By the trellis of grape vines she met the gnome , who was so much embarrassed at the sight of her that she became aware of his confusion while he was still quite a long way off . ` You are trying to tease me , ' she cried , as soon as she saw him . ` Where have you hidden the basket ? I have been looking for it at least an hour . ' ` Dear queen of my heart , ' answered he , ' I pray you to forgive my carelessness . I promised more than I could perform . I have sought all over the land for the roots you desire ; but they are gathered in , and lie drying in musty cellars , and the fields are bare and desolate , for below in the valley winter reigns , only here in your presence spring is held fast , and wherever your foot is set the gay flowers bloom . Have patience for a little , and then without fail you shall have your puppets to play with . ' Almost before the gnome had finished , the disappointed princess turned away , and marched off to her own apartments , without deigning to answer him . The gnome , however , set off above ground as speedily as possible , and disguising himself as a farmer , bought an ass in the nearest market-town , and brought it back loaded with sacks of turnip , carrot , and radish seed . With this he sowed a great field , and sent a vast army of his goblins to watch and tend it , and to bring up the fiery rivers from the heart of the earth near enough to warm and encourage the sprouting seeds . Thus fostered they grew and flourished marvellously , and promised a goodly crop . The princess wandered about the field day by day , no other plants or fruits in all her wonderful garden pleased her as much as these roots ; but still her eyes were full of discontent . And , best of all , she loved to while away the hours in a shady fir-wood , seated upon the bank of a little stream , into which she would cast the flowers she had gathered and watch them float away . The gnome tried hard by every means in his power to please the princess and win her love , but little did he guess the real reason of his lack of success . He imagined that she was too young and inexperienced to care for him ; but that was a mistake , for the truth was that another image already filled her heart . The young Prince Ratibor , whose lands joined her father 's , had won the heart of the princess ; and the lovers had been looking forward to the coming of their wedding-day when the bride 's mysterious disappearance took place . The sad news drove Ratibor distracted , and as the days went on , and nothing could be heard of the princess , he forsook his castle and the society of men , and spent his days in the wild forests , roaming about and crying her name aloud to the trees and rocks . Meanwhile , the maiden , in her gorgeous prison , sighed in secret over her grief , not wishing to arouse the gnome 's suspicions . In her own mind she was wondering if by any means she might escape from her captivity , and at last she hit upon a plan .
By this time spring once more reigned in the valley , and the gnome sent the fires back to their places in the deeps of the earth , XXXXX the roots which they had kept warm through all the cruel winter hand now come to their full size .
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