No sooner did the Prince begin to grow out of boyhood than he longed to see if the other countries of the world were as splendid as the one in which he lived . So , under pretence of visiting some small islands that belonged to his father , he set out . But a frightful storm drove his ship on to unknown shores , where most of his followers were put to death by the savages , and the Prince himself only managed to escape by making use of his magic pebble . By this means he passed through the midst of them unseen , and wandered on till he reached the coast , where he re-embarked on board his ship . The first land he sighted was the Island of Roses , and he went at once to the court of the King , Rosalie 's father . The moment his eyes beheld the Princess , he fell in love with her like everyone else . He had already spent several months in this condition when the Prince of the Air whirled her away , to the grief and despair of every man on the island . But sad though everybody was , the Prince of the Golden Isle was perfectly inconsolable , and he passed both days and nights in bemoaning his loss . ` Alas ! ' he cried ; ` shall I never see my lovely Princess again ? ' Who knows where she may be , and what fairy may have her in his keeping ? I am only a man , but I am strong in my love , and I will seek the whole world through till I find her . ' So saying , he left the court , and made ready for his journey . He travelled many weary days without hearing a single word of the lost Princess , till one morning , as he was walking through a thick forest , he suddenly perceived a magnificent palace standing at the end of a pine avenue , and his heart bounded to think that he might be gazing on Rosalie 's prison . He hastened his steps , and quickly arrived at the gate of the palace , which was formed of a single agate . The gate swung open to let him through , and he next passed successively three courts , surrounded by deep ditches filled with running water , with birds of brilliant plumage flying about the banks . Everything around was rare and beautiful , but the Prince scarcely raised his eyes to all these wonders . He thought only of the Princess and where he should find her , but in vain he opened every door and searched in every corner ; he neither saw Rosalie nor anyone else . At last there was no place left for him to search but a little wood , which contained in the centre a sort of hall built entirely of orange-trees , with four small rooms opening out of the corners . Three of these were empty except for statues and wonderful things , but in the fourth the Invisible Prince caught sight of Rosalie .
His joy XXXXX beholding her again was , however , somewhat lessened by seeing that the Prince of the Air was kneeling at her feet , and pleading his own cause .
By as at for of though through till with without