Here he dismounted , and bidding his horse go home , he pushed forward on foot . Having nothing to guide him as to where he was likely to find the entrance of the under-world , the king wandered hither and thither for a long while , till , one day , while he was resting under a tree , a voice spoke to him . ` Why do you give yourself so much trouble for nought , when you might know what you want to know for the asking ? Alone you will never discover the path that leads to your wife . ' Much startled , the king looked about him . He could see nothing , and somehow , when he thought about it , the voice seemed as if it were part of himself . Suddenly his eyes fell on the ring , and he understood . ` Fool that I was ! ' cried he ; ` and how much precious time have I wasted ? Dear ring , I beseech you , grant me a vision of my wife and my daughter ! ' And even as he spoke there flashed past him a huge lioness , followed by a lady and a beautiful young maid mounted on fairy horses . Almost fainting with joy he gazed after them , and then sank back trembling on the ground . ` Oh , lead me to them , lead me to them ! ' he exclaimed . And the ring , bidding him take courage , conducted him safely to the dismal place where his wife had lived for ten years . Now the Lion Fairy knew beforehand of his expected presence in her dominions , and she ordered a palace of crystal to be built in the middle of the lake of quicksilver ; and in order to make it more difficult of approach she let it float whither it would . Immediately after their return from the chase , where the king had seen them , she conveyed the queen and Muffette into the palace , and put them under the guard of the monsters of the lake , who one and all had fallen in love with the princess . They were horribly jealous , and ready to eat each other up for her sake , so they readily accepted the charge . Some stationed themselves round the floating palace , some sat by the door , while the smallest and lightest perched themselves on the roof . Of course the king was quite ignorant of these arrangements , and boldly entered the palace of the Lion Fairy , who was waiting for him , with her tail lashing furiously , for she still kept her lion 's shape .
With a roar that shook the walls she flung herself upon him ; but he was on the watch , and a blow from his sword cut off the paw she had XXXXX forth to strike him dead .
built fell knew lashing looked put seen stationed trembling waiting