Neversincethenightwhentheprincesslefthimsoabruptlyhadtheprincehadasingleinterviewwithher. Hehadseenheronceortwiceinthelake;butasfarashecoulddiscover,shehadnotbeeninitanymoreatnight. Hehadsatandsung,andlookedinvainforhisNereid,whileshe,likeatrueNereid,waswastingawaywithherlake,sinkingasitsank,witheringasitdried. Whenatlengthhediscoveredthechangethatwastakingplaceinthelevelofthewater,hewasingreatalarmandperplexity. Hecouldnottellwhetherthelakewasdyingbecausetheladyhadforsakenit;orwhethertheladywouldnotcomebecausethelakehadbeguntosink. Butheresolvedtoknowsomuchatleast. Hedisguisedhimself,and,goingtothepalace,requestedtoseethelordchamberlain. Hisappearanceatoncegainedhisrequest;andthelordchamberlain,beingamanofsomeinsight,perceivedthattherewasmoreintheprince’ssolicitationthanmettheear. Hefeltlikewisethatnoonecouldtellwhenceasolutionofthepresentdifficultiesmightarise. Sohegrantedtheprince’sprayertobemadeshoeblacktotheprincess. Itwasrathercunningintheprincetorequestsuchaneasypost,fortheprincesscouldnotpossiblysoilasmanyshoesasotherprincesses. Hesoonlearnedallthatcouldbetoldabouttheprincess. Hewentnearlydistracted;butafterroamingaboutthelakefordays,anddivingineverydepththatremained,allthathecoulddowastoputanextrapolishonthedaintypairofbootsthatwasnevercalledfor. Fortheprincesskeptherroom,withthecurtainsdrawntoshutoutthedyinglake,butcouldnotshutitoutofhermindforamoment. Ithauntedherimaginationsothatshefeltasifthelakewerehersoul,dryingupwithinher,firsttomud,thentomadnessanddeath. Shethusbroodedoverthechange,withallitsdreadfulaccompaniments,tillshewasnearlydistracted. Asfortheprince,shehadforgottenhim. Howevermuchshehadenjoyedhiscompanyinthewater,shedidnotcareforhimwithoutit. Butsheseemedtohaveforgottenherfatherandmothertoo. Thelakewentonsinking.Smallslimyspotsbegantoappear,whichglitteredsteadilyamidstthechangefulshineofthewater. Thesegrewtobroadpatchesofmud,whichwidenedandspread,withrockshereandthere,andflounderingfishesandcrawlingeelsswarming. Thepeoplewenteverywherecatchingthese,andlookingforanythingthatmighthavedroppedfromtheroyalboats. Atlengththelakewasallbutgone,onlyafewofthedeepestpoolsremainingunexhausted. Ithappenedonedaythatapartyofyoungstersfoundthemselvesonthebrinkofoneofthesepoolsintheverycentreofthelake. Itwasarockybasinofconsiderabledepth. Lookingin,theysawatthebottomsomethingthatshoneyellowinthesun. Alittleboyjumpedinanddivedforit. Itwasaplateofgoldcoveredwithwriting.Theycarriedittotheking. Ononesideofitstoodthesewords: ”Deathalonefromdeathcansave. Loveisdeath,andsoisbrave. Lovecanfillthedeepestgrave. Lovelovesonbeneaththewave.” Nowthiswasenigmaticalenoughtothekingandcourtiers.Butthereverseoftheplateexplaineditalittle.Itswritingamountedtothis: “Ifthelakeshoulddisappear,theymustfindtheholethroughwhichthewaterran. Butitwouldbeuselesstotrytostopitbyanyordinarymeans.Therewasbutoneeffectualmode. Thebodyofalivingmancouldalonestaunchtheflow. Themanmustgivehimselfofhisownwill;andthelakemusttakehislifeasitfilled. Otherwisetheofferingwouldbeofnoavail. Ifthenationcouldnotprovideonehero,itwastimeitshouldperish,” 
