-LSB- Illustration : Page 91 -RSB- `` Well , '' said the prince at last , `` he could not live long anyway , and it must be done . He will feel nothing . '' Then he drew the sword of sharpness , and with one turn of his wrist cut the cat 's head clean off . It did not at once change into a beautiful young lady , as perhaps you expect ; no , that was improbable , and , as the prince was in love already , would have been vastly inconvenient . The dead cat lay there , like any common cat . Then the prince built up a heap of straw , with wood on it ; and there he laid poor puss , and set fire to the pile . Very soon there was nothing of old black Frank left but ashes ! Then the prince ran upstairs to the fairy cupboard , his heart beating loudly with excitement , The sun was shining through the arrow-shot window ; all the yellow motes were dancing in its rays . The light fell on the strange heaps of fairy things -- talismans and spells . The prince hunted about here and there , and at last he discovered six ancient water-vessels of black leather , each with a silver plate on it , and on the plate letters engraved . This was what was written on the plates : AQVA . DE . FONTE . LEONVM . * * Water from the Fountain of Lions . `` Thank heaven ! '' said the prince . `` I thought they were sure to have brought it ! '' Then he took one of the old black-leather bottles , and ran downstairs again to the place where he had burned the body of the poor old sick cat . -LSB- Illustration : Page 93 -RSB- He opened the bottle , and poured a few drops of the water on the ashes and the dying embers .
Up there sprang a tall , white flame of fire , waving XXXXX a tongue of light ; and forth from the heap jumped the most beautiful , strong , funny , black cat that ever was seen !
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