asked the prince.
  "No, indeed," replied the East Wind; "but we shall be there verysoon. Do you see that wall of rocks, and the cavern beneath it, overwhich the grape vines hang like a green curtain? Through that cavernwe must pass. Wrap your cloak round you; for while the sun scorchesyou here, a few steps farther it will be icy cold. The bird flyingpast the entrance to the cavern feels as if one wing were in theregion of summer, and the other in the depths of winter."
  "So this then is the way to the garden of paradise?" asked theprince, as they entered the cavern. It was indeed cold; but the coldsoon passed, for the East Wind spread his wings, and they gleamed likethe brightest fire. As they passed on through this wonderful cave, theprince could see great blocks of stone, from which water trickled,hanging over their heads in fantastic shapes. Sometimes it was sonarrow that they had to creep on their hands and knees, while at othertimes it was lofty and wide, like the free air. It had theappearance of a chapel for the dead, with petrified organs andsilent pipes. "We seem to be passing through the valley of death tothe garden of paradise," said the prince.
  But the East Wind answered not a word, only pointed forwards toa lovely blue light which gleamed in the distance. The blocks of stoneassumed a misty appearance, till at last they looked like white cloudsin moonlight. The air was fresh and balmy, like a breeze from themountains perfumed with flowers from a valley of roses. A river, clearas the air itself, sparkled at their feet, while in its clear depthscould be seen gold and silver fish sporting in the bright water, andpurple eels emitting sparks of fire at every moment, while the broadleaves of the water-lilies, that floated on its surface, flickeredwith all the colors of the rainbow. The flower in its color of flameseemed to receive its nourishment from the water, as a lamp issustained by oil. A marble bridge, of such exquisite workmanshipthat it appeared as if formed of lace and pearls, led to the island ofhappiness, in which bloomed the garden of paradise. The East Wind tookthe prince in his arms, and carried him over, while the flowers andthe leaves sang the sweet songs of his childhood in tones so fulland soft that no human voice could venture to imitate. Within thegarden grew large trees, full of sap; but whether they were palm-treesor gigantic water-plants, the prince knew not. The climbing plantshung in garlands of green and gold, like the illuminations on themargins of old missals or twined among the initial letters. Birds,flowers, and festoons appeared intermingled in seeming confusion.Close by, on the grass, stood a group of peacocks, with radianttails outspread to the sun. The prince touched them, and found, to hissurprise, that they were not really birds, but the leaves of theburdock tree, which shone with the colors of a peacock's tail. Thelion and the tiger, gentle and tame, were springing about like playfulcats among the green bushes, whose perfume was like the fragrantblossom of the olive. The plumage of the wood-pigeon glistened likepearls as it struck the lion's mane with its wings; while theantelope, usually so shy, stood near, nodding its head as if it wishedto join in the frolic. The fairy of paradise next made her appearance.Her raiment shone like the sun, and her serene countenance beamed withhappiness like that of a mother rejoicing over her child. She wasyoung and beautiful, and a train of lovely maidens followed her,each wearing a bright star in her hair. The East Wind gave her thepalm-leaf, on which was written the history of the phoenix; and hereyes sparkled with joy. She then took the prince by the hand, andled him into her palace, the walls of which were richly colored,like a tulip-leaf when it is turned to the sun. The roof had theappearance of an inverted flower, and the colors grew deeper andbrighter to the gazer. The prince walked to a window, and saw whatappeared to be the tree of knowledge of good and evil, with Adam andEve standing by, and the serpent near them. "I thought they werebanished from paradise," he said.
  The princess smiled, and told him that time had engraved eachevent on a window-pane in the form of a picture; but, unlike otherpictures, all that it represented lived and moved,- the leavesrustled, and the persons went and came, as in a looking-glass. Helooked through another pane, and saw the ladder in Jacob's dream, onwhich the angels were ascending and descending with outspread wings.All that had ever happened in the world here lived and moved on thepanes of glass, in pictures such as time alone could produce. Thefairy now led the prince into a large, lofty room with transparentwalls, through which the light shone. Here were portraits, each oneappearing more beautiful than the other- millions of happy beings,whose laughter and song mingled in one sweet melody: some of thesewere in such an elevated position that they appeared smaller thanthe smallest rosebud, or like pencil dots on paper. In the centre ofthe hall stood a tree, with drooping branches, from which hunggolden apples, both great and small, looking like oranges amid thegreen leaves. It was the tree of knowledge of good and evil, fromwhich Adam and Eve had plucked and eaten the forbidden fruit, and fromeach leaf trickled a bright red dewdrop, as if the tree were weepingtears of blood for their sin. "Let us now take the boat," said thefairy: "a sail on the cool waters will refresh us. But we shall notmove from the spot, although the boat may rock on the swellingwater; the countries of the world will glide before us, but we shallremain still."
  It was indeed wonderful to behold. First came the lofty Alps,snow-clad, and covered with clouds and dark pines. The horn resounded,and the shepherds sang merrily in the valleys. The banana-trees benttheir drooping branches over the boat, black swans floated on thewater, and singular animals and flowers appeared on the distant shore.New Holland, the fifth division of the world, now glided by, withmountains in the background, looking blue in the distance. Theyheard the song of the priests, and saw the wild dance of the savage tothe sound of the drums and trumpets of bone; the pyramids of Egyptrising to the clouds; columns and sphinxes, overthrown and buried inthe sand, followed in their turn; while the northern lights flashedout over the extinguished volcanoes of the north, in fireworks nonecould imitate.
  The prince was delighted, and yet he saw hundreds of otherwonderful things more than can be described. "Can I stay hereforever?"