between the sea realm and the earth there was no difference in the night of time , and the happy hunter found that three years went fleeting quickly by in this delightful land . the years pass swiftly when any one is truly happy . but though the wonders of that enchanted land seemed to be new every day , and though the sea king 's kindness seemed rather to increase than to grow less with time , the happy hunter grew more and more homesick as the days passed , and he could not repress a great anxiety to know what had happened to his home and his country and his brother while he had been away .
how long did the happy hunter stay ?
three years .
three years .