Page:The pink fairy book (IA pinkfairybooklan00lang).pdf/47

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URASCHIMATARO AND THE TURTLE
31

the gift of the princess. Perhaps after all this dreadful thing was not true. He might be the victim of some enchanter's spell, and in his hand lay the counter-charm. Almost unconsciously he opened it, and a purple vapour

black and white illustration of the now-old man looking with horror at his reflection in the brook as vapour swirls out of the box in his hand
URASCHIMATARO SEEKS HIS FACE IN THE BROOK

came pouring out. He held the empty box in his hand, and as he looked he saw that the fresh hand of youth had grown suddenly shrivelled, like the hand of an old, old man. He ran to the brook, which flowed in a clear stream down from the mountain, and saw himself