and could not be persuaded to
leave the prince. Then they took the glass coffin on their shoulders,
and on foot, and weeping as they went, they retraced their steps to
the forest.
For some time the prince remained with the hermit, and submitted
himself to his direction. Then the hermit bade him return to his
father, and he obeyed.
Every day the prince stood by the glass coffin, and beat his breast
and cried, "Behold, murderer, the fruits of anger!" And he tried hard
to overcome the violence of his temper. When he lost heart he
remembered a saying of the hermit: "Patience had far to go, but she
was crowned at last." And after a while the prince became as gentle as
he had before been violent. And the king and all the court rejoiced
at the change; but the prince remained sad at heart, thinking of the
princess.
One day he was sitting alone, when a man approached him, dressed in a
long black robe.
"Good-day, godson," said he.
"Who calls me godson?" said the prince.
"The magician you have so long sought," said the godfather.
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