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PP EL CASTLE OF LIFE
Graceful obeyed. Under the ashes of the paper he found
a vial of rock crystal, sparkling like a diamond. This, the
fairy said, was to hold the water of immortality, which
would break any vessel made by the hand of man. By the
side of the vial Graceful found a dagger with a triangular
blade—a very different thing from the stiletto of his father
the fisherman, which he had been forbidden to touch.
With this weapon he could brave the proudest enemy.
"My sister, you shall not be more generous than I,” said
the other fairy; then, taking a rush from the only chair
in the room, she blew upon it, when, lo! the rush instantly
swelled, and in less time than it takes to tell it became a
beautiful musket, inlaid with mother-of-pearl. A second
rush produced a cartridge-box, which Graceful slung around
his body and which became him marvelously. One would
have thought him a prince setting out for the chase; he was
so handsome that his grandmother wept for joy and emotion.
The two fairies vanished; Graceful kissed the good old
woman, urging her to await his return, and knelt before her
to receive her blessing. She entreated him to be patient,
just, and charitable, and, above all, not to wander from the
right path. ‘‘ Not for my sake,” added the old woman, “for
I would gladly welcome death, and I regret the wish that
you have made, but for your own, my child, that you may
return to me and that I may not die without your being
here to close my eyes."
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