Then he took the princess by both hands, and they danced
with all the little goblins and Jack-o'-lanterns in the room. The
red spiders sprang here and there on the walls quite as merrily,
and the flowers of fire appeared as if they were throwing out
sparks. The owl beat the drum, the crickets whistled and the
grasshoppers played the mouth-organ. It was a very ridiculous ball.
After they had danced enough, the princess was obliged to go home,
for fear she should be missed at the palace. The magician offered
to go with her, that they might be company to each other on the
way. Then they flew away through the bad weather, and the traveller
followed them, and broke his three rods across their shoulders. The
magician had never been out in such a hail-storm as this. Just by
the palace
