then die." She had shown him in the garden plants of immortality, and a tree the leaves of which would, if applied to the temples, restore the sight.
When night came on, Gaitagileno waited for all in the house to be asleep, when he quietly stole into the garden. He had a magic whistle, with which, if he blew one way, everything would wake up; and if another way, all would go to sleep.
Having assured himself that all were asleep, he went into the hall where the pictures were, and, taking a knife, the first thing he did was to go before the face of the woman who had supplanted his mother, and said: "Infamous woman! you have been the cause of all my mother's sufferings." He then cut the picture, and at the same moment, in the palace, the king saw a knife pass before the woman's face, and she screamed aloud, 'An invisible hand has wounded me!" and at once expired.
He then went before each of the other pictures and put out the lights, and all the people died whom they represented.
He then went to the garden, gathered some leaves from the tree of immortality, and some from the plant to restore sight, blew his whistle, and at once all the fishes and birds and stones became disenchanted; and great was their joy to be in their natural condition once more.
They took Gaitagileno on their shoulders, strewing flowers as they went, and, accompanied by strains of sweetest music, proceeded to the king's palace singing, "Long live Gaitagileno!"
On entering the city, he found the whole population in deep mourning. Everywhere mourning emblems were displayed, which he ordered torn down, and red flags put up in their places.
The king was angry, and desired to know why he had presumed to do this. "Because," said Gaitagileno, "I am your son, and the old woman was an infamous wretch, and has made my mother's life a torment.
"Come with me at once and restore her to her rightful place as queen, and release her from that awful prison."
