With this news the prince was satisfied , and begged his countryman to show him the way to the young queen 's palace . The man led him through several streets into a large square , one side of which was occupied by a splendid building that seemed borne up on slender pillars of soft green marble . In front was a flight of steps , and on these the queen was sitting wrapped in a veil of shining silver mist , listening to the complaints of her people and dealing out justice . When the prince came up she saw directly that he was no ordinary man , and telling her chamberlain to dismiss the rest of her petitioners for that day , she signed to the prince to follow her into the palace . Luckily she had been taught his language as a child , so they had no difficulty in talking together . The prince told all his story and how he was journeying in search of the Land of Immortality . When he had finished , the princess , who had listened attentively , rose , and taking his arm , led him to the door of another room , the floor of which was made entirely of needles , stuck so close together that there was not room for a single needle more . ` Prince , ' she said , turning to him , ` you see these needles ? Well , know that neither I nor any of my family can die till I have worn out these needles in sewing . It will take at least a thousand years for that . Stay here , and share my throne ; a thousand years is long enough to live ! ' ` Certainly , ' answered he ; ` still , at the end of the thousand years I should have to die ! No , I must find the land where there is no death . ' The queen did all she could to persuade him to stay , but as her words proved useless , at length she gave it up . Then she said to him : ` As you will not stay , take this little golden rod as a remembrance of me . It has the power to become anything you wish it to be , when you are in need . ' So the prince thanked her , and putting the rod in his pocket , went his way . Scarcely had he left the town behind him when he came to a broad river which no man might pass , for he was standing at the end of the world , and this was the river which flowed round it . Not knowing what to do next , he walked a little distance up the bank , and there , over his head , a beautiful city was floating in the air . He longed to get to it , but how ?
neither road nor bridge was anywhere to be seen , yet the city drew him upwards , and he felt that here XXXXX last was the country which he sought .
As In With at by into of on so to