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The success attending the publication of a new translation ofthe Fairy Tales of the Countess d'Aulnoy has justified thepublishers in believing that an equally faithful version of someof the most popular stories of her contemporaries and immediatesuccessors, similarly annotated, might meet with asfavourable a reception. I have therefore selected twenty-fourof the best Fairy Tales, according to my judgment, remainingin theCabinet des Fées, commencing with those of CharlesPerrault, the earliest, and terminating with some of MadameLeprince de Beaumont, the latest French writer of Europeancelebrity in that particular class of literature. Independentlyof the fact that, with the exception of those of Madame deBeaumont, few if any in the present volume have ever beenplaced in their integrity before the English reader, I trustthat the chronological order I have observed in their arrangementwill give them a novel interest in the eyes of those"children of a larger growth," who are not ashamed to confess,with La Fontaine—

The reader will by this arrangement observe, in a clearerway than probably he has yet had an opportunity of doing,the rise, progress, and decline of the genuine Fairy Tale—sothoroughly French in its origin, so specially connected withthe age of that "Grand Monarque" whose reign presentsus, in the graphic pages of St. Simon and Dangeau, withinnumerable pictures of manners and customs, dresses andentertainments, the singularity, magnificence, profusion, andextent of which scarcely require the fancy of a d'Aulnoy torender fabulous. In my introduction to the tales of that"lively and ingenious lady," I have already shown the progressof the popularity of this class of composition; but inthe present volume it will be seen how, in the course of littlemore than half a century, the Fairy Tale, from a fresh,sparkling, simple yet arch version of a legend as old as themonuments of that Celtic race by whom they were introducedinto Gaul, became first elaborated into a novel, comprisingan ingenious plot, with an amusing exaggeration of themanners of the period; next, inflated into a preposterous andpurposeless caricature of its own peculiarities; and finally,denuded of its sportive fancy, its latent humour, and itsgorgeous extravagance, subsided into the dull common-placemoral story, which, taking less hold of the youthful imagination,was, however laudable in its intention, a very ineffectivesubstitute for the merry monitors it vainly endeavoured tosupersede. Too much like a lesson for the child, it wastoo childish for the man. The Fairies were dismissed inconsequence of the incapacity of the writers to employthem; but they were not to be annihilated. They still live[Pg xii]in their own land, to laugh at those mortals who will notlaugh with them and learn while they laugh. Modern artmay vainly invoke them to perform fresh marvels, but enoughpower still exists in their old spells to enchant youth, amusemanhood, and resuscitate age; and, despite the hypercriticand the purist, they will continue to exercise their magicinfluence over the human mind so long as it is capable ofappreciating wit, fancy, and good feeling. As MademoiselleLheritier wrote two hundred years ago—

CHARLES PERRAULT.

BLUE BEARD.

Once on a time there was a man who had fine town andcountry houses, gold and silver plate, embroidered furniture,and coaches gilt all over; but unfortunately, this man had ablue beard, which made him look so ugly and terrible, thatthere was not a woman or girl who did not run away fromhim. One of his neighbours, a lady of quality, had twodaughters, who were perfectly beautiful. He proposed tomarry one of them, leaving her to choose which of the twoshe would give him. Neither of them would have him; andthey sent him from one to the other, not being able to makeup their minds to marry a man who had a blue beard. Whatincreased their distaste to him was, that he had had severalwives already, and nobody knew what had become of them.

Blue Beard, in order to cultivate their acquaintance, tookthem, with their mother, three or four of their most intimatefriends, and some young persons who resided in the neighbourhood,to one of his country seats, where they passed anentire week. Nothing was thought of but excursions, huntingand fishing, parties, balls, entertainments, collations;nobody went to bed; the whole night was spent in merrygames and gambols. In short, all went off so well, that theyoungest daughter began to find out that the beard of themaster of the house was not as blue as it used to be, and thathe was a very worthy man. Immediately upon their returnto town the marriage took place. At the end of a monthBlue Beard told his wife that he was obliged to take ajourney, which would occupy six weeks at least, on a matterof great consequence; that he entreated she would amuseherself as much as she could during his absence; that she[Pg 4]would invite her best friends, take them into the countrywith her if she pleased, and keep an excellent table everywhere.

"Here," said he to her, "are the keys of my two greatstore-rooms; these are those of the chests in which the goldand silver plate is kept, that is only used on particular occasions;these are the keys of the strong boxes in which I keepmy money; these open the caskets that contain my jewels;and this is the pass-key of all the apartments. As for thislittle key, it is that of the closet at the end of the long gallery,on the ground floor. Open everything, and go everywhereexcept into that little closet, which I forbid you toenter, and I forbid you so strictly, that if you should ventureto open the door, there is nothing that you may not have todread from my anger!" She promised to observe implicitlyall his directions, and after he had embraced her, he got intohis coach and set out on his journey.

The neighbours and friends of the young bride did notwait for her invitation, so eager were they to see all thetreasures contained in the mansion, not having venturedto enter it while the husband was at home, so terrifiedwere they at his blue beard. Behold them immediatelyrunning through all the rooms, closets, and wardrobes, eachapartment exceeding the other in beauty and richness. Theyascended afterwards to the store-rooms, where they couldnot sufficiently admire the number and elegance of thetapestries, the beds, the sofas, the cabinets, the stands,[1]the tables, and the mirrors in which they could see themselvesfrom head to foot, and that had frames some of glass,[2]some of silver, and some of gilt metal, more beautiful andmagnificent than had ever been seen. They never ceasedenlarging upon and envying the good fortune of their friend,who in the meanwhile was not in the least entertained by thesight of all these treasures, in consequence of her impatience toopen the closet on the ground floor.

Her curiosity increasedto such a degree that, without reflecting how rude it was toleave her company, she ran down a back staircase in such hastethat twice or thrice she narrowly escaped breaking her neck.Arrived at the door of the closet, she paused for a moment,bethinking herself of her husband's prohibition, and thatsome misfortune might befall her for her disobedience; butthe temptation was so strong that she could not conquer it.She therefore took the little key and opened, tremblingly, thedoor of the closet. At first she could discern nothing, thewindows being closed; after a short time she began to perceivethat the floor was all covered with clotted blood, in whichwere reflected the dead bodies of several females suspendedagainst the walls. These were all the wives of Blue Beard,who had cut their throats one after the other. She was readyto die with fright, and the key of the closet, which she hadwithdrawn from the lock, fell from her hand. After recoveringher senses a little, she picked up the key, locked the dooragain, and went up to her chamber to compose herself; butshe could not succeed, so greatly was she agitated. Havingobserved that the key of the closet was stained with blood,she wiped it two or three times, but the blood would notcome off. In vain she washed it, and even scrubbed it withsand and free-stone, the blood was still there, for the key wasenchanted, and there were no means of cleaning it completely:when the blood was washed off one side, it came back on theother.

Blue Beard returned that very evening, and said that hehad received letters on the road informing him that thebusiness on which he was going had been settled to his advantage.His wife did all she could to persuade him that shewas delighted at his speedy return. The next morning heasked her for his keys again; she gave them to him; but herhand trembled so, that he had not much difficulty in guessingwhat had occurred. "How comes it," said he, "that thekey of the closet is not with the others?" "I must have leftit," she replied, "upstairs on my table." "Fail not," saidBlue Beard, "to give it me presently." After several excuses,she was compelled to produce the key. Blue Beard havingexamined it, said to his wife, "Why is there some blood onthis key?" "I don't know," answered the poor wife, palerthan death. "You don't know?" rejoined Blue Beard. "I[Pg 6]know well enough. You must needs enter the closet. Well,madam, you shall enter it, and go take your place amongstthe ladies you saw there." She flung herself at her husband'sfeet, weeping and begging his pardon, with all the signs oftrue repentance for having disobeyed him. Her beauty andaffliction might have melted a rock, but Blue Beard had aheart harder than a rock. "You must die, madam," said he,"and immediately." "If I must die," she replied, lookingat him with streaming eyes, "give me a little time to say myprayers." "I give you half a quarter of an hour," answeredBlue Beard, "but not a minute more." As soon as he had lefther, she called her sister, and said to her, "Sister Anne" (forso she was named), "go up, I pray thee, to the top of the tower,and see if my brothers are not coming. They have promisedme that they would come to see me to-day; and if you seethem, sign to them to make haste." Sister Anne mounted tothe top of the tower, and the poor distressed creature calledto her every now and then, "Anne! sister Anne! dost thounot see anything coming?" And sister Anne answered her,"I see nothing but the sun making dust, and the grass growinggreen."

In the meanwhile Blue Beard, with a great cutlass inhis hand, called out with all his might to his wife, "Comedown quickly, or I will come up there." "One minute more,if you please," replied his wife; and immediately repeated ina low voice, "Anne! sister Anne! dost thou not see anythingcoming?" And sister Anne replied, "I see nothing but thesun making dust, and the grass growing green." "Come downquickly," roared Blue Beard, "or I will come up there." "Icome," answered his wife, and then exclaimed, "Anne! sisterAnne! dost thou not see anything coming?" "I see," saidsister Anne, "a great cloud of dust moving this way." "Isit my brothers?" "Alas! no, sister, I see a flock of sheep.""Wilt thou not come down?" shouted Blue Beard. "Oneminute more," replied his wife, and then she cried, "Anne!sister Anne! dost thou not see anything coming?" "Isee," she replied, "two horsemen coming this way; but theyare still at a great distance." "Heaven be praised!" sheexclaimed, a moment afterwards. "They are my brothers! Iam making all the signs I can to hasten them." Blue Beardbegan to roar so loudly that the whole house shook again.[Pg 7]The poor wife descended, and went and threw herself, withstreaming eyes and dishevelled tresses, at his feet.

"It is of no use," said Blue Beard. "You must die!"Then seizing her by the hair with one hand, and raising hiscutlass with the other, he was about to cut off her head. Thepoor wife turned towards him, and fixing upon him her dyingeyes, implored him to allow her one short moment to collectherself. "No, no," said he; "recommend thyself heartily toHeaven." And lifting his arm—— At this moment therewas so loud a knocking at the gate, that Blue Beard stoppedshort. It was opened, and two horsemen were immediatelyseen to enter, who, drawing their swords, ran straight atBlue Beard. He recognised them as the brothers of his wife—onea dragoon, the other a musqueteer, and, consequently,fled immediately, in hope to escape; but they pursued him soclosely, that they overtook him before he could reach thestep of his door, and, passing their swords through his body,left him dead on the spot. The poor wife was almost as deadas her husband, and had not strength to rise and embrace herbrothers. It was found that Blue Beard had no heirs, and sohis widow remained possessed of all his property. She employedpart of it in marrying her sister Anne to a younggentleman who had long loved her; another part, in buyingcaptains' commissions for her two brothers, and with the restshe married herself to a very worthy man, who made herforget the miserable time she had passed with Blue Beard.

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOOD.

Once upon a time there was a King and a Queen, who wereso vexed at not having any children—so vexed, that onecannot express it. They visited all the baths in the world.Vows, pilgrimages, everything was tried, and nothing succeeded.At length, however, the Queen was brought to bedof a daughter. There was a splendid christening. For godmothersthey gave the young Princess all the Fairies theycould find in the country (they found seven), in order thateach making her a gift, according to the custom of Fairies inthose days, the Princess would, by these means, become possessedof all imaginable perfections. After the baptismalceremonies all the company returned to the King's palace,where a great banquet was set out for the Fairies. Coverswere laid for each, consisting of a magnificent plate, with amassive gold case, containing a spoon, a fork, and a knife offine gold, enriched with diamonds and rubies. But as theywere all taking their places at the table, there was seen toenter an old Fairy, who had not been invited, because forupwards of fifty years she had never quitted the tower sheresided in, and it was supposed she was either dead orenchanted.

The King ordered a cover to be laid for her; but there wasno possibility of giving her a massive gold case such as theothers had, because there had been only seven made expresslyfor the seven Fairies. The old lady thought she was treatedwith contempt, and muttered some threats between her teeth.One of the young Fairies, who chanced to be near her, overheardher, and imagining she might cast some misfortune on[Pg 9]the little Princess, went, as soon as they rose from table,and hid herself behind the hangings, in order to have thelast word, and be able to repair, as fast as possible, anymischief the old woman might do. In the meanwhile, theFairies began to endow the Princess. The youngest, as hergift, decreed that she should be the most beautiful person inthe world; the next Fairy, that she should have the mind ofan angel; the third, that she should evince the most admirablegrace in all she did; the fourth, that she should danceto perfection; the fifth, that she should sing like a nightingale;and the sixth, that she should play on every instrumentin the most exquisite manner possible. The turn of the oldFairy having arrived, she declared, while her head shookmore with malice than with age, that the Princess shouldpierce her hand with a spindle, and die of the wound. Thisterrible fate made all the company tremble, and there wasnot one of them who could refrain from tears. At thismoment the young Fairy issued from behind the tapestry, anduttered aloud these words: "Comfort yourselves, King andQueen—your daughter shall not die of it. It is true that Ihave not sufficient power to undo entirely what my elder hasdone. The Princess will pierce her hand with a spindle; but,instead of dying, she will only fall into a deep slumber, whichwill last one hundred years, at the end of which a King's sonwill come to wake her."

The King, in hope of avoiding the misfortune predictedby the old Fairy, immediately caused an edict to be published,by which he forbade any one to spin with a spindle,or to have spindles in their possession, under pain of death.

At the end of fifteen or sixteen years, the King and Queen,being absent at one of their country residences, it happenedthat the Princess, while running one day about the castle,and from one chamber up to another, arrived at the top of atower, and entered a little garret, where an honest old womanwas sitting by herself, spinning with her distaff and spindle.This good woman had never heard of the King's prohibitionwith respect to spinning with a spindle. "What are you doingthere?" asked the Princess. "I am spinning, my fair child,"answered the old woman, who did not know her. "Oh, howpretty it is!" rejoined the Princess. "How do you do it?Give it to me, that I may see if I can do it as well." She[Pg 10]had no sooner taken hold of the spindle, than, being veryhasty, a little thoughtless, and, moreover, the sentence of theFairies so ordaining it, she pierced her hand with the pointof it, and fainted away. The good old woman, greatlyembarrassed, called for help. People came from all quarters;they threw water in the Princess's face; they unlaced herstays; they slapped her hands; they rubbed her temples withQueen of Hungary's water,[3] but nothing could bring herto. The King, who had run upstairs at the noise, then rememberedthe prediction of the Fairies, and, wisely concludingthat this must have occurred as the Fairies said itwould, had the Princess conveyed into the finest apartmentin the palace, and placed on a bed of gold and silver embroidery.One would have said she was an angel, so lovelydid she appear—for her swoon had not deprived her of herrich complexion: her cheeks preserved their crimson, andher lips were like coral. Her eyes were closed, but theycould hear her breathe softly, which showed that she wasnot dead. The King commanded them to let her repose inpeace until the hour arrived for her waking. The good Fairywho had saved her life, by decreeing that she should sleep foran hundred years, was in the Kingdom of Mataquin, twelvethousand leagues off, when the Princess met with her accident;but she was informed of it instantly by a little dwarf, whohad a pair of seven-league boots (that is, boots which enabledthe wearer to take seven leagues at a stride [4]). The Fairyset out immediately and an hour afterwards they saw herarrive in a fiery chariot, drawn by dragons. The Kingadvanced, to hand her out of the chariot. She approved ofall he had done; but, as she had great foresight, she consideredthat, when the Princess awoke, she would feel considerablyembarrassed at finding herself all alone in that oldcastle; so this is what the Fairy did. She touched with herwand everybody that was in the castle (except the King andQueen): governesses, maids of honour, women of the bed-chamber,gentlemen, officers, stewards, cooks, scullions, boys,guards, porters, pages, footmen; she touched also the horsesthat were in the stables, with their grooms, the great mastiffsin the court-yard, and little Pouste, the tiny dog of thePrincess, that was on the bed, beside her. As soon as shehad touched them, they all fell asleep, not to wake againuntil the time arrived for their mistress to do so, in orderthat they might be all ready to attend upon her when sheshould want them. Even the spits that had been put downto the fire, laden with partridges and pheasants, went to sleep,and the fire itself also.

All this was done in a moment; the fairies never lostmuch time over their work. After which, the King andQueen, having kissed their dear daughter without wakingher, quitted the Castle, and issued a proclamation forbiddingany person, whosoever, to approach it. These orders wereunnecessary, for in a quarter of an hour there grew up aroundthe Park so great a quantity of trees, large and small, ofbrambles and thorns, interlacing each other, that neither mannor beast could get through them, so that nothing more wasto be seen than the tops of the Castle turrets, and they onlyat a considerable distance. Nobody doubted but that was alsosome of the Fairy's handiwork, in order that the Princessmight have nothing to fear from the curiosity of strangersduring her slumber.

At the expiration of an hundred years, the son of the Kingat that time upon the throne, and who was of a differentfamily to that of the sleeping Princess, having been huntingin that neighbourhood, inquired what towers they were thathe saw above the trees of a very thick wood. Each personanswered him according to the story he had heard. Somesaid that it was an old castle, haunted by ghosts. Others,that all the witches of those parts held their Sabbath in it.The more general opinion was, that it was the abode of anogre; and that he carried thither all the children he couldcatch, in order to eat them at his leisure, and without beingpursued, having alone the power of making his way throughthe wood. The Prince did not know what to believe about it,when an old peasant spoke in his turn, and said to him,"Prince, it is more than fifty years ago since I heard myfather say that there was in that Castle the most beautiful[Pg 12]Princess that was ever seen. That she was to sleep for ahundred years, and would be awakened by a King's son forwhom she was reserved." The young Prince, at these words,felt himself all on fire. He believed, without hesitation, thathe was destined to accomplish this famous adventure; and,impelled by love and glory, resolved to see what would comeof it, upon the spot. Scarcely had he approached the wood,when all those great trees, all those brambles and thorns madeway for him to pass of their own accord. He walked towardsthe Castle, which he saw at the end of a long avenue he hadentered, and what rather surprised him was, that he foundnone of his people had been able to follow him, the treeshaving closed up again as soon as he had passed. He continued,nevertheless, to advance; a young and amorous princeis always courageous. He entered a large fore-court, whereeverything he saw was calculated to freeze his blood withterror. A frightful silence reigned around. Death seemedeverywhere present. Nothing was to be seen but the bodiesof men and animals stretched out apparently lifeless. Hesoon discovered, however, by the shining noses and redfaces of the porters, that they were only asleep; and theirgoblets, in which still remained a few drops of wine, sufficientlyproved that they had dosed off whilst drinking. Hepassed through a large court-yard paved with marble; heascended the staircase. He entered the guard-room, wherethe guards stood drawn up in line, their carbines shouldered,and snoring their loudest. He traversed several apartments,with ladies and gentlemen all asleep; some standing, othersseated. He entered a chamber covered with gold, and sawon a bed, the curtains of which were open on each side, themost lovely sight he had ever looked upon—a Princess, whoseemed to be about fifteen or sixteen, the lustre of whosecharms gave her an appearance that was luminous and supernatural.He approached, trembling and admiring, and kneltdown beside her. At that moment, the enchantment beingended, the Princess awoke, and gazing upon the Prince withmore tenderness than a first sight of him seemed to authorize,"Is it you, Prince?" said she; "you have been long awaited."The Prince, delighted at these words, and still more by thetone in which they were uttered, knew not how to expressto her his joy and gratitude.

He assured her he loved herbetter than himself. His language was not very coherent,but it pleased the more. There was little eloquence, but agreat deal of love. He was much more embarrassed than shewas, and one ought not to be astonished at that. The Princesshad had time enough to consider what she should say to him,for there is reason to believe (though history makes no mentionof it) that, during her long nap, the good Fairy hadprocured her the pleasure of very agreeable dreams. In short,they talked for four hours without having said half what theyhad to say to each other.

In the meanwhile, all the Palace had been roused at thesame time as the Princess. Everybody remembered theirduty, and, as they were not all in love, they were dying withhunger. The lady-in-waiting, as hungry as any of them,became impatient, and announced loudly to the Princess thatthe meat was on the table. The Prince assisted the Princessto rise; she was full dressed, and most magnificently, but hetook good care not to hint to her that she was attired likehis grandmother, and wore a stand-up collar.[5] She looked,however, not a morsel the less lovely in it. They passed intoa hall of mirrors, in which they supped, attended by theofficers of the Princess. The violins and hautbois played oldbut excellent pieces of music, notwithstanding it was ahundred years since they had been performed by anybody; andafter supper, to lose no time, the grand Almoner married theroyal lovers in the chapel of the Castle.

Early next morning the Prince returned to the city, wherehis father was in great anxiety about him. The Princetold him that he had lost himself in the forest whilsthunting, and that he had slept in a woodcutter's hut, whohad given him some black bread and cheese for his supper.The King, his father, who was a simple man, believed him,but his mother was not so easily satisfied; and observing thathe went hunting nearly every day, and had always some storyready as an excuse, when he had slept two or three nightsaway from home, she no longer doubted but that he had somemistress, for he lived with the Princess for upwards of twoyears, and had two children by her; the first, which was agirl, was named Aurora, and the second, a son, was calledDay, because he was still more beautiful than his sister.

The Queen often said to her son, in order to draw fromhim some avowal, that he ought to form some attachment;but he never ventured to trust her with his secret.He feared her, although he loved her, for she was of the race ofOgres, and the King had married her only on account of hergreat wealth. It was even whispered about the Court thatshe had the inclinations of an Ogress, and that when she sawlittle children passing, she had the greatest difficulty in restrainingherself from pouncing upon them. The Prince, therefore,would never say one word about his adventure. On thedeath of the King, however, which happened two yearsafterwards, the Prince being his own master, he made a publicdeclaration of his marriage, and went in great state to bringthe Queen, his wife, to the palace. She made a magnificententry into the capital with her two children, one on eachside of her. Some time afterwards, the King went to warwith his neighbour, the Emperor Cantalabute. He left theregency of the kingdom to the Queen, his mother, earnestlyrecommending to her care his wife and his children. He waslikely to be all the summer in the field, and as soon as he wasgone, the Queen-mother sent her daughter-in-law and thechildren to a country house in the wood, that she mightmore easily gratify her horrible longing. She followed themthither a few days after, and said one evening to her Maîtred'Hôtel, "I will eat little Aurora for dinner to-morrow.""Ah, Madam!" exclaimed the Maître d'Hôtel. "I will,"said the Queen (and she said it in the tone of an Ogresslonging to eat fresh meat), "and I will have her served upwithsauce Robert."[6] The poor man seeing plainly an Ogresswas not to be trifled with, took his great knife and went upto little Aurora's room. She was then about four years old,and came jumping and laughing to throw her arms about hisneck, and ask him for sweetmeats. He burst into tears, theknife fell from his hands, and he went down again into thekitchen court and killed a little lamb, and served it up withso delicious a sauce, that his mistress assured him she hadnever eaten anything so excellent. In the meanwhile, he hadcarried off little Aurora, and given her to his wife, to concealher in the lodging which she occupied at the further end ofthe kitchen court.

A week afterwards, the wicked Queen said to her Maîtred'Hôtel, "I will eat little Day for supper." He made noreply, being determined to deceive her as before. He wentin search of little Day, and found him with a tiny foil in hishand, fencing with a great monkey, though he was only threeyears old. He carried him to his wife, who hid him whereshe had hidden his sister, and then cooked a very tenderlittle kid in the place of little Day, and which the Ogressthought wonderfully good. All went well enough so far, butone evening this wicked Queen said to the Maître d'Hôtel,"I would eat the Queen with the same sauce that I had withher children." Then, indeed, did the poor Maître d'Hôteldespair of being again able to deceive her. The young Queenwas turned of twenty, without counting the hundred yearsshe had slept; her skin was a little tough, though it waswhite and beautiful, and where was he to find in the menageriean animal that would pass for her.

He resolved that, to save his own life, he would cut theQueen's throat, and went up to her apartment with the determinationto execute his purpose at once. He worked himselfup into a passion, and entered the young Queen's chamberponiard in hand. He would not, however, take her bysurprise, but repeated, very respectfully, the order he hadreceived from the Queen-mother. "Do it! do it!" said she,stretching out her neck to him. "Obey the order that hasbeen given to you. I shall again behold my children, mypoor children, that I loved so dearly." She had imaginedthem to be dead ever since they had been carried off withoutexplanation. "No, no, Madam!" replied the poor Maîtred'Hôtel, touched to the quick, "you shall not die, and youshall see your children again, but it shall be in my own house,where I have hidden them; and I will again deceive theQueen-mother by serving up to her a young hind in yourstead." He led her forthwith to his own apartments, whereleaving her to embrace her children and weep with them, hewent and cooked a hind, of which the Queen ate at hersupper, with as much appetite as if it had been the young[Pg 16]Queen. She exulted in her cruelty, and intended to tell theKing, on his return, that some ferocious wolves had devouredthe Queen his wife, and her two children.

One evening that she was prowling, as usual, round thecourts and poultry yards of the Castle, to inhale the smell ofraw flesh, she overheard little Day crying in a lower room,because the Queen, his mother, was about to whip him forhaving been naughty, and she also heard little Aurora beggingforgiveness for her brother. The Ogress recognised the voicesof the Queen and her children, and, furious at having beencheated, she gave orders, in a tone that made everybodytremble, that the next morning early there should be broughtinto the middle of the court a large copper, which she hadfilled with toads, vipers, adders, and serpents, in order to flinginto it the Queen, her children, the Maître d'Hôtel, his wife,and his maid servant. She had commanded that they shouldbe brought thither with hands tied behind them. Therethey stood, and the executioners were preparing to fling theminto the copper, when the King, who was not expected soearly, entered the court-yard on horseback. He had riddenpost, and in great astonishment inquired what was the meaningof that horrible spectacle? Nobody dared to tell him,when the Ogress, enraged at the sight of the King's return,flung herself head foremost into the copper, and was devouredin an instant by the horrid reptiles she had caused it to befilled with. The King could not help being sorry for it;she was his mother, but he speedily consoled himself in thesociety of his beautiful wife and children.

MASTER CAT;
OR,
PUSS IN BOOTS.

A Miller bequeathed to his three sons all his worldly goods,which consisted only of his mill, his ass, and his cat. Thedivision was speedily made. Neither notary nor attorneywere called in; they would soon have eaten up all the littlepatrimony. The eldest had the mill; the second son, theass; and the youngest had nothing but the cat. The latterwas disconsolate at inheriting so poor a portion. "Mybrothers," said he, "may earn an honest livelihood by enteringinto partnership; but, as for me, when I have eaten my Cat,and made a muff of his skin, I must die of hunger." TheCat, who had heard this speech, but without appearing to doso, said to him, with a sedate and serious air, "Do notafflict yourself, master; you have only to give me a bag andget a pair of boots made for me, to go amongst the bushesin, and you will see that you are not so badly left as youbelieve." Though the Cat's master did not place much confidencein this assertion, he had seen him play such cunningtricks in catching rats and mice, when he would hang himselfup by the heels, or lie in the flour as if he were dead, that hewas not altogether hopeless of being assisted by him in hisdistress.

As soon as the Cat had what he asked for, he pulledon his boots boldly, and hanging the bag round his neck,he took the strings of it in his fore paws, and went into awarren where there were a great number of rabbits. He putsome bran and some sow-thistles in his bag, and stretchinghimself out as if he were dead, he waited till some young[Pg 18]rabbit, little versed in the wiles of the world, should come andensconce himself in the bag, in order to eat what he had putinto it. He had hardly laid down before he was gratified.A young scatterbrain of a rabbit entered the bag, andMaster Cat instantly pulling the strings, caught it and killedit without mercy. Proud of his prey, he went to the King'sPalace, and demanded an audience. He was ushered up tohis Majesty's apartment, into which having entered, he madea low bow to the King, and said to him, "Sire, here is a wildrabbit, which my Lord the Marquis de Carabas (such wasthe name he took a fancy to give to his master) has orderedme to present, with his duty, to your Majesty." "Tell yourmaster," replied the King, "that I thank him, and that hehas given me great pleasure." Another day he went and hidhimself in the wheat, holding the mouth of his bag open, asusual, and as soon as a brace of partridges entered it, hepulled the strings, and took them both. He went immediatelyand presented them to the King, in the same waythat he had the wild rabbit. The King received with equalgratification the brace of partridges, and gave him somethingto drink his health. The Cat continued in this mannerduring two or three months to carry to the King, every nowand then, presents of game from his master. One day whenhe knew the King was going to drive on the banks of theriver, with his daughter, the most beautiful Princess in theworld, he said to his master, "If you will follow my advice,your fortune is made; you have only to go and bathe in apart of the river I will point out to you, and leave the rest tome." The Marquis de Carabas did as his cat advised him,without knowing what good would come of it. While hewas bathing, the King passed by, and the Cat began to shoutwith all his might, "Help! help! My Lord the Marquis deCarabas is drowning!" At this cry, the King looked out ofthe coach window, and recognising the cat who had so oftenbrought game to him, ordered his guards to fly to the help ofmy Lord the Marquis de Carabas. Whilst they were gettingthe poor Marquis out of the river, the Cat approaching theroyal coach, told the King that during the time his masterwas bathing, some robbers had come and carried off hisclothes, although he had called "Thieves!" as loud as hecould. The rogue had hidden them himself under a great[Pg 19]stone. The King immediately ordered the officers of hiswardrobe to go and fetch one of his handsomest suits formy Lord the Marquis de Carabas. The King embraced him athousand times, and as the fine clothes they dressed him inset off his good looks (for he was handsome and well made),the King's daughter found him much to her taste; and theMarquis de Carabas had no sooner cast upon her two or threerespectful and rather tender glances, than she fell desperatelyin love with him. The King insisted upon his getting intothe coach, and accompanying them in their drive. The Cat,enchanted to see that his scheme began to succeed, ran onbefore, and having met with some peasants who were mowinga meadow, said to them, "You, good people, who are mowinghere, if you do not tell the King that the meadow you aremowing belongs to my Lord the Marquis de Carabas, youshall be all cut into pieces as small as minced meat!" TheKing failed not to ask the mowers whose meadow it wasthey were mowing? "It belongs to my Lord the Marquisde Carabas," said they altogether, for the Cat's threat hadfrightened them. "You perceive, Sire," rejoined the Marquis,"it is a meadow which yields an abundant crop every year."Master Cat, who kept in advance of the party, came upto some reapers, and said to them, "You, good people, whoare reaping, if you do not say that all this corn belongs tomy Lord the Marquis de Carabas, you shall be all cut intopieces as small as minced meat!" The King, who passed bya minute afterwards, wished to know to whom all those cornfieldsbelonged that he saw there. "To my Lord the Marquisde Carabas," repeated the reapers, and the King again wishedthe Marquis joy of his property. The Cat, who ran beforethe coach, uttered the same threat to all he met with, andthe King was astonished at the great wealth of my Lordthe Marquis de Carabas. Master Cat at length arrivedat a fine Château, the owner of which was an Ogre, therichest that was ever known, for all the lands through whichthe King had driven were held of the Lord of this Château.The Cat took care to inquire who the Ogre was, and what hewas able to do; and then requested to speak with him,saying that he would not pass so near his Château withoutdoing himself the honour of paying his respects to him. TheOgre received him as civilly as an Ogre could, and made him[Pg 20]sit down. "They assure me," said the Cat, "that you possessthe power of changing yourself into all sorts of animals; thatyou could, for instance, transform yourself into a lion, or anelephant." "'Tis true," said the Ogre, brusquely, "and toprove it to you, you shall see me become a lion." The Catwas so frightened at seeing a lion before him, that he immediatelyscampered up into the gutter, not without troubleand danger, on account of his boots, which were not fit towalk on the tiles with. A short time afterwards, the Cathaving perceived that the Ogre had resumed his previousform, descended, and admitted that he had been terriblyfrightened. "They assure me, besides," said the Cat, "butI cannot believe it, that you have also the power to assumethe form of the smallest animal; for instance, to change yourselfinto a rat or a mouse. I confess to you I hold that tobe utterly impossible." "Impossible!" replied the Ogre;"you shall see!" and immediately changed himself into amouse, which began to run about the floor. The Cat nosooner caught sight of it than he pounced upon and devouredit. In the meanwhile, the King, who saw from the road thefine Château of the Ogre, desired to enter it. The Cat, whoheard the noise of the coach rolling over the drawbridge, ranto meet it, and said to the King, "Your Majesty is welcometo the Château of my Lord the Marquis de Carabas." "How,my Lord Marquis," exclaimed the King, "this Château alsobelongs to you? Nothing can be finer than this court-yard,and all these buildings that surround it. Let us see theinside of it, if you please." The Marquis handed out theyoung Princess, and following the King, who led the way upstairs,entered a grand hall, where they found a magnificentcollation, which the Ogre had ordered to be prepared forsome friends who were to have visited him that very day,but who did not presume to enter when they found the Kingwas there. The King, as much enchanted by the accomplishmentsof my Lord the Marquis de Carabas as his daughter,who doted upon him, and seeing the great wealth he possessed,said to him, after having drunk five or six bumpers, "Itdepends entirely on yourself, my Lord Marquis, whether ornot you become my son-in-law." The Marquis, making severalprofound bows, accepted the honour the King offered him;and on the same day was united to the Princess. The Cat[Pg 21]became a great lord, and never again ran after mice, exceptfor his amusement.

CINDERELLA;
OR,
THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER.

Once on a time there was a gentleman who took for asecond wife the haughtiest and proudest woman that hadever been seen. She had two daughters of the same temper,and who resembled her in everything. The husband, on hisside, had a daughter, but whose gentleness and goodness werewithout parallel. She inherited them from her mother, whowas the best creature in the world. The wedding was hardlyover before the stepmother's ill-humour broke out. Shecould not abide the young girl, whose good qualities made herown daughters appear more detestable. She employed herin all the meanest work of the house. It was she who cleanedthe plate, and the stairs, who scrubbed Madame's chamber,and those of Mesdemoiselles, her daughters. She slept at thetop of the house, in a loft, on a wretched straw mattress,while her sisters occupied rooms, beautifully floored, in whichwere the most fashionable beds, and mirrors wherein theycould see themselves from head to foot. The poor girlbore everything with patience, and did not dare complain toher father, who would only have scolded her, as his wifegoverned him entirely. When she had done her work, shewent and placed herself in the chimney-corner, and sat downamongst the cinders, which caused her to be called by thehousehold in general Cindertail. The second daughter, however,who was not so rude as her elder sister, called herCinderella. Notwithstanding, Cinderella, in her shabbyclothes, looked a thousand times handsomer than her sisters,however magnificently attired.

It happened that the King's son gave a ball, and invitedto it all persons of quality. Our two young ladies wereincluded in the invitation, for they cut a great figure in theneighbourhood. Behold them in great delight, and very busychoosing the most becoming gowns and head-dresses. A newmortification for Cinderella, for it was she who ironed hersisters' linen, and set their ruffles. Nothing was talked ofbut the style in which they were to be dressed. "I," saidthe eldest, "will wear my red velvet dress and my Englishpoint-lace trimmings." "I," said the youngest, "shall onlywear my usual petticoat; but to make up for that, I shall puton my gold-flowered mantua, and my necklace of diamonds,which are none of the poorest." They sent for a good millinerto make up their double-frilled caps, and bought their patchesof the best maker. They called Cinderella to give them heropinion, for she had excellent taste. Cinderella gave themthe best advice in the world, and even offered to dress theirheads for them, which they were very willing she should do;and whilst she was about it, they said to her, "Cinderella,shouldst thou like to go to the ball?" "Alas! Mesdemoiselles,you make game of me; that would not befit me at all.""Thou art right, they would laugh immensely to see aCindertail at a ball!" Any other but Cinderella would havedressed their heads awry, but she was good natured, anddressed them to perfection. They could eat nothing fornearly two days, so transported were they with joy. Morethan a dozen laces were broken in making their waists assmall as possible, and they were always before their looking-glasses.At last the happy day arrived. They set off, andCinderella followed them with her eyes as long as she could.When they were out of sight, she began to cry. Her godmother,who saw her all in tears, inquired what ailed her."I should so like—I should so like—" she sobbed so muchthat she could not finish the sentence. "Thou wouldst solike to go to the ball—Is not that it?" "Alas! yes," saidCinderella, sighing. "Well, if thou wilt be a good girl, Iwill take care thou shalt go." She led her into her chamber,and said to her, "Go into the garden and bring me a pumpkin."Cinderella went immediately, gathered the finest shecould find, and brought it to her godmother, unable to guesshow the pumpkin could enable her to go to the ball. Her[Pg 24]godmother scooped it out; and, having left nothing but therind, struck it with her wand, and the pumpkin was immediatelychanged into a beautiful coach gilt all over. Shethen went and looked into the mouse-trap, where she foundsix mice, all alive. She told Cinderella to lift the door of themouse-trap a little, and to each mouse, as it ran out, shegave a tap with her wand, and the mouse was immediatelychanged into a fine horse, thereby producing a handsometeam of six horses, of a beautiful dappled mouse-grey colour.As she was in some difficulty as to what she should make acoachman of, Cinderella said, "I will go and see if there benot a rat in the rat-trap; we will make a coachman of him.""Thou art right," said her godmother. "Go and see." Cinderellabrought her the rat-trap, in which there were threegreat rats. The Fairy selected one from the three, on accountof its ample beard, and having touched it, it was changed intoa fat coachman, who had the finest moustaches that ever wereseen. She then said, "Go into the garden, thou wilt findthere, behind the watering-pot, six lizards, bring them tome." She had no sooner brought them than the godmothertransformed them into six footmen, who immediately jumpedup behind the coach, with their liveries all covered with lace,and hung on to it as if they had done nothing else all theirlives. The Fairy then said to Cinderella, "Well, there issomething to go to the ball in. Art thou not well pleased?""Yes; but am I to go in these dirty clothes?" Her godmotheronly touched her with her wand, and in the sameinstant her dress was changed to cloth of gold and silver,covered with jewels. She then gave her a pair of glassslippers, the prettiest in the world. When she was thusattired, she got into the coach; but her godmother advisedher, above all things, not to stay out past midnight—warningher, that if she remained at the ball one minute longer, hercoach would again become a pumpkin; her horses, mice; herfootmen, lizards; and her clothes resume their old appearance.She promised her godmother she would not fail toleave the ball before midnight, and departed, out of her senseswith joy.

The King's son, who was informed that a grand Princesshad arrived whom nobody knew, ran to receive her. Hehanded her out of the coach and led her into the hall, where[Pg 25]the company was assembled. There was immediately a deadsilence; they stopped dancing, and the fiddlers ceased to play,so engrossed was every one in the contemplation of the greatattractions of the unknown lady. Nothing was heard but alow murmur of "Oh! how lovely she is!" The King himself,old as he was, could not take his eyes from her, and observedto the Queen, that it was a long time since he had seen sobeautiful and so amiable a person. All the ladies were intentlyoccupied in examining her head-dress and her clothes, thatthey might have some like them the very next day, providedthey could find materials as beautiful, and workpeople sufficientlyclever to make them up.

The King's son conducted her to the most honourable seat,and then led her out to dance. She danced with so muchgrace that their admiration of her was increased. A verygrand supper was served, of which the Prince ate not a morsel,so absorbed was he in contemplation of her. She seated herselfbeside her sisters, and showed them a thousand civilities.She shared with them the oranges and citrons which thePrince had given to her; at which they were much surprised,for she appeared a perfect stranger to them. Whilst theywere in conversation together, Cinderella heard the clockstrike three-quarters past eleven. She immediately made aprofound curtsey to the company, and departed as quicklyas she could. As soon as she had reached home, she went tofind her godmother; and after having thanked her, said shemuch wished to go to the ball again the next day, becausethe King's son had invited her. While she was occupied intelling her godmother all that had passed at the ball, the twosisters knocked at the door. Cinderella went and opened it—"Howlate you are!" said she to them, yawning, rubbing hereyes, and stretching herself as if she had but just awoke.She had not, however, been inclined to sleep since she had leftthem. "Hadst thou been at the ball," said one of her sistersto her, "thou wouldst not have been weary of it. Therecame to it the most beautiful Princess—the most beautifulthat ever was seen. She paid us a thousand attentions. Shegave us oranges and citrons." Cinderella was beside herselfwith delight. She asked them the name of the Princess; butthey replied that nobody knew her; that the King's son wasmuch puzzled about it, and that he would give everything in[Pg 26]the world to know who she was. Cinderella smiled and said,"She was very handsome, then? Heavens! how fortunateyou are!—Could not I get a sight of her? Alas! MademoiselleJavotte, lend me the yellow gown you wear everyday?" "Truly," said Mademoiselle Javotte, "I like that!Lend one's gown to a dirty Cindertail like you!—I must bevery mad indeed!" Cinderella fully expected this refusal, andwas delighted at it, for she would have been greatly embarrassedif her sister had lent her her gown.

The next day the two sisters went to the ball, and Cinderellaalso, but still more splendidly dressed than before. TheKing's son never left her side, or ceased saying tender thingsto her. The young lady was much amused, and forgot whather godmother had advised her, so that she heard the clockbegin to strike twelve when she did not even think it waseleven. She rose and fled as lightly as a fawn. The Princefollowed her, but could not overtake her. She dropped oneof her glass slippers, which the Prince carefully picked up.Cinderella reached home almost breathless, without coach orfootmen, and in her shabby clothes, nothing having remainedof all her finery, except one of her little slippers, the fellow ofthat she had let fall. The guards at the palace gate wereasked if they had not seen a Princess go out; they answeredthat they had seen no one pass but a poorly-dressed girl, whohad more the air of a peasant than of a lady. When the twosisters returned from the ball, Cinderella asked them if theyhad been as much entertained as before, and if the beautifullady had been present. They said yes, but that she had fledas soon as it had struck twelve, and so precipitately that shehad let fall one of her little glass slippers, the prettiest in theworld; that the King's son had picked it up; that he haddone nothing but gaze upon it during the remainder of theevening; and that, undoubtedly, he was very much in lovewith the beautiful person to whom the little slipper belonged.They spoke the truth; for a few days afterwards the King'sson caused it to be proclaimed by sound of trumpet that hewould marry her whose foot would exactly match with theslipper. They began by trying it on the Princesses, then onthe Duchesses, and so on throughout all the Court; but invain. It was taken to the two sisters, who did their utmostto force one of their feet into the slipper, but they could not[Pg 27]manage to do so. Cinderella, who witnessed their efforts andrecognised the slipper, said, laughingly, "Let me see if it willnot fit me." Her sisters began to laugh and ridicule her. Thegentleman who had been entrusted to try the slipper, havingattentively looked at Cinderella and found her to be very handsome,said that it was a very proper request, and that he hadbeen ordered to try the slipper on all girls without exception.He made Cinderella sit down, and putting the slipper to herlittle foot, he saw it go on easily and fit like wax. Great wasthe astonishment of the two sisters, but it was still greaterwhen Cinderella took the other little slipper out of her pocketand put it on her other foot. At that moment the godmotherarrived, who having given a tap with her wand toCinderella's clothes, they became still more magnificent thanall the others she had appeared in. The two sisters thenrecognised in her the beautiful person they had seen at theball. They threw themselves at her feet to crave her forgivenessfor all the ill-treatment she had suffered from them.Cinderella raised and embracing them, said that she forgavethem with all her heart, and begged them to love her dearlyfor the future. They conducted her to the young Prince,dressed just as she was. He found her handsomer than ever,and a few days afterwards he married her. Cinderella, whowas as kind as she was beautiful, gave her sisters apartmentsin the palace, and married them the very same day to twogreat lords of the court.

RIQUET WITH THE TUFT.

Once upon a time there was a Queen, who was brought tobed of a son so ugly and so ill-shaped that it was for a longtime doubtful if he possessed a human form. A Fairy, whowas present at his birth, affirmed that he would not fail to beamiable, as he would have much good-sense. She added,even, that he would be able, in consequence of the gift shehad endowed him with, to impart equal intelligence to theperson he should love best. All this consoled the poor Queena little, who was much distressed at having brought into theworld so hideous a little monkey. It is true that the childwas no sooner able to speak than he said a thousand prettythings, and that there was in all his actions an indescribableair of intelligence which charmed one. I had forgotten to saythat he was born with a little tuft of hair on his head, whichoccasioned him to be named Riquet with the Tuft; for Riquetwas the family name.

At the end of seven or eight years, the Queen of a neighbouringkingdom was brought to bed of two daughters. Thefirst that came into the world was fairer than day. The Queenwas so delighted, that it was feared her great joy would provehurtful to her. The same Fairy who had assisted at the birthof little Riquet with the Tuft was present upon this occasion,and to moderate the joy of the Queen, she declared to herthat this little Princess would have no mental capacity, andthat she would be as stupid as she was beautiful. This mortifiedthe Queen exceedingly; but a few minutes afterwardsshe experienced a very much greater annoyance, for the secondgirl she gave birth to, proved to be extremely ugly. "Do not[Pg 29]distress yourself so much, Madam," said the Fairy to her."Your daughter will find compensation; she will have so muchsense that her lack of beauty will scarcely be perceived.""Heaven send it may be so," replied the Queen; "but arethere no means of giving a little sense to the eldest, who is solovely?" "I can do nothing for her, Madam, in the way ofwit," said the Fairy, "but everything in that of beauty; andas there is nothing in my power that I would not do to gratifyyou, I will endow her with the ability to render beautiful theperson who shall please her."

As these two Princesses grew up, their endowments increasedin the same proportion, and nothing was talked ofanywhere but the beauty of the eldest and the intelligenceof the youngest. It is true that their defects also greatlyincreased with their years. The youngest became uglierevery instant, and the eldest more stupid every day. Sheeither made no answer when she was spoken to, or she saidsomething foolish. With this she was so awkward, that shecould not place four pieces of china on a mantel-shelf withoutbreaking one of them, nor drink a glass of water withoutspilling half of it on her dress. Notwithstanding the greatadvantage of beauty to a girl, the youngest bore away thepalm from her sister nearly always, in every society. Atfirst they gathered round the handsomest, to gaze at andadmire her; but they soon left her for the wittiest, to listen toa thousand agreeable things; and people were astonished to findthat, in less than a quarter of an hour, the eldest had not asoul near her, and that all the company had formed a circleround the youngest. The former, though very stupid, noticedthis, and would have given, without regret, all her beauty forhalf the sense of her sister. The Queen, discreet as she was,could not help reproaching her frequently with her folly,which made the poor Princess ready to die of grief. One daythat she had withdrawn into a wood to bewail her misfortune,she saw a little man approach her, of most disagreeableappearance, but dressed very magnificently. It was theyoung Prince Riquet with the Tuft, who, having fallen inlove with her from seeing her portraits, which were sent allround the world, had quitted his father's kingdom to have thepleasure of beholding and speaking to her. Enchanted tomeet her thus alone, he accosted her with all the respect and[Pg 30]politeness imaginable. Having remarked, after paying theusual compliments, that she was very melancholy, he said toher, "I cannot comprehend, Madam, how a person so beautifulas you are can be so sad as you appear; for though Imay boast of having seen an infinity of lovely women, I canavouch that I have never beheld one whose beauty could becompared to yours." "You are pleased to say so, Sir,"replied the Princess; and there she stopped. "Beauty,"continued Riquet, "is so great an advantage, that it oughtto surpass all others; and when one possesses it, I do not seeanything that could very much distress you." "I hadrather," said the Princess, "be as ugly as you, and have goodsense, than possess the beauty I do, and be as stupid as Iam." "There is no greater proof of good sense, Madam, thanthe belief that we have it not; it is the nature of that gift,that the more we have, the more we believe we are deficientof it." "I do not know how that may be," said the Princess,"but I know well enough that I am very stupid, and that isthe cause of the grief which is killing me." "If that is allthat afflicts you, Madam, I can easily put an end to yoursorrow." "And how would you do that?" said the Princess."I have the power, Madam," said Riquet with the Tuft, "togive as much wit as any one can possess to the person I lovethe most; and as you, Madam, are that person, it will dependentirely upon yourself whether or not you will have so muchwit, provided that you are willing to marry me." ThePrincess was thunderstruck, and replied not a word. "Isee," said Riquet with the Tuft, "that this proposal painsyou; and I am not surprised at it; but I give you a full yearto consider of it." The Princess had so little sense, and atthe same time was so anxious to have a great deal, that shethought the end of that year would never come; so sheaccepted at once the offer that was made her. She had nosooner promised Riquet with the Tuft that she would marryhim that day twelve months, than she felt herself to be quiteanother person to what she was previously. She found shepossessed an incredible facility of saying anything she wished,and of saying it in a shrewd, yet easy and natural manner.She commenced on the instant, and kept up a sprightly conversationwith Riquet with the Tuft, during which she[Pg 31]chatted away at such a rate, that Riquet with the Tuft beganto believe he had given her more wit than he had kept forhimself. When she returned to the Palace, the whole Courtwas puzzled to account for a change so sudden and extraordinary,for in proportion to the number of foolish thingsthey had heard her say formerly, were the sensible and exceedinglyclever observations she now gave utterance to.All the Court was in a state of joy which is not to beconceived. The younger sister alone was not very muchpleased, as no longer possessing over her elder sister theadvantage of wit, she now only appeared, by her side, as avery disagreeable-looking person. The King was now led byhis eldest daughter's advice, and sometimes even held hisCouncil in her apartment. The news of this alteration havingspread abroad, all the young Princes of the neighbouringkingdoms exerted themselves to obtain her affection, andnearly all of them asked her hand in marriage; but she foundnone of them sufficiently intelligent, and she listened to all ofthem without engaging herself to any one.

At length arrived a Prince so rich, so witty, and so handsome,that she could not help feeling an inclination for him.Her father, having perceived it, told her that he left her atperfect liberty to choose a husband for herself, and that shehad only to make known her decision. As the more sensewe possess, the more difficulty we find in making up one'smind positively on such a matter, she requested, after havingthanked her father, that he would allow her some time tothink of it. She went, by chance, to walk in the same woodwhere she had met with Riquet with the Tuft, in order toponder with greater freedom on what she had to do. Whileshe was walking, deep in thought, she heard a dull soundbeneath her feet, as of many persons running to and fro, andbusily occupied. Having listened more attentively, she heardone say, "Bring me that saucepan;" another, "Give me thatkettle;" another, "Put some wood on the fire." At thesame moment the ground opened, and she saw beneath herwhat appeared to be a large kitchen, full of cooks, scullions,and all sorts of servants necessary for the preparation of amagnificent banquet. There came forth a band of fromtwenty to thirty cooks, who went and established themselves[Pg 32]in an avenue of the wood at a very long table, and who, eachwith larding-pin in hand andthe queue de renard [7] behind theear, set to work, keeping time to a melodious song.

The Princess, astonished at this sight, inquired for whomthey were working. "Madam," replied the most prominentof the troop, "for Prince Riquet with the Tuft, whosemarriage will take place to-morrow." The Princess, stillmore surprised than she was before, and suddenly recollectingthat it was just a twelvemonth from the day on which shehad promised to marry Prince Riquet with the Tuft, was lostin amazement. The cause of her not having remembered herpromise was, that when she made it she was a fool, and onreceiving her new mind, she forgot all her follies. She hadnot taken thirty steps in continuation of her walk, whenRiquet with the Tuft presented himself before her, gaily andmagnificently attired, like a Prince about to be married."You see, Madam," said he, "I keep my word punctually, andI doubt not but that you have come hither to keep yours, andto make me, by the gift of your hand, the happiest of men.""I confess to you, frankly," replied the Princess, "that Ihave not yet made up my mind on that matter, and that Ido not think I shall ever be able to do so to your satisfaction.""You astonish me, Madam," said Riquet with theTuft. "I have no doubt I do," said the Princess; "andassuredly, had I to deal with a stupid person—a man withoutmind,—I should feel greatly embarrassed. 'A Princess isbound by her word,' he would say to me, 'and you mustmarry me, as you have promised to do so.' But as the personto whom I speak is the most sensible man in all the world,I am certain he will listen to reason. You know that, whenI was no better than a fool, I nevertheless could not resolveto marry you—how can you expect, now that I have thesense which you have given me, and which renders me muchmore difficult to please than before, that I should take aresolution to-day which I could not do then? If you seriouslythought of marrying me, you did very wrong to take awaymy stupidity, and enable me to see clearer than I saw then.""If a man without sense," replied Riquet with the Tuft,"should meet with some indulgence, as you have just intimated,had he to reproach you with your breach of promise,why would you, Madam, that I should not be equally so in amatter which affects the entire happiness of my life? Is itreasonable that persons of intellect should be in a worse conditionthan those that have none? Can you assert this—youwho have so much and have so earnestly desired to possessit? But let us come to the point, if you please. With theexception of my ugliness, is there anything in me that displeasesyou? Are you dissatisfied with my birth, my understanding,my temper, or my manners?"

"Not in the least,"replied the Princess; "I admire in you everything you havementioned." "If so," rejoined Riquet with the Tuft, "Ishall be happy, as you have it in your power to make me themost agreeable of men." "How can that be done?" saidthe Princess. "It can be done," said Riquet with the Tuft,"if you love me sufficiently to wish that it should be. Andin order, Madam, that you should have no doubt about it,know that the same fairy, who, on the day I was born, endowedme with the power to give understanding to the person Ichose, gave you also the power to render handsome the manyou should love, and on whom you were desirous to bestowthat favour." "If such be the fact," said the Princess, "Iwish, with all my heart, that you should become the handsomestPrince in the world, and I bestow the gift on you tothe fullest extent in my power."

The Princess had no sooner pronounced these words, thanRiquet with the Tuft appeared to her eyes, of all men in theworld, the handsomest, the best made, and most amiableshe had ever seen. There are some who assert that it wasnot the spell of the Fairy, but love alone that caused thismetamorphosis. They say that the Princess, having reflectedon the perseverance of her lover—on his prudence, and all thegood qualities of his heart and mind, no longer saw thedeformity of his body nor the ugliness of his features—thathis hunch appeared to her nothing more than the effect of aman shrugging his shoulders, and that instead of observing,as she had done, that he limped horribly, she saw in him nomore than a certain lounging air, which charmed her. Theysay also that his eyes, which squinted, seemed to her onlymore brilliant from that defect, which passed in her mindfor a proof of the intensity of his love, and, in fine, that his[Pg 34]great red nose had in it something martial and heroic.However this may be, the Princess promised on the spot tomarry him, provided he obtained the consent of the King,her Father. The King, having learned that his daughterentertained a great regard for Riquet with the Tuft, whomhe knew also to be a very clever and wise prince, acceptedhim with pleasure for a son-in-law. The wedding took placethe next morning, as Riquet with the Tuft had foreseen,and, according to the instructions which he had given a longtime before.

LITTLE THUMBLING.

Once upon a time there was a Woodcutter and his wife whohad seven children, all boys; the eldest was but ten years old,and the youngest only seven. People wondered that theWoodcutter had had so many children in so short a time;but the fact is, that his wife not only had them very fast, butseldom presented him with less than two at a birth. Theywere very poor, and their seven children troubled them greatly,as not one of them was yet able to gain his livelihood.What grieved them still more was that the youngest wasvery delicate, and seldom spoke, which they considered aproof of stupidity instead of good sense. He was very diminutive,and, when first born, scarcely bigger than one's thumb,which caused them to call him Little Thumbling.

This poor child was the scapegoat of the house, and wasblamed for everything that happened. Nevertheless he wasthe shrewdest and most sensible of all his brothers, and ifhe spoke little, he listened a great deal. There came a verybad harvest, and the famine was so severe that these poorpeople determined to get rid of their children. One evening,when they were all in bed, and the Woodman was sittingover the fire with his wife, he said to her, with an achingheart, "Thou seest clearly that we can no longer find foodfor our children. I cannot let them die of hunger beforemy eyes, and I am resolved to lose them to-morrow in thewood, which will be easily done, for whilst they are occupiedin tying up the faggots, we have but to make offunobserved by them." "Ah!" exclaimed the Woodcutter'swife, "Canst thou have the heart to lose thine own children?"[Pg 36]Her husband in vain represented to her their exceedingpoverty; she could not consent to the deed. She was poor,but she was their mother. Having, however, reflected on themisery it would occasion her to see them die of hunger, sheat length assented, and went to bed weeping.

Little Thumbling heard everything they had said, forhaving ascertained, as he lay in his bed, that they were talkingof their affairs, he got up quietly, and slipped under hisfather's stool to listen, without being seen. He went to bedagain, and slept not a wink the rest of the night, thinkingwhat he should do. He rose early and repaired to the banksof a rivulet, where he filled his pockets with small whitepebbles, and then returned home. They set out all together,and Little Thumbling said nothing of what he had heard tohis brothers. They entered a very thick forest, wherein, atten paces distant, they could not see one another. The Woodcutterbegan to cut wood, and his children to pick up sticksto make faggots with. The father and mother, seeing themoccupied with their work, stole away gradually, and then fledsuddenly by a small winding path. When the children foundthemselves all alone, they began to scream and cry with alltheir might. Little Thumbling let them scream, well knowinghow he could get home again, for as he came he haddropped all along the road the little white pebbles he had inhis pockets. He said to them then, "Fear nothing, brothers,my father and mother have left us here, but I will take yousafely home, only follow me." They followed him, and heled them back to the house by the same road that they hadtaken into the forest. They feared to enter immediately, butplaced themselves close to the door to listen to the conversationof their father and mother.

Just at the moment that the Woodcutter and his wifearrived at home, the lord of the manor sent them ten crownswhich he had owed them a long time, and which they hadgiven up all hope of receiving. This was new life to them,for these poor people were actually starving. The Woodcuttersent his wife to the butcher's immediately. As it wasmany a day since they had tasted meat, she bought threetimes as much as was necessary for the supper of two persons.When they had satisfied their hunger, the Woodcutter's wifesaid, "Alas! where now are our poor children; they would[Pg 37]fare merrily on what we have left. But it was thou, Guillaume,who wouldst lose them. Truly did I say we shouldrepent it. What are they now doing in the forest! Alas!Heaven help me! the wolves have, perhaps, already devouredthem! Inhuman that thou art, thus to have destroyed thychildren!" The Woodcutter began to lose his temper, forshe repeated more than twenty times that they should repentit, and that she had said they would. He threatened to beather if she did not hold her tongue. It was not that theWoodcutter was not, perhaps, even more sorry than his wife,but that she made such a noise about it, and that he waslike many other men who are very fond of women who cantalk well, but are exceedingly annoyed by those whose wordsalways come true. The wife was all in tears. "Alas! whereare now my children, my poor children?" She uttered this,at length, so loudly, that the children, who were at the door,heard her, and began to cry altogether, "We are here! weare here!" She ran quickly to open the door to them, and,embracing them, exclaimed, "How happy I am to see youagain, my dear children; you are very tired and hungry.And how dirty thou art, Pierrot; come here and let me washthee." Pierrot was her eldest son, and she loved him betterthan all the rest because he was rather red-headed, and shewas slightly so herself. They sat down to supper, and atewith an appetite that delighted their father and mother, towhom they related how frightened they were in the forest,speaking almost always all together. The good folks wereenchanted to see their children once more around them, andtheir joy lasted as long as the ten crowns; but when themoney was spent they relapsed into their former misery, andresolved to lose the children again, and to do so effectuallythey determined to lead them much further from home thanthey had done the first time.

They could not talk of this so privately, but that theywere overheard by Little Thumbling, who reckoned upongetting out of the scrape by the same means as before; butthough he got up very early to collect the little pebbles, hecould not succeed in his object, for he found the house doordouble locked. He knew not what to do, when the Woodcutter'swife, having given them each a piece of bread for theirbreakfast, it occurred to him that he might make the bread[Pg 38]supply the place of the pebbles by strewing crumbs of it alongthe path as they went, and so he put his piece in his pocket.The father and mother led them into the thickest and darkestpart of the forest; and as soon as they had done so, they gaineda by-path, and left them there. Little Thumbling did nottrouble himself much, for he believed he should easily find hisway back by means of the bread which he had scatteredwherever he had passed; but he was greatly surprisedat not being able to find a single crumb. The birds hadeaten it all up! Behold the poor children then, in greatdistress, for the further they wandered the deeper theyplunged into the forest. Night came on, and a great windarose, which terrified them horribly. They fancied theyheard on every side nothing but the howling of wolves,hastening to devour them. They scarcely dared to speak orlook behind them. It then began to rain so heavily that theywere soon drenched to the skin; they slipped at every step,tumbling into the mud, out of which they scrambled in afilthy state, not knowing what to do with their hands.Little Thumbling climbed up a tree to try if he could seeanything from the top of it. Having looked all about him,he saw a little light like that of a candle, but it was a longway on the other side of the forest. He came down again,and when he had reached the ground he could see the lightno longer. This distressed him greatly; but having walkedon with his brothers for some time in the direction of thelight, he saw it again on emerging from the wood. At lengththey reached the house where the light was, not without manyalarms, for they often lost sight of it, and always when theydescended into the valleys. They knocked loudly at the door,and a good woman came to open it. She asked them whatthey wanted. Little Thumbling told her they were poorchildren who had lost their way in the forest, and who beggeda night's lodging for charity. The woman, seeing they wereall so pretty, began to weep, and said to them, "Alas! mypoor children, whither have you come? Know that this is thedwelling of an Ogre who eats little boys!" "Alas, Madam!"replied Little Thumbling, who trembled from head to foot, asdid all his brothers; "what shall we do?—It is certain thatthe wolves of the forest will not fail to devour us to-night, ifyou refuse to receive us under your roof, and that being the[Pg 39]case, we had rather be eaten by the gentleman; perhaps hemay have pity upon us, if you are kind enough to ask him."The Ogre's wife, who fancied she could contrive to hide themfrom her husband till the next morning, allowed them to comein, and led them where they could warm themselves by agood fire, for there was a whole sheep on the spit roasting forthe Ogre's supper. Just as they were beginning to get warm,they heard two or three loud knocks at the door. It was theOgre who had come home. His wife immediately made thechildren hide under the bed, and went to open the door. TheOgre first asked if his supper was ready and if she had drawnthe wine, and with that he sat down to his meal. The muttonwas all but raw, but he liked it all the better for that. Hesniffed right and left, saying that he smelt fresh meat. "Itmust be the calf I have just skinned that you smell," said hiswife. "I smell fresh meat, I tell you once more," replied theOgre, looking askance at his wife; "there is something herethat I don't understand." In saying these words, he rose fromthe table and went straight to the bed—"Ah!" he exclaimed,"it is thus, then, thou wouldst deceive me, cursed woman! Iknow not what hinders me from eating thee also! It is wellfor thee that thou art an old beast! Here is some game,which comes in good time for me to entertain three Ogres ofmy acquaintance who are coming to see me in a day or two."He dragged them from under the bed one after the other.The poor children fell on their knees, begging mercy; butthey had to deal with the most cruel of all the Ogres, andwho, far from feeling pity for them, devoured them alreadywith his eyes, and said to his wife they would be dainty bits,when she had made a good sauce for them. He went to fetcha great knife, and as he returned to the poor children, hewhetted it on a long stone that he held in his left hand. Hehad already seized one, when his wife said to him, "Whatwould you do at this hour of the night? will it not be timeenough to-morrow?" "Hold thy peace," replied the Ogre,"they will be the more tender." "But you have alreadyso much meat," returned his wife; "Here is a calf, two sheep,and half a pig." "Thou art right," said the Ogre; "givethem a good supper, that they may not fall away, and thenput them to bed." The good woman was enchanted, andbrought them plenty for supper, but they couldn't eat, they[Pg 40]were so paralysed with fright. As for the Ogre, he seatedhimself to drink again, delighted to think he had such a treatin store for his friends. He drained a dozen goblets more thanusual, which affected his head a little, and obliged him to goto bed.

The Ogre had seven daughters who were still in theirinfancy. These little Ogresses had the most beautiful complexions,in consequence of their eating raw flesh like theirfather; but they had very small, round, grey eyes, hookednoses, and very large mouths, with long teeth, exceedinglysharp, and wide apart. They were not very vicious as yet;but they promised fairly to be so, for they already began tobite little children, in order to suck their blood. They hadbeen sent to bed early, and were all seven in a large bed, havingeach a crown of gold on her head. In the same room wasanother bed of the same size. It was in this bed that theOgre's wife put the seven little boys to sleep, after which shewent to sleep with her husband.

Little Thumbling, who had remarked that the Ogre'sdaughters had golden crowns on their heads, and who fearedthat the Ogre might regret that he had not killed him andhis brothers that evening, got up in the middle of the night,and, taking off his own nightcap and those of his brothers,went very softly and placed them on the heads of the Ogre'sseven daughters, after having taken off their golden crowns,which he put on his brothers and himself, in order that theOgre might mistake them for his daughters, and his daughtersfor the boys whose throats he longed to cut.

Matters turned out exactly as he anticipated, for the Ogreawaking at midnight, regretted having deferred till themorning what he might have done the evening before. Hetherefore jumped suddenly out of bed, and seizing his greatknife, "Let us go," said he, "and see how our young roguesare by this time; we won't make two bites at a cherry."Therewith he stole on tiptoes up to his daughters' bed-room,and approached the bed in which lay the little boys, who wereall asleep except Thumbling, who was dreadfully frightenedwhen the Ogre placed his hand upon his head to feel it, as hehad in turn felt those of all his brothers.

The Ogre, who felt the golden crowns, said, "Truly, I wasabout to do a pretty job! It's clear I must have drunk too[Pg 41]much last night." He then went to the bed where hisdaughters slept, and having felt the little nightcaps thatbelonged to the boys. "Aha!" cried he. "Here are ouryoung wags! Let us to work boldly!" So saying, he cutwithout hesitation the throats of his seven daughters. Wellsatisfied with this exploit, he returned and stretched himselfbeside his wife. As soon as Little Thumbling heard the Ogresnoring, he woke his brothers, and bade them dress themselvesquickly and follow him. They went down softly into thegarden and jumped over the wall. They ran nearly all nightlong, trembling all the way, and not knowing whither theywere going.

The Ogre, awaking in the morning, said to his wife, "Getthee up stairs and dress the little rogues you took in lastnight." The Ogress was astonished at the kindness of herhusband, never suspecting the sort of dressing he meant herto give them, and fancying he ordered her to go and put ontheir clothes; she went up stairs, where she was greatly surprisedto find her daughters murdered and swimming in theirblood. The first thing she did was to faint (for it is the firstthing that almost all women do in similar circumstances).The Ogre, fearing that his wife would be too long about thejob he had given her to do, went upstairs to help her. He wasnot less surprised than his wife, when he beheld this frightfulspectacle. "Hah! what have I done?" he exclaimed. "Thewretches shall pay for it, and instantly!" He then threw ajugfull of water in his wife's face, and having brought her to,said, "Quick! give me my seven-league boots, that I may goand catch them." He set out, and after running in everydirection, came at last upon the track of the poor children,who were not more than a hundred yards from their father'shouse. They saw the Ogre striding from hill to hill, and whostepped over rivers as easily as if they were the smallest brooks.Little Thumbling, who perceived a hollow rock close bywhere they were, hid his brothers in it, and crept in afterthem, watching all the while the progress of the Ogre. TheOgre, feeling very tired with his long journey to no purpose(for seven-league boots are very fatiguing to the wearer), wasinclined to rest, and by chance sat down on the very rock inwhich the little boys had concealed themselves. As he wasquite worn out, he had not rested long before he fell asleep,[Pg 42]and began to snore so dreadfully that the poor children werenot less frightened than they were when he took up the greatknife to cut their throats.

Little Thumbling was not so much alarmed, and told hisbrothers to run quickly into the house while the Ogre wassound asleep, and not to be uneasy about him. They took hisadvice and speedily reached home. Little Thumbling havingapproached the Ogre, gently pulled off his boots, and putthem on directly. The boots were very large and very long;but as they were fairy boots, they possessed the quality ofincreasing or diminishing in size according to the leg of theperson who wore them, so that they fitted him as perfectlyas if they had been made for him. He went straight to theOgre's house, where he found his wife weeping over her murdereddaughters. "Your husband," said Little Thumbling toher, "is in great danger, for he has been seized by a band ofrobbers, who have sworn to kill him if he does not give themall his gold and silver. At the moment they had their daggersat his throat he perceived me, and entreated me to come andtell you the situation he was in, and bid you give me all hisready cash, without keeping back any of it, as otherwise theywill kill him without mercy. As time pressed, he insisted Ishould take his seven-league boots, which you see I have on,in order that I might make haste, and also that you might besure I was not imposing upon you."

The good woman, very much alarmed, immediately gavehim all the money she could find, for the Ogre was not abad husband to her, although he ate little children. LittleThumbling, thus laden with all the wealth of the Ogre,hastened back to his father's house, where he was receivedwith great joy.

There are many persons who differ in their account of thispart of the story, and who pretend that Little Thumblingnever committed this robbery, and that he only consideredhimself justified in taking the Ogre's seven-league boots,because he used them expressly to run after little children.These people assert that they have heard it from good authority,and that they have even eaten and drunk in the Woodcutter'shouse. They assure us that when Little Thumblinghad put on the Ogre's boots, he went to Court, where he knewthey were in much trouble about an army which was within[Pg 43]two hundred leagues of them, and anxious to learn the successof a battle that had been fought. They say he went to seekthe King, and told him that if he desired it, he would bringhim back news of the army before the end of the day. TheKing promised him a large sum of money if he did so.Little Thumbling brought news that very evening, and thisfirst journey having made him known, he got whatever hechose to ask; for the King paid most liberally for taking hisorders to the army, and numberless ladies gave him anythinghe chose for news of their lovers, and they were his best customers.He occasionally met with some wives who entrustedhim with letters for their husbands, but they paid him sopoorly, and the amount was altogether so trifling, that he didnot condescend to put down amongst his receipts what he gotfor that service. After he had been a courier for some time,and saved a great deal of money, he returned to his father,where it is impossible to imagine the joy of his family atseeing him again. He made them all comfortable. He boughtnewly-made offices for his father and his brothers, and bythese means established them all, making his own way atCourt at the same time.

THE COUNTESS DE MURAT.

PERFECT LOVE.

In one of those agreeable countries subject to the Empire ofthe Fairies, reigned the redoubtable Danamo. She waslearned in her art, cruel in her deeds, and proud of the honourof being descended from the celebrated Calypso, whose charmshad the glory and the power, by detaining the famous Ulysses,to triumph over the prudence of the conquerors of Troy.

She was tall, fierce-looking, and her haughty spirit hadwith much difficulty been subjected to the rigid laws ofHymen. Love had never been able to reach her heart, butthe idea of uniting a flourishing kingdom to that of whichshe was Queen, and another which she had usurped, hadinduced her to marry an old monarch, who was one of herneighbours.

He died a few years after his marriage, and left the Queenwith one daughter, named Azire. She was exceedingly ugly,but did not appear so in the eyes of Danamo, who thoughther charming, perhaps because she was the very image ofherself. She was heiress also to three kingdoms, a circumstancewhich softened down many defects, and her hand wassought in marriage by all the most powerful princes of theadjacent provinces. Their eagerness, joined to the blindaffection of Danamo, rendered her vanity insupportable. Shewas ardently besought—she must, therefore, be worthy ofsuch solicitation. It was thus that the Fairy and the Princessreasoned in their own minds, and enjoyed the pleasure ofdeceiving themselves. Meanwhile, Danamo thought only ofrendering the happiness of the Princess as perfect as sheconsidered was her due, and, with this object, brought up inher palace a young Prince, the son of her brother.

His name was Parcin Parcinet. He had a noble bearing, agraceful figure, a profusion of beautiful fair hair. Love mighthave been jealous of his power, for that deity had never,amongst his golden-pointed arrows, any so certain to triumphirresistibly over hearts as the fine eyes of Parcin Parcinet.He could do everything well that he chose to undertake—dancedand sang to perfection, and bore off all the prizes inthe tournament whenever he took the trouble to contend forthem.

This young Prince was the delight of the Court, andDanamo, who had her motives for it, made no objection tothe homage and admiration which he received.

The King who was the father of Parcinet was the Fairy'sbrother. She declared war against him without even seekingfor a reason. The King fought valiantly, at the head of histroops; but what could any army effect against the power ofso skilful a Fairy as Danamo? She allowed the victory toremain in doubt only long enough for her unfortunate brotherto fall in the combat. As soon as he was dead, she dispersedall her enemies with one stroke of her wand, and made herselfmistress of the kingdom.

Parcin Parcinet was at that time still in his cradle. Theybrought him to Danamo. It would have been in vain toattempt hiding him from a Fairy. He already displayedthose seductive graces which win the heart. Danamocaressed him, and a few days afterwards took him with herto her own dominions.

The Prince had attained the age of eighteen, when theFairy, desirous at length of executing the designs which shehad so many years contemplated, resolved to marry ParcinParcinet to the Princess, her daughter. She never for amoment doubted the infinite delight which that young Prince,born to a throne, and condemned by misfortune to remain asubject, would feel at becoming in one day the sovereign ofthree kingdoms. She sent for the Princess, and revealed toher the choice she had made of a husband for her. ThePrincess listened to this disclosure with an emotion whichcaused the Fairy to believe that this resolution in favour ofParcin Parcinet was not agreeable to her daughter. "I seeclearly," she said to her, as she perceived her agitationincreasing, "that thou hast much more ambition, and wouldst[Pg 49]unite with thine own empire that of one of those kings whohave so often proposed for thee; but where is the King whomParcin Parcinet cannot conquer? In courage he surpassesthem all. The subjects of so perfect a prince might one dayrebel in his favour. In giving thee to him I secure to theethe possession of his kingdom. As to his person, it is unnecessaryto speak—thou knowest that the proudest beautieshave not been able to resist his charms." The Princess,suddenly flinging herself at the feet of the Fairy, interruptedher discourse, and confessed to her that her heart had notbeen able to defy the young victor, famous for so manyconquests. "But," added she, blushing, "I have given athousand proofs of my affection to the insensible ParcinParcinet, and he has received them with a coldness whichdistracts me." "'Tis because he dares not raise his thoughtsso high as thee," replied the haughty Fairy. "He fears, nodoubt, to offend me, and I appreciate his respect."

This flattering idea was too agreeable to the inclinationand the vanity of the Princess for her not to be persuaded ofits truth. The Fairy ended by sending for Parcin Parcinet.He came, and found her in a magnificent cabinet, where sheawaited him with the Princess, her daughter. "Call all thycourage to thy assistance," said she to him as soon as heappeared—"not to support affliction, but to prevent beingovercome by thy good fortune. Thou art called to a throne,Parcin Parcinet, and to crown thy happiness, thou wilt mountthat throne by espousing my daughter." "I, Madam!" exclaimedthe young Prince, with an astonishment in which itwas easy to perceive that joy had no share, "I espouse thePrincess," continued he, retreating a few paces. "Hah! whatdeity is meddling with my fate? Why does he not leavethe care of it to the only one from whom I implore assistance?"

These words were uttered by the Prince with a vehemencein which his heart took too much part to allow it to be controlledby his prudence. The Fairy imagined that theunhoped-for happiness had driven Parcin Parcinet out of hiswits; but the Princess loved him, and love sometimes renderslovers more keen sighted than even wisdom. "From whatdeity, Parcin Parcinet," said she to him with emotion, "doyou implore assistance so fondly? I feel too deeply that I[Pg 50]have no share in the prayers you address to him." Theyoung Prince, who had had time to recover from his firstsurprise, and who was conscious of the imprudence he hadcommitted, summoned his brain to the assistance of his heart.He answered the Princess with more gallantry than she hadhoped for, and thanked the Fairy with an air of dignity thatsufficiently proved him to be worthy not only of the empirethat was offered him, but of that of the whole world.

Danamo and her proud daughter were satisfied with hisexpressions, and they settled everything before they left theapartment, the Fairy deferring the wedding-day a short time,only to give opportunity to all her Court to prepare for thisgrand solemnity.

The news of the marriage of Parcin Parcinet and Azirewas spread throughout the Palace the moment they hadquitted the Queen's cabinet. Crowds came to congratulatethe Prince. However unamiable the Princess, it was tohigh fortune she conducted him. Parcin Parcinet receivedall these honours with an air of indifference, which surprisedhis new subjects the more, for that they detected beneath itextreme affliction and anxiety. He was compelled, however,to endure for the rest of the day the eager homage of thewhole Court, and the ceaseless demonstrations of affectionlavished upon him by Azire.

What a situation for a young Prince, a prey to the keenestanguish. Night seemed to him to have delayed its return athousand times longer than usual. The impatient ParcinParcinet prayed for its arrival. It came at length. Hequitted precipitately the place in which he had suffered somuch. He retired to his own apartments, and, having dismissedhis attendants, opened a door which led into thePalace Gardens, and hurried through them, followed only bya young slave.

A beautiful, but not very extensive, river ran at the end ofthe gardens, and separated from the magnificent Palace of theFairy a little Château, flanked by four towers, and surroundedby a tolerably deep moat, which was filled by the river aforesaid.It was to this fatal spot that the vows and sighs ofParcin Parcinet were incessantly wafted.

What a miracle was confined in it! Danamo had the treasurecarefully guarded within it. It was a young Princess,[Pg 51]the daughter of her sister, who, dying, had confided her tothe charge of the Fairy. Her beauty, worthy the admirationof the universe, appeared too dangerous to Danamo to allowher to be seen by the side of Azire. Permission was occasionallyaccorded to the charming Irolite (so was she named),to come to the Palace, to visit the Fairy and the Princess herdaughter, but she had never been allowed to appear in public.Her dawning beauties were unknown to the world, but therewas one who was not ignorant of them. They had met theeyes of Parcin Parcinet one day at the apartments of thePrincess Azire, and he had adored Irolite from the momentthat he had seen her. Their near relationship afforded noprivilege to that young Prince; from the time Irolite ceasedto be an infant the pitiless Danamo suffered no one to beholdher.

Nevertheless Parcin Parcinet burned with a flame as ardentas such charms as Irolite's could not fail to kindle. She wasjust fourteen. Her beauty was perfect. Her hair was of acharming colour. Without being decidedly dark or fair, hercomplexion had all the freshness of spring. Her mouth waslovely, her teeth admirable, her smile fascinating. She hadlarge hazel eyes, sparkling and tender, and her glances appearedto say a thousand things which her young heart wasignorant of.

She had been brought up in complete solitude. Near aswas the Palace of the Fairy to the Château in which she dwelt,she saw no more persons than she might have seen in themidst of deserts. Danamo's orders to this effect were strictlyfollowed. The lovely Irolite passed her days amongst thewomen appointed to attend her. They were few in number,but little as were the advantages to be gained in so solitaryand circumscribed a Court, Fame, which feared not Danamo,published such wonders of this young Princess, that ladies ofthe highest rank were eager to share the seclusion of theyouthful Irolite. Her appearance confirmed all that Famehad reported. They were always finding some new charm toadmire in her.

A governess of great intelligence and prudence, formerlyattached to the Princess who was the mother of Irolite, hadbeen allowed to remain with her, and frequently bewailed therigorous conduct of Danamo towards her young mistress.[Pg 52]Her name was Mana. Her desire to restore the Princess tothe liberty she was entitled to enjoy, and the position shewas born to occupy, had induced her to favour the love ofParcin Parcinet. It was now three years since he had contrivedto introduce himself one evening into the Château inthe dress of a slave. He found Irolite in the garden, anddeclared his passion for her. She was then but a charmingchild. She loved Parcin Parcinet as if he had been herbrother, and could not then comprehend the existence of anywarmer attachment. Mana, who was rarely absent from theside of Irolite, surprised the young Prince in the garden; heavowed to her his love for the Princess, and the determinationhe had formed to perish, or to restore her one day to liberty,and then to seek, by a personal appeal to his former subjects,a glorious means of revenging himself on Danamo, and ofplacing Irolite upon the throne.

The noble qualities which were daily developed in thenature of Parcin Parcinet, might have rendered probable hissuccess in still more difficult undertakings, and it was also theonly hope of rescue which offered itself to Irolite. Manaallowed him to visit the Château occasionally after nightfall.He saw Irolite only in her presence, but he spoke to her ofhis love, and never ceased endeavouring, by tender words anddevoted attentions, to inspire her with a passion as ardent ashis own. For three years Parcin Parcinet had been occupiedsolely with this passion. Nearly every night he visited theChâteau of his Princess, and all his days he passed in thinkingof her. We left him on his road through Danamo's gardens,followed by a slave, and absorbed in the despair to which thedetermination of the Fairy had reduced him. He reachedthe river's bank: a little gilded boat, moored to the shore, inwhich Azire sometimes enjoyed an excursion on the water,enabled the enamoured Prince to cross the stream. The slaverowed him over, and as soon as Parcin Parcinet had ascendedthe silken ladder which was thrown to him from a little terracethat extended along the entire front of the Château, thefaithful servant rowed the boat back to its mooring-place, andremained with it there until a signal was made to him by hismaster. This was the waving, for a few minutes, of a lightedflambeau on the terrace.

This evening the Prince took his usual route, the silken[Pg 53]ladder was thrown to him, and he reached, without anyobstacle, the apartment of the youthful Irolite. He foundher stretched on a couch, and bathed in tears. How beautifuldid she appear to him in her affliction. Her charms hadnever before affected the young Prince so deeply.

"What is the matter, my Princess?" asked he, flinginghimself on his knees before the couch on which she lay."What can have caused these precious tears to flow? Alas!"he continued, sighing, "have I still more misfortunes to learnhere?" The young lovers mingled their tears and sighs, andwere forced to give full vent to their sorrow before they couldfind words to declare its cause. At length the young Princeentreated Irolite to tell him what new severity the Fairy hadtreated her with. "She would compel you to marry Azire,"replied the beautiful Irolite, blushing; "which of all hercruelties could cause me so much agony?" "Ah! my dearPrincess," exclaimed the Prince, "you fear I shall marryAzire! My lot is a thousand times more happy than I couldhave imagined it!" "Can you exult in your destiny," sadlyrejoined the Princess, "when it threatens to separate us? Icannot express to you the tortures that I suffer from thisfear! Ah, Parcin Parcinet, you were right! The love I bearto you is far different from that I should feel for a brother!"The enamoured Prince blessed Fortune for her severities; neverbefore had the young heart of Irolite appeared to him trulytouched by love, and now he could no longer doubt havinginspired her with a passion as tender as his own. Thisunlooked-for happiness renewed all his hopes. "No!" heexclaimed with rapture; "I no longer despair of overcomingour difficulties, since I am convinced of your affection. Letus fly, my Princess. Let us escape from the fury of Danamoand her hateful daughter. Let us seek a home more favourableto the indulgence of that love, in which alone consists ourhappiness!" "How!" rejoined the young Princess with astonishment."Depart with you! And what would all the kingdomsay of my flight?" "Away with such idle fears, beautifulIrolite," interrupted the impatient Parcin Parcinet, "everythingurges us to quit this spot. Let us hasten—" "Butwhither?" asked the prudent Mana, who had been presentduring the entire interview, and who, less pre-occupied thanthese young lovers, foresaw all the difficulties in the way of[Pg 54]their flight. "I have plans which I will lay before you,"answered Parcin Parcinet; "but how did you become sosoon acquainted here with the news of the Fairy's Court?""One of my relatives," replied Mana, "wrote to me theinstant that the rumour was circulated through the Palace,and I thought it my duty to inform the Princess." "Whathave I not suffered since that moment!" said the lovelyIrolite. "No, Parcin Parcinet, I cannot live without you!"The young Prince, in a transport of love, and enchanted bythese words, imprinted on the beautiful hand of Irolite apassionate and tender kiss, which had all the charms of a firstand precious favour. The day began to dawn, and warnedParcinet, too soon, that it was time for him to retire. Hepromised the Princess he would return the following night toreveal his plans for their escape. He found his faithful slavein waiting with the boat, and returned to his apartments.He was enraptured with the delight of being beloved by thefair Irolite, and agitated by the obstacles which he clearlyperceived would have to be surmounted, sleep could neithercalm his anxiety, nor make him for one moment forget hishappiness.

The morning sun had scarcely lighted his chamber, whena dwarf presented him with a magnificent scarf from thePrincess Azire, who in a note, more tender than Parcin Parcinetwould have desired, entreated him to wear it constantlyfrom that moment. He returned an answer which it embarrassedhim much to compose; but Irolite was to berescued, and what constraint would he not have himselfendured to restore her to liberty. He had no sooner dismissedthe dwarf than a giant arrived to present him, fromDanamo, with a sabre of extraordinary beauty. The hiltwas formed by a single stone, more brilliant than a diamond,and which emitted so dazzling a lustre that it would lightthe way by night. Upon its blade were engraven thesewords—

Parcin Parcinet was pleased with this present. He wentto thank the Fairy for it, and entered her apartment, wearingthe marvellous sabre she had sent him, and the beautifulscarf he had received from Azire. The assurance of Irolite's[Pg 55]affection for him had relieved him from all anxiety, and filledhis bosom with that gentle and perfect happiness which isborn of mutual love. An air of joy was apparent in all hisactions. Azire attributed it to the effect of her own charms,and the Fairy to satisfied ambition. The day passed in entertainmentswhich could not diminish the insupportable lengthof it to Parcin Parcinet. In the evening they walked in thePalace gardens, and were rowed on that very river with whichthe Prince was so well acquainted. His heart beat quickly ashe stepped into that little boat. What a difference betweenthe pleasure to which it was accustomed to bear him, and thedreary dulness of his present position. Parcin Parcinet couldnot help casting frequent glances towards the dwelling of thecharming Irolite. She did not make her appearance upon theterrace of the Château, for there was an express order thatshe was not to be permitted to leave her chamber, wheneverthe Fairy or Azire was on the water. The latter, who narrowlywatched all the Prince's actions, observed that he often lookedin that direction. "What are you gazing at, Prince?" saidshe. "Amidst all the honours that surround you, is the prisonof Irolite deserving so much attention?" "Yes, Madam,"replied the Prince, very imprudently, "I feel for those whohave not drawn on themselves by their own misconduct themisfortunes they endure." "You are too compassionate,"replied Azire, contemptuously; "but to relieve your anxiety,"added she, lowering her voice, "I can inform you that Irolitewill not long continue a prisoner." "And what is to becomeof her, then?" hastily inquired the young Prince. "TheQueen will marry her in a few days to Prince Ormond,"answered Azire. "He is, as you know, a kinsman of ours;and, agreeable to the Queen's intentions, the day after thenuptials he will conduct Irolite to one of his fortresses, fromwhence she will never return to the Court." "How!" exclaimedParcin Parcinet, with extraordinary emotion; "willthe Queen bestow that beautiful Princess on so frightful aPrince, and whose vices exceed even his ugliness? Whatcruelty!"—The latter word escaped his lips despite himself:but he could no longer be false to his courage and his heart."Methinks it is not for you, Parcin Parcinet," retortedAzire, haughtily, "to complain of the cruelties of Danamo."

This conversation would, no doubt, have been carried too[Pg 56]far for the young Prince, whose safety lay in dissimulation;when, fortunately for Parcin Parcinet, some of the ladies inwaiting on Azire approached her, and a moment afterwardsthe Fairy having appeared on the bank of the river, Aziresignified her desire to rejoin her. On landing, Parcin Parcinetpretended indisposition in order to obtain at least the libertyof lamenting alone his new misfortunes.

The Fairy, and more particularly Azire, testified greatanxiety respecting his illness. He returned to his own apartments.There he indulged in a thousand complaints againstdestiny for the ills it threatened to inflict on the charmingIrolite, abandoned himself to all his grief and all his passion,and beginning at length to seek consolation for sufferings soagonizing to a faithful lover, wrote a letter full of the mostmoving phrases that his affection could dictate, to one of hisAunts, who was a Fairy as well as Danamo, but who found asmuch pleasure in befriending the unfortunate as Danamo didin making them miserable. Her name was Favourable. ThePrince explained to her the cruel situation to which love andfate had reduced him, and not being able to absent himselffrom the Court of Danamo without betraying the design hehad formed, he sent his faithful slave with the letter toFavourable. When every one had retired to rest, he left hisapartment as usual, crossed the gardens alone, and steppinginto the little boat, took up one of the oars without knowingwhether or not he could manage to use it: but what cannotlove teach his votaries? He can instruct them in much moredifficult matters. He enabled Parcin Parcinet to row with asmuch skill and rapidity as the most expert waterman. Heentered the Château, and was much surprised to find no onebut the prudent Mana, weeping bitterly in the Princess'schamber. "What afflicts you, Mana?" asked the Prince,eagerly; "and where is my dear Irolite?" "Alas! my Lord,"replied Mana, "she is no longer here. A troop of the Queen'sGuards, and some women, in whom she apparently confides,removed the Princess from the Castle about three or fourhours ago."

Parcin Parcinet heard not the last of these sad words. Hehad sunk insensible on the ground the instant he learned thedeparture of the Princess. Mana, with great difficulty,restored him to consciousness. He recovered from his swoon[Pg 57]only to give way to a sudden paroxysm of fury. He drew asmall dagger from his girdle, and had pierced his heart, if theprudent Mana, dragging back his arm as best she could, andfalling at the same time on her knees, had not exclaimed—"How,my Lord! would you abandon Irolite? Live to saveher from the wrath of Danamo. Alas! without you, how willshe find protection from the Fairy's cruelty?" These wordssuspended for a moment the despair of the wretched Prince."Alas!" replied he, shedding tears, which all his couragecould not restrain, "whither have they borne my Princess?Yes, Mana! I will live to enjoy at least the sad satisfactionof dying in her defence, and in avenging her on her enemies!"After these words, Mana conjured him to quit the fatalbuilding to avoid fresh misfortunes. "Hasten, Prince," saidshe to him; "how know we that the Fairy has not here somespy ready to acquaint her with everything that passes withinthese walls? Be careful of a life so dear to the Princess whomyou adore. I will let you know all that I can contrive tolearn respecting her."

The Prince departed after this promise, and regainedhis chamber, oppressed with all the grief which so tenderand so luckless a passion could inspire. He passed the nighton a couch on which he had thrown himself on entering theroom. Daybreak surprised him there: and the morning wasadvanced some hours, when he heard a noise at his chamberdoor. He ran to it with the eager impatience which we feelwhen we await tidings in which the heart is deeply interested.He found his people conducting to him, a man who desired tospeak with him instantly. He recognised the messenger asone of Mana's relations, who placed in the hand of ParcinParcinet a letter which he took with him into his cabinet toread, in order to conceal the emotion its receipt excited inhim. He opened it hastily, having observed it was in Mana'shandwriting, and found these words:—

"Mana, to the greatest Prince in the world. Be comforted,my Lord; our Princess is in safety, if such an expression beallowable, so long as she is subjected to the power of herenemy. She requested Danamo to permit my attendance onher, and the Fairy consented that I should rejoin her. Sheis confined in the Palace. Yesterday evening the Queencaused her to be brought into her cabinet, ordered her to look[Pg 58]upon Prince Ormond as one who would be in a few days herhusband, and presented to her that Prince so unworthy ofbeing your rival. The Princess was so distressed that shecould answer the Queen only by tears. They have not yetceased to flow. It is for you, my Lord, to find, if possible,some means of escape from the impending calamity."

At the foot of the letter were the following lines, writtenwith a trembling hand, and some of the words being nearlyeffaced. "How I pity you, my dear Prince; your sufferingsare more terrible to me than my own. I spare your feelingsthe recital of what I have endured since yesterday. Whywas I born to disturb your peace? Alas! had you neverknown me, perhaps you might have been happy."

What mingled emotions of joy and grief agitated the heartof the young Prince in reading this postscript. What kissesdid he not imprint on this precious token of the love of thedivine Irolite! He was so excited that it was with the greatestdifficulty in the world that he succeeded in writing a coherentanswer. He thanked the prudent Mana; he informed thePrincess of the assistance he expected from the Fairy Favourable;and what did he not say to her of his grief or his love!He then took the letter to Mana's kinsman, and presentedhim with a clasp set with jewels of inestimable beauty andvalue, as an earnest of the reward he had deserved, for thepleasure he had given him. Mana's kinsman had scarcelydeparted, when the Queen and Princess Azire sent to enquirehow the Prince had passed the night. It was easily seen byhis countenance that he was not well. He was entreated toreturn to his bed, and as he felt he should be under lessrestraint there than in the company of the Fairy, he consentedto do so.

After dinner, the Queen came to see him, and spoke to himof the marriage of Irolite and Prince Ormond as of a mattershe had decided upon. Parcin Parcinet, who had at lengthmade up his mind to control himself, so as not to awakensuspicions which might frustrate his designs, pretended toapprove of the Fairy's intentions, and only requested her toawait his perfect recovery, as it was his wish to be present atthe festivities which would take place on the occasion of thesegrand nuptials. The Fairy and Azire, who were in despairabout his illness, promised him everything he desired; and[Pg 59]Parcin Parcinet thus retarded, for some days at least, thethreatened marriage of Irolite. His conversation with Azire,when on the water with her, had hastened the approach ofthat misfortune to the beautiful Princess he loved so tenderly.Azire had related to the Queen the words of Parcin Parcinet,and the pity he had expressed for Irolite. The Queen, whonever paused in the execution of what she had determined on,sent that very evening for Irolite, and decided, in conjunctionwith Azire, that the marriage of the former should immediatelytake place, and that her departure should be expeditedbefore Parcin Parcinet was established in the higher authorityhis match with Azire would invest him with. Before ten dayshad expired, however, the Prince's faithful slave returned fromhis mission. With what delight did the Prince discover inthe letter Favourable had written to him, the proofs of hercompassion and of her friendship for him and for Irolite. Shesent him a ring made of four separate metals, gold, silver,brass, and iron. This ring had the power to save him fourtimes from the persecution of the cruel Danamo, and Favourableassured the Prince that the Fairy would not order himto be pursued more often than that ring was able to protecthim. These good tidings restored the Prince to health, andhe sent with all speed for Mana's kinsman. He entrustedhim with a letter for Irolite, informing her of the successthey might hope for. There was no time to be lost. TheQueen had determined the wedding of Irolite should takeplace in three days. That evening there was to be a ballgiven by the Princess Azire. Irolite was to be present.Parcin Parcinet could not endure the idea of appearing "ennégligé," as his recent illness might have permitted him, hedressed himself in the most magnificent style, and lookedmore brilliant than the sun. He dared not at first speak tothe fair Irolite; but what did not their eyes discourse whenoccasionally, they ventured to glance at each other. Irolitewas in the most beautiful costume in the world. The Fairyhad presented her with some marvellous jewels, and as shehad only four days to remain in the palace, Danamo hadresolved, during that short period, to treat her with all duehonour. Her beauty, which had hitherto been unadorned,in such splendour, appeared wonderful to the whole court,and, above all, to the enamoured Parcin Parcinet. He even[Pg 60]imagined he could read in some joyous flashes of her brighteyes an acknowledgment that she had received his letter.Prince Ormond addressed Irolite frequently; but he was soill-looking, notwithstanding the gold and jewels with whichhe was burthened, that he was not a rival worth the jealousyof the young Prince. The ball was nearly over, when ParcinParcinet, carried away by his love, wished with intense ardourfor an opportunity to speak for one moment to his Princess."Cruel Queen, and thou, also, hateful Azire!" he mentallyexclaimed; "will ye still longer deprive me of the delightfulpleasure of repeating a thousand times to the beautiful Irolitethat I adore her! Jealous witnesses of my happiness, whydo ye not quit this spot? Love can only triumph in yourabsence." Scarcely had Parcin Parcinet formed this wish,than the Fairy, feeling rather faint, called to Azire, and passedwith her into an adjoining apartment, followed by Ormond.Parcin Parcinet had on his finger the ring which the fairyFavourable had sent him, and which had the power to rescuehim four times from the persecutions of Danamo. He shouldhave reserved such certain help for the most pressing necessity;but when did violent love obey the dictates of prudence?

The young Prince was convinced by the sudden departureof the Fairy and Azire, that the ring had begun to favour hislove. He flew to the fair Irolite. He spoke to her of hisaffection in terms more ardent than eloquent. He felt thathe had perhaps invoked the spell of Favourable too thoughtlessly;but could he regret an imprudence which obtained forhim the sweet gratification of speaking to his dear Irolite?They agreed as to the place and hour at which, the next day,they would meet, to fly from their painful bondage. TheFairy and Azire, after some time, returned to the ball-room.Parcin Parcinet separated with regret from Irolite. He lookedat the fatal ring, and perceived that the iron had mixed withthe other metals, and was no longer distinguishable, he thereforesaw too clearly that he had only three more wishes tomake. He resolved to render them more truly serviceableto the Princess than the first had been. He confided thesecret of his flight to no one but his faithful slave, and passedthe rest of the night in making all the necessary preparations.The next morning he calmly presented himself to the Queen,[Pg 61]and appeared even in better spirits than usual. He jestedwith Prince Ormond on his marriage, and conducted himselfin such a manner as to lull all suspicions, had any existed asto his intentions. Two hours after midnight he repaired tothe Fairy's Park; he found there his faithful slave, who, inobedience to his master's orders, had brought thither four ofhis horses. The Prince was not kept long waiting. Thelovely Irolite appeared, walking with faltering steps, andleaning upon Mana. The young Princess felt some pain intaking this course. It had needed all the cruelties of Danamo,and all the bad qualities of Ormond, to induce her to do so.Love alone had not sufficed to persuade her.

It was autumn. The night was beautiful, and the moon,with a host of brilliant stars, illuminated the sky, sheddingaround a more charming light than that of day. The Princeeagerly advanced to meet his beloved, there was no time forlong speeches, Parcin Parcinet tenderly kissed the hand ofIrolite and assisted her to mount her horse. Fortunately sherode admirably. It was one of the amusements she had takenpleasure in during her captivity. She had frequently riddenwith her attendants in a little wood close to the Château sheresided in, and of which the Fairy allowed her the range.Parcin Parcinet, after the interchange of a few words withthe Princess, mounted his own horse. The other two werefor Mana and the faithful slave. The Prince then drawingthe brilliant sabre he had received from the Fairy, swore onit to adore the beautiful Irolite as long as he should live, andto die, if it were necessary, in defending her from her enemies.They then set out, and it seemed as if the Zephyrs were inleague with them, or that they mistook Irolite for Flora, forthey accompanied them in their flight.

Morning disclosed to Danamo the unexpected event. Theladies in attendance on Irolite were surprised that she sleptso much later than usual; but, in obedience to the ordersthe prudent Mana had given them over-night, they did notventure to enter the Princess's apartment without being summonedby her. Mana slept in Irolite's chamber, and they hadquitted it by a small door that opened into a court-yard ofthe Palace that was very little frequented. This door was inIrolite's cabinet. It had been fastened up, but, with a littletrouble, in two or three evenings, they had found means to[Pg 62]open it. The Queen at length sent orders for Irolite to cometo her. The Fairy's commands were not to be disobeyed by anyone. They accordingly knocked at the chamber door of thePrincess. They received no answer. Prince Ormond arrived.He came to conduct Irolite to the Queen, and was much surprisedto find them knocking loudly at the door. He causedit to be broken open. They entered, and finding the littledoor of the cabinet had been forced, no longer doubted thatthe Princess had fled the Palace. They bore these tidings tothe Queen, who trembled with rage at hearing them. Sheordered a search to be made everywhere for Irolite, but invain did they endeavour to obtain a clue to her evasion, noone knew anything about it. Prince Ormond himself set outin pursuit of Irolite. The Fairy's Guards were despatched inall haste, and in every direction it was thought possible shemight have taken. It was observed, however, by Azire, thatamidst this general agitation, Parcin Parcinet had not madehis appearance. She sent an urgent message to him, andjealousy opening her eyes, she felt certain that the Princehad carried off Irolite, although she had not until thatmoment suspected he was in love with her. The Fairycould not believe it; but she hastened to consult her books,and discovered that Azire's suspicion was but too wellfounded.

In the meanwhile that Princess having learned that ParcinParcinet was not in his apartments, and could not be foundanywhere in the Palace, sent some one to the Château inwhich Irolite had so long resided, to see if they could findany evidence that would convict or acquit the Prince. Theprudent Mana had taken care to leave nothing in it thatcould betray the understanding that had existed betweenIrolite and Parcin Parcinet; but they found near the seat onwhich the Prince had lain so long insensible, the scarf Azirehad given to him. It had been unfastened during his swoon,and the Prince and Mana, absorbed in their grief, had neitherof them subsequently observed it. What were the feelings ofthe haughty Azire at the sight of this scarf? Her love andher pride were equally wounded. She was exasperated beyondmeasure. She flung into the Fairy's prisons all who had beenin the service of Irolite or of the Prince. Parcin Parcinet'singratitude to the Queen also goaded her naturally furioustemper into madness, and she would have willingly partedwith one of her kingdoms to be revenged on the twolovers.

Meanwhile the fugitives were hotly pursued: Ormond andhis troop found everywhere fresh horses in readiness for themby the Fairy's orders. Those of Parcin Parcinet were fatigued,and their speed no longer answered to the impatience of theirmaster. As they issued from a forest, Ormond appeared insight. The first impulse of the young Prince was to attackhis unworthy rival. He was spurring towards him with hishand on the hilt of his sword, when Irolite exclaimed,"Prince! Rush not into useless danger! Obey the orders ofFavourable!" These words calmed the anger of ParcinParcinet, and in obedience to his Princess, and to the Fairy,he wished that the beautiful Irolite was safe from the persecutionof the cruel Queen. He had scarcely formed the wish,when the earth opened between him and Ormond, and presentedto his sight a little misshapen man in a very magnificentdress, who made a sign to him to follow him. Thedescent was easy on his side, he rode down it accompaniedby the fair Irolite. Mana and the faithful slave followed them,and the earth reclosed above them. Ormond, astonished atso extraordinary an event, returned with all speed to informDanamo.

Meanwhile our young lovers followed the little mandown a very dark road, at the end of which they founda vast Palace, lighted only by a great quantity of lamps andflambeaux. They were desired to dismount, and entered aHall of prodigious magnitude. The roof was supported bycolumns of shining earth covered with golden ornaments.The walls were of the same material. A little man all coveredwith jewels was seated at the end of the Hall on a goldenthrone surrounded by a great number of persons as misshapenas the one who had conducted the Prince to that spot. Assoon as the latter appeared leading the charming Irolite, thelittle man rose from his throne and said, "Approach, Prince.The great Fairy Favourable, who has long been a friend ofmine, has requested me to save you from the cruelties ofDanamo. I am the King of the Gnomes. You and the fairPrincess who accompanies you are welcome to my Palace."Parcin Parcinet thanked him for the succour he had afforded[Pg 64]them. The King and all his subjects were enchanted withthe beauty of Irolite. They looked upon her as a star thathad descended to illuminate their abode. A magnificentbanquet was served up to the Prince and Princess. TheKing of the Gnomes did the honours. Music of a verymelodious, though somewhat barbaric, character, formed theentertainment of the evening. They sang the charms ofIrolite, and the following verses were frequently repeated:—

After the concert the Prince and Princess were each conductedto magnificent apartments. Mana and the faithfulslave attended on them. The next morning they were shownall over the King's Palace. He was master of all the treasurescontained in the bosom of the earth. It was impossible toadd to his riches. They presented a confused mass of beautifulthings; but art was wanting everywhere. The Prince andPrincess remained for a week in this subterranean region.Such was the order of Favourable to the King of the Gnomes.During this time entertainments were made for the Princessand her lover, which, though not very tasteful, were exceedinglymagnificent. The eve of their departure, the King, tocommemorate their sojourn in his empire, caused statues ofthem to be erected, one on each side of his throne. Theywere of gold, and the pedestals of white marble. The followinginscription, formed with diamonds, was upon the pedestal ofthe Prince's statue:—

The ninth day they presented the Prince with the mostbeautiful horses in the world. Their harness was of goldentirely covered with diamonds. He quitted the gloomyabode of the Gnomes with his little troop, after having expressedhis gratitude to the King. He found himself againon the very spot where Ormond had confronted him. Helooked at his ring, and perceived that only the silver andbrazen portions of it were discernible. He resumed his journeywith the charming Irolite, and made all speed to reach theabode of Favourable, where at length they might feel themselvesin safety, when all on a sudden, as they emerged froma valley, they encountered a troop of Danamo's guards, whohad not given up the pursuit. The soldiers prepared to rushupon them, when the Prince wished, and instantly a largepiece of water appeared between the party of Parcin Parcinetand that of the Fairy. A beautiful nymph, half naked, in alittle boat made of interwoven rushes, was seen in the middleof it. She approached the shore, and requested the Princeand Princess to enter the boat. Mana and the slave followedthem. The horses remained in the plain, and the little boatsuddenly sinking, the Fairy's Guards believed that the fugitiveshad perished in their attempt to escape. But at thesame moment they found themselves in a Palace, the walls ofwhich were only great sheets of water, which incessantlyfalling with perfect regularity, formed halls, apartments,cabinets, and surrounded gardens, in which a thousand fountainsof the most extraordinary shapes marked out the lines ofthe parterres. Only the Naiades, in whose empire they were,could inhabit this Palace, as beautiful as it was singular. Tooffer, therefore, a more substantial dwelling to the Prince andthe fair Irolite, the Naiade who was their conductor led theminto some grottoes of shell-work, where coral, pearls, and allthe treasures of the deep, were seen in dazzling profusion.The beds were of moss. An hundred dolphins guarded thegrotto of Irolite, and twenty whales that of Parcin Parcinet.The Naiades admired the beauty of the Princess, and morethan one Triton was jealous of the looks and attentions whichwere bestowed on the young Prince. They served up in thegrotto of the Princess a superb collation composed of all sortsof iced fruits. Twelve Syrens endeavoured with their sweetand charming songs to calm the anxiety of the young Prince[Pg 66]and the fair Irolite. The concert finished with theseverses:—

In the evening there was a banquet, at which nothing wasserved but fish, but of most extraordinary size and exquisiteflavour. After the banquet the Naiades danced a ballet indresses of fish-scales of various colours, which had the mostbeautiful effect in the world. The horns of Tritons, and otherinstruments unknown to mortals, performed the music, which,though strange, was novel and very agreeable.

Parcin Parcinet and the beautiful Irolite remained fourdays in this empire. Such were the commands of Favourable.The fifth day the Naiades assembled in crowds to escort thePrince and Princess. The two lovers were placed in a littleboat made of a single shell, and the Naiades, half out of thewater, accompanied them as far as the border of a river, whereParcin Parcinet found his horses waiting for him, and recommencedhis journey with the more haste, as he perceived, onexamining his ring, that the silver had disappeared, and thatnothing remained but the brass; they were, however, but ashort distance from the wished-for dwelling of the FairyFavourable. They travelled unmolested for three more days;but on the fourth morning they saw weapons glitter in thedistance in the rays of the rising sun, and as those who borethem advanced, they recognised Prince Ormond and hisband. Danamo had sent them back in pursuit with ordersnot to leave them when seen again, nor to quit the spotwhere anything extraordinary might occur to them, and,above all things, to endeavour to engage Parcin Parcinet insingle combat. Danamo had correctly imagined, from theaccount of Ormond, that a Fairy protected the Prince andPrincess; but her science was so great, that she did notdespair of conquering, by spells more potent than her antagonistcould cast around them. Ormond, delighted at beholdingagain the Prince and Irolite, whom he had soughtwith so much toil and anxiety, galloped, sword in hand, toencounter Parcin Parcinet, according to the commands of theFairy. The young Prince also drew his sabre with so fierce[Pg 67]an air, that Ormond more than once felt inclined to waver inhis course; but Parcin Parcinet, observing Irolite bathed intears, touched at the sight, formed his fourth wish, andinstantly a great fire rising almost to the clouds, separatedhim from his enemy. This fire made Ormond and his troopfall back, while the young Prince and Irolite, closely followedby the faithful slave and the prudent Mana, found themselvesin a Palace, the first sight of which greatly alarmed the fairIrolite.

It was entirely of flame; but her alarm subsided as sheperceived that she felt no more heat than from the rays ofthe sun, and that this flame had only the brilliancy andblaze of fire, without its more insupportable qualities. Crowdsof young and beautiful personages, in dresses over which lightflames appeared to wanton, presented themselves to receivethe Princess and her lover. One amongst them, whom theyimagined to be the Queen of those regions, by the respectthat was paid to her, accosted them, saying, "Come, charmingPrincess, and you also, handsome Parcin Parcinet; you are inthe Kingdom of Salamanders. I am its Queen, and it is withpleasure I have undertaken to conceal you for seven days inmy Palace, according to the commands of the Fairy Favourable.I would only that your stay here might be of longerduration." After these words they were led into a largeapartment, all of flames, like the rest of the Palace, and inwhich a light shone brighter than that of day. The Queengave that evening a grand supper, composed of every delicacy,and well served.

After the feast they repaired to a terrace, to witness adisplay of fireworks of marvellous beauty and great singularityof design, which were let off in a large court-yard ofthe Palace of Salamanders. Twelve Cupids were seen upon asmany columns of various coloured marbles. Six of themappeared to be drawing their bows, and the other six bore alarge shield, on which these words were written in letters offire:—

The young Princess blushed at her own fame, and ParcinParcinet was enchanted that the Salamanders considered heras beautiful as she appeared to him. Meanwhile, the Cupidsshot their flaming arrows, which, crossing each other in theair, formed in a thousand places the initials of the lovely nameof Irolite, and rose up to the Heavens.

The seven days she remained in the Palace were passed insimilar pleasures. Parcin Parcinet remarked that all theSalamanders were witty and charmingly vivacious, verygallant and affectionate. The Queen herself appeared not tobe exempt from the influence of the tender passion, but to beenamoured of a young Salamander of wonderful beauty.

The eighth day they quitted with regret a retreat socongenial to their feelings. They found themselves in alovely country. Parcin Parcinet looked at his ring, and discoveredengraved upon the metals, which were now all fourmixed together, the following words:—

These words sadly afflicted the Prince and Princess, butthey were now so near the abode of the Fairy Favourable,that they were in hopes of arriving there before evening.This reflection consoled them, and they proceeded, invokingFortune and Love; but, alas! they are frequently treacherousconductors. Parcin Parcinet was, in short, on the point ofentering the dominions of the Fairy Favourable; but Ormond,obeying the commands of Danamo, had not retired far fromthe spot where the fire had risen between him and his rival.He had encamped, with his party, behind a wood, and hissentinels, who kept incessant watch, brought him word thatthe Prince and Princess had re-appeared in the plain. Heordered his men to mount, and about sunset encountered theunfortunate Prince and the divine Irolite. Parcin Parcinetwas not dismayed at the numbers that fell upon him altogether.He charged them with a courage that daunted them."I fulfil my promise, beautiful Irolite," he exclaimed, as hedrew his sabre; "I will die for you or deliver you from yourenemies!" With these words he made a blow at the foremost,and felled him to the earth. But oh, unexpected misfortune!the wonderful sabre, which was the gift of the Fairy[Pg 69]Danamo, flew into a thousand pieces. She had foreseen thisresult of the combat. Whenever she made a present ofweapons, she charmed them in so peculiar a manner, that theinstant they were employed against her, the first blow shiveredthem to pieces.

Parcin Parcinet, then disarmed, could not make any prolongedresistance. He was overwhelmed by numbers, taken,laden with chains, and the young Irolite shared his fate."Ah, Fairy Favourable," mournfully ejaculated the Prince,"abandon me to all the severity of Danamo, but save the fairIrolite!" "You have disobeyed the Fairy," replied a youthof surprising beauty, who appeared in the air. "You mustsuffer the penalty. Had you not been so prodigal of herfavour, we should to-day have saved you for ever from thecruelties of Danamo. All the Empire of the Sylphs lamentsbeing deprived of the glory of securing happiness to socharming a Prince and so beautiful a Princess." So saying,he vanished, and Parcin Parcinet groaned at the recollectionof his imprudence: he seemed insensible to his own misfortunes,but how deeply did he feel those of Irolite! Hisremorse at having been the cause of them would have destroyedhim, had not Destiny resolved that he should live tosuffer still more cruel agony.

The young Irolite displayed a courage worthy of theillustrious race from which she had descended, and the pitilessOrmond, far from being affected at so touching a spectacle,strove to aggravate the misery he occasioned them. He hadthe prisoners separated, and so deprived them of the melancholypleasure of mingling their tears over their departedhopes. Their wretched journey ended, they were taken tothe palace of the wicked Fairy. She felt a malignant joy atseeing the young Prince and Princess in a state that wouldhave awakened pity in the heart of any other creature.Even Azire commiserated Parcin Parcinet, but did not dareto evince it before the Fairy. "I shall at length, then,"said the cruel Queen, addressing herself to the Prince, "havethe pleasure of revenging myself for thy ingratitude. Go!In lieu of ascending the throne my favour had destined thee,enter the prison on the sea, in which thou shalt end thywretched life in frightful tortures." "I prefer the mosthorrible dungeon," replied the Prince, looking proudly at[Pg 70]her, "to the favours of so unjust a Queen as thou art!"These words increased the irritation of the Fairy. She hadexpected to see him humble himself at her feet. She senthim instantly to the prison she had fixed upon. Irolite weptas he was dragged away; Azire could not suppress her sighs,and all the Court mourned in secret the merciless sentence.As for the beautiful Irolite, the Queen had her removed tothe Château in which she had previously so long resided,placed a strict guard upon her, and treated her with all theinhumanity of which she was capable.

The prison to which they conveyed the Prince was afrightful tower in the midst of the sea, built on a little desertisland. They shut him up in it, laden with irons, and treatedhim with all the severity imaginable. What an abode for aPrince worthy to reign over the universe! To think ofIrolite was his sole occupation. He invoked the help of theFairy Favourable for his dear Princess alone, and wished athousand times a day, to expiate by death the only injury hehad done her. His faithful slave had been consigned to thesame prison, but he had not the satisfaction of serving hisillustrious master, and Parcin Parcinet had about him nonebut fierce soldiers, devoted to the Fairy, who nevertheless,while obeying her orders, respected, despite themselves, theunfortunate captive. His youth, his beauty, and, above all,his courage, excited in them an admiration which compelledthem to regard him as a man very superior to all others.The prudent Mana had been dragged to the Château in whichthey had immured Irolite, as the Prince's faithful slave hadbeen to the prison on the sea. Danamo's women aloneapproached the Princess, and by the Fairy's orders overwhelmedher every moment with new misery, by their accountsof the sufferings of Parcin Parcinet. The distresses of herlover made Irolite forget her own, and everything renewedher tears in that spot where she had so often heard thatcharming Prince swear to her eternal fidelity. "Alas!" shemurmured to herself, "why have you been so faithful, mydear Prince? Your inconstancy would have killed me; butwhat of that, you would have lived, and been happy!"

After three months' suffering, Danamo, who had employedthat period in the preparation of a spell of extraordinarypower, sent to Irolite one morning a couple of lamps, one of[Pg 71]gold, the other of crystal, commanding her to keep one ofthe two always burning, but leaving her to choose which shewould light. Irolite, with her natural docility, sent wordthat she would obey the Fairy's orders, without even seekingto comprehend their object.

She carried the two lamps carefully to a cabinet. Thegolden one was lighted when she received it, and thereforeshe allowed it to burn throughout that day and night, andthe next morning she lighted the other. In this manner shecontinued to obey the Fairy, lighting the lamps alternatelyfor fifteen days, when her health became seriously affected.She attributed her failing strength to her sorrow, and, toincrease her grief, they informed her that Parcin Parcinetwas exceedingly ill. What tidings for Irolite! Her deepdistress, her utter prostration, affected all her attendants.One evening, when the rest were asleep, one of them softlyapproached the Princess, and seeing her about to light thecrystal lamp, said to her, "Extinguish that fatal light, yourexistence depends upon it. Save the life of one so lovelyfrom the cruel designs of Danamo." "Alas!" feebly repliedthe wretched Irolite, "she has rendered my life so miserable,that it is but kind of the Fairy to afford me such means ofending it; but," added she, with an emotion which broughtback the colour to her pale cheeks, "what life depends uponthe golden lamp, which I have been equally careful to lightin its turn?" "That of Parcin Parcinet," answered theconfidante of Danamo, for the woman was but obeying herorders in thus speaking to the Princess. The wicked Fairywished to torment her by this revelation of the cruel taskshe had imposed upon her. At this intelligence her agony athaving unconsciously hastened the termination of her lover'sexistence, deprived her for some considerable time of hersenses. On recovering them, she at the same time returnedto her despair. "Hateful Fairy!" she exclaimed, as soon asshe had power to speak, "Barbarous Fairy! will not my deathsatisfy thy vengeance? Wouldst thou condemn me, inhuman,to destroy with my own hand a Prince so dear to me,and so worthy of the most perfect and tender affection?But death, a thousand times more merciful than thou art,will soon deliver me from all the tortures which thy wrathhath invented, to rack such fond and faithful hearts."

The young Princess wept incessantly over the fatal lamp,on which depended the life of Parcin Parcinet, and from thatmoment only lighted the one that wasted her own. Thatshe saw burn with joy, regarding it as a sacrifice to love, andto her lover. In the meanwhile the wretched Prince was aprey to tortures, which surpassed even his powers of endurance.By command of the Fairy, one of his guards, feigning to pitythe misfortunes of the illustrious prisoner, informed him thatIrolite had consented to marry Prince Ormond, a few daysafter he (Parcin Parcinet) had been consigned to the frightfuldungeon in which he still languished. That the Princess hadappeared quite happy since her marriage, that she had beenpresent at all the entertainments given in celebration of it,and had finally quitted the country with her husband. Thiswas the only misfortune the Prince had not anticipated,and it was also the only one too heavy for him to bear."What!" he exclaimed, despairingly, "Thou art faithless tome, dear Irolite! Thou art the bride of Ormond! Thouhast not even pitied my misfortunes. Thou hast but thoughthow to end those my love brought upon thyself. Live happy,ungrateful Irolite! Inconstant as thou art, I still adore thee,and desire but to die for love, as thou wouldst not I shouldhave the glory of dying for thee!"

Whilst Parcin Parcinet was plunged in this affliction, andthe tender Irolite wasted her own life to prolong that of herlover, Danamo was moved by the despair of Azire, who wasdying with sorrow for the sufferings of Parcin Parcinet. Thecruel Fairy perceived at length that, to save the life of herchild, it was necessary to pardon the Prince, to permit Azireto visit him, and to promise him all the benefits that hadpreviously awaited him, provided he consented to marry her,and the Fairy determined to put Irolite to death, the momentthe Prince had accepted that offer.

The hope of again beholding Parcin Parcinet restoredAzire to life, and the Fairy allowed her to send to Irolite'sChâteau for the golden lamp, which she desired to keep in herown custody, that she might be certain it was not lighted.This mandate seemed more cruel than all the others to theafflicted Irolite. What anxiety did she not endure respectingthe fate of Parcin Parcinet. "Do not distress yourself somuch about the Prince," said the women in attendance upon[Pg 73]her, "he is going to marry the Princess Azire, and it is shewho, interested in the preservation of his life, has sent for thelamp on which it depends."

The torments of jealousy had as yet been wanting, to completethe misery of the unfortunate Irolite. At these wordsshe felt them waking in her heart. In the meanwhile Azirehad visited the Prince, and offered him her hand and herkingdoms; then, pretending to be ignorant that he had beentold that Irolite had married Ormond, she endeavoured toconvince him by citing this example, that he had been morethan sufficiently constant. Parcin Parcinet, to whom nothingwas valuable without the charming Irolite, preferred his prisonand his sufferings to liberty and sovereignty. Azire was distractedat his refusal, and her affliction rendered her almostas unhappy as he was.

During this time the Fairy Favourable, who had hithertoboasted of her insensibility to love, had found it impossibleto resist the attractions of a young Prince residing at herCourt. He had conceived a passion for her. The Fairy hadconsiderable difficulty in bringing herself to let him knowthat his attentions had conquered her pride. At length,however, she yielded to the desire of acquainting him withhis triumph. The pleasure of conversing with those we loveappeared to her then so charming and so desirable, that,excusing the fault she had so severely punished, she repaired,in all haste, to the assistance of Parcin Parcinet and the beautifulIrolite.

A little later, and her aid would have been useless. Thefatal lamp of Irolite had but six days longer to burn, and thegrief of Parcin Parcinet was rapidly terminating his existence,when the Fairy Favourable arrived at the Palace of Danamo.She was by far the most powerful, and made herself obeyeddespite the anger of the wicked Fairy. The Prince wasreleased from prison; but he would not quit it until he wasassured by Favourable that the fair Irolite might still be hisbride. He appeared, notwithstanding his pallor, more beautifulthan the day, the light of which he was once more permittedto behold. He repaired, with the Fairy Favourable,to the Château of his Princess. Her lamp emitted but afeeble light, and the dying Irolite would not allow them toextinguish it until she had been assured of the fidelity of her[Pg 74]now happy lover. There are no words capable of expressingthe perfect joy experienced by the fond pair at this meeting.The Fairy Favourable restored them in an instant to all theirformer health and beauty, and endowed them with long lifeand constant felicity. Their affection she found it impossibleto increase. Danamo, furious at beholding her authority thusoverthrown, perished by her own hand. The fate of Azireand of Ormond was left by the Prince to the decision ofIrolite. The only vengeance she took upon them was unitingthem in marriage, and Parcin Parcinet, as generous as he wasconstant, would only receive his father's kingdom, leavingAzire to reign over those of Danamo.

The nuptials of the Prince and the divine Irolite werecelebrated with infinite magnificence, and after duly expressingtheir gratitude to the Fairy Favourable, and heapingrewards on the slave and the prudent Mana, they departed fortheir kingdom, where the Prince and the charming Iroliteenjoyed the rare happiness of loving as fondly and truly inprosperity as they had done in adversity.

ANGUILLETTE.

To whatever greatness Destiny may elevate those it favours,there is no worldly felicity exempt from serious sorrow. Onecannot be acquainted with Fairies, and be ignorant that themost skilful amongst them have failed to discover a charmwhich would secure them from the misfortune of being compelledto change their shape some few days in every month,for that of some animal, terrestrial, celestial, or aquatic.

During that dangerous period, when they are completelyat the mercy of mankind, they have frequently great difficultyin saving themselves from the perils to which that sternnecessity exposes them.

One amongst them, who had changed herself into an Eel,was unfortunately taken by fishermen, and flung immediatelyinto a small square tank in the midst of a beautiful meadow,wherein they kept the fish that were daily required for thetable of the King of that country. Anguillette (so was theFairy named) found in her new abode a great many fine fishdestined, like herself, to live but a few hours. She had heardthe fishermen say to one another, that that very evening theKing purposed to give a grand banquet, for the which thesefine fish had been carefully selected.

What tidings for the unfortunate Fairy! She accused theFates of cruelty a thousand times! She sighed most sadly;but after hiding herself for some time at the very bottom of thewater, in order to bewail her misfortune in solitude, the desireto escape if possible from so urgent a peril, induced her to lookabout her in every direction to see if she could not by somemeans get out of the reservoir, and regain the river which ran[Pg 76]at no great distance from that spot. But the Fairy lookedin vain. The tank was too deep for her to hope to get outof it without help, and her distress was augmented by seeingthe fishermen who had taken her again approaching. Theybegan to throw in their nets, and Anguillette, by avoidingthem with great cunning, retarded for a few moments thedeath that awaited her. The youngest of the King's daughterswas walking at that time in the meadow. She approached thetank to amuse herself by seeing the men fish.

The sun, about to set, shone brilliantly on the water. Theskin of Anguillette, which was very glossy, glittered in itsrays as if partly gilt and of all the colours of the rainbow.The young Princess caught sight of her, and thinking herexceedingly beautiful, ordered the fishermen to try and catchthat Eel for her. They obeyed, and the unfortunate Fairywas speedily placed in the hands of the person who woulddecide her fate.

When the Princess had contemplated Anguillette for a fewmoments, she was touched with compassion, and running tothe riverside, put her gently into the water. This unexpectedservice filled the Fairy's heart with gratitude. She appearedon the surface, and said to the Princess, "I owe you my life,generous Plousine (such was her name), but it is most fortunatefor you that I do so. Be not afraid," she continued,observing the young Princess about to run away. "I am aFairy, and will prove the truth of my words by heaping aninfinite number of favours upon you."

As people were accustomed in those days to behold Fairies,Plousine recovered from her first alarm, and listened withgreat attention to the agreeable promises of Anguillette. Sheeven began to answer her; but the Fairy interrupting her,said, "Wait till you have profited by my favour before youexpress your acknowledgments. Go, young Princess, andreturn to this spot to-morrow morning. Think, in the meantime,what you would wish for, and whatever it may be I willgrant it. You may, at your choice, possess the most perfectand bewitching beauty, the finest and most charming intellect,or incalculable riches." After these words, Anguillette sankto the bottom of the river, and left Plousine highly gratifiedwith her adventure.

She determined not to tell any one what had befallen her,[Pg 77]"For," said she, to herself, "if Anguillette should deceiveme, my sisters will believe that I invented this story."

After this little reflection, she hastened to rejoin her suite,which was composed of only a few ladies. She found themlooking for her.

The young Plousine was occupied all the succeeding nightin thinking what should be her choice. Beauty almost turnedthe scale; but as she had sufficient sense to desire still more,she finally determined to request that favour of the Fairy.

She rose with the sun, and ran to the meadow under thepretence of gathering flowers to make a garland, as she said,to present to the Queen, her mother, at her levée. Herattendants dispersed themselves about the meadow to cull thefreshest and most beautiful of the flowers with which it waseverywhere enamelled.

Meanwhile, the young Princess hastened to the riverside,and found upon the spot where she had seen the Fairy, acolumn of white marble, of the most perfect purity. Aninstant afterwards, the column opened and the Fairy emergedfrom it, and appeared to the Princess no longer as a fish, butas a tall and beautiful woman, of majestic demeanour, andwhose robes and head-dress were covered with jewels.

"I am Anguillette," said she to the young Princess, whogazed upon her with great attention; "I come to fulfil mypromise. You have chosen intellectual perfection, and you shallpossess it from this very moment. You shall have so muchsense as to be envied by those who till now have flatteredthemselves they were specially endowed with it."

The youthful Plousine, at these words, felt a considerablealteration taking place in her mind. She thanked the Fairywith an eloquence that till then she had been a stranger to.

The Fairy smiled at the astonishment the Princess couldnot conceal at her own powers of expression. "I am so muchpleased with you," said the benignant Anguillette, "formaking the choice you have done, in lieu of preferring beautyof person, which has such charms for one of your sex and age,that to reward you, I will add the gift of that loveliness youhave so prudently foregone. Return hither to-morrow, atthe same hour,—I give you till then to choose the style ofbeauty you would possess."

The Fairy disappeared, and left the young Plousine still[Pg 78]more impressed with her good fortune. Her choice of superiorintellect was dictated by reason, but the promise of surpassingbeauty flattered her heart, and that which touches the heartis always felt most deeply.

On quitting the riverside, the Princess took the flowerspresented to her by her attendants, and made a very tastefulgarland with them, which she carried to the Queen; but whatwas her Majesty's astonishment, that of the King, and of allthe Court, to hear Plousine speak with an elegance and afluency which captivated every heart.

The Princesses, her sisters, vainly endeavoured to contesther mental superiority; they were compelled to wonder atand admire it.

Night came. The Princess, occupied with the expectationof becoming beautiful, instead of retiring to rest, passed intoa cabinet hung with portraits, in which, under the form ofgoddesses, were represented several of the Queens andPrincesses of her family. All these were beauties, and sheindulged a hope that they would assist her in deciding on astyle of beauty worthy to be solicited from a Fairy. Thefirst that met her sight was a Juno. She was fair and had apresence such as should distinguish the Queen of the Gods.Pallas and Venus stood beside her. The subject of the picturewas the Judgment of Paris.

The noble haughtiness of Pallas excited the admiration ofthe young Princess; but the loveliness of Venus almostdecided her choice. Nevertheless, she passed on to the nextpicture, in which was seen Pomona reclining on a couch ofturf, beneath trees laden with the finest fruits in the world.She appeared so charming, that the Princess, who sincemorning had become acquainted with all their stories, wasnot surprised that a God had taken various forms in order toplease her.

Diana next appeared, attired as the poets represent her,the quiver slung behind her, and the bow in her hand. She waspursuing a stag, and followed by a numerous band of Nymphs.

Flora attracted her attention a little further off. Sheappeared to be walking in a garden, the flowers of which,although exquisite, could not be compared to the bloom ofher complexion. Next came the Graces, beautiful and enchanting.This picture was the last in the room.

But the Princess was struck by that which was over themantel-piece. It was the Goddess of Youth. A heavenly airwas shed over her whole person. Her tresses were the fairestin the world; the turn of her head was most graceful, hermouth charming, her figure perfectly beautiful, and her eyesappeared much more likely to intoxicate than the nectar withwhich she seemed to be filling a cup.

"I will wish," exclaimed the young Princess, after she hadcontemplated with delight this lovely portrait, "I will wishto be as beautiful as Hebe, and to remain so as long aspossible."

After this determination she returned to her bed-chamber,where the day she awaited seemed to her impatience as if itwould never dawn.

At length it came, and she hastened again to the riverside.The Fairy kept her word. She appeared, and threw afew drops of water in the face of Plousine, who became immediatelyas beautiful as she had desired to be.

Some sea-gods had accompanied the Fairy. Their applausewas the first effect produced by the charms of the fortunatePlousine. She looked at her image in the water, and couldnot recognise herself. Her silence and her astonishmentwere for the moment the only indications of her thankfulness.

"I have fulfilled all your wishes," said the generous Fairy."You ought to be content; but I shall not be so if my favoursdo not far exceed your desires. In addition to the wit andbeauty I have endowed you with, I bestow on you all thetreasures at my disposal. They are inexhaustible. You havebut to wish whenever you please for infinite wealth, and atthe same moment you will acquire it, not only for yourself,but for all those you may deem worthy to possess it."

The Fairy disappeared, and the youthful Plousine, now aslovely as Hebe, returned to the palace. Everybody who mether was enchanted. They announced her arrival to the King,who was himself lost in admiration of her, and it was only byher voice and her talent that they recognised the amiablePrincess. She informed the King that a Fairy had bestowedall those precious gifts upon her; and she was no longer calledanything but Hebe, in consequence of her perfect resemblanceto the portrait of that Goddess. What new causes were hereto engender the hatred of her sisters against her! The[Pg 80]beauties of her mind had excited their jealousy much lessthan those of her person.

All the Princes who had been attracted by their charmsbecame faithless to them without the least hesitation. Inlike manner were all the other Court beauties abandoned bytheir admirers. No tears or reproaches could stop the flightof those inconstant lovers, and this conduct, which thenappeared so singular, has since, it is said, become a commoncustom.

Notwithstanding the hatred her sisters evinced towardsher, she neglected nothing that she thought might pleasethem. She wished for so much wealth for the eldest—andto wish and to give were the same thing to her,—that thegreatest Sovereign in that part of the world requested thehand of that Princess in marriage, and the nuptials were celebratedwith incredible magnificence. The King, Hebe'sfather, desired to take the field with a great army. Thewishes of his beautiful daughter caused him to succeed in allhis enterprises, and his kingdom was filled with such immensewealth, that he became the most formidable of all the monarchsin the universe.

The divine Hebe, however, weary of the bustle of theCourt, was anxious to pass a few months in a pleasant mansiona short distance from the capital. She had excluded from itall magnificence, but everything about it was elegant, and ofa charming simplicity. Nature alone had taken care to embellishthe walks, which Art had not been employed to form.A wood, the paths through which had something wild in theirscenery, intersected by rivulets and little torrents that formednatural cascades, surrounded this beautiful retreat.

The youthful Hebe often walked in this solitary wood.One day, when her heart felt more than usually oppressedwith a tedium and lassitude to which she was now constantlysubject, she endeavoured to ascertain the reason of it. Sheseated herself on the turf, beside a rivulet that with gentlemurmur courted meditation.

"What sorrow is it," she asked herself, "that comes thusto trouble the excess of my happiness? What Princess inall the universe is blest with a lot so perfect as mine? The[Pg 81]beneficence of the Fairy has accorded me all I wished for. Ican heap treasures upon all who surround me. I am adoredby all who behold me, and my heart is a stranger to everypainful emotion. No! I cannot imagine whence arises theinsupportable weariness which has for some time past detractedfrom the happiness of my life."

The young Princess was incessantly occupied by this reflection.At length she determined to go to the bank of Anguilette'sriver, and endeavour to obtain an interview with her.

The Fairy, accustomed to indulge her inclinations, appearedon the surface of the water. It happened to be one of thedays when she was changed into a fish.

"It always gives me pleasure to see you, young Princess,"said she to Hebe. "I know you have been passing sometime in a very solitary dwelling, and you appear to me in alanguishing state, which does not at all correspond with yourgood fortune. What hails you, Hebe? Confide in me.""There is nothing the matter," replied the young Princess,with some embarrassment. "You have showered too manybenefits upon me for anything to be wanting to a felicitywhich is your own work." "You would deceive me," rejoinedthe Fairy; "I see it easily. You are no longersatisfied. Yet what more can you desire? Deserve my favourby a frank confession," added the gracious Fairy, "and Ipromise you I will again fulfil your wishes." "I know notwhat I wish," replied the charming Hebe. "But nevertheless,"she continued, casting down her beautiful eyes, "I feela lack of something, and that, whatever it may be, it is thatwhich is absolutely essential to my happiness." "Ah!"exclaimed the Fairy, "it is love that you are sighing for.That passion alone could inspire you with such strange ideas.Dangerous disposition!" continued the prudent Fairy. "Yousigh for love—you shall experience it. Hearts are but toonaturally disposed to be affected by it. But I warn you thatyou will vainly invoke me to deliver you from the fatalpassion you believe to be so sweet a blessing. My powerdoes not extend so far."

"I care not," quickly replied the Princess, smiling andblushing at the same moment. "Alas! of what value to meare all the gifts you have bestowed upon me, if I cannot inturn make with them the happiness of another?" The[Pg 82]Fairy sighed at these words, and sank to the bottom of theriver.

Hebe retraced her steps to the wilderness, her heart filledwith a hope which already began to dissipate her melancholy.The warnings of the Fairy caused her some anxiety; but herprudent reflections were soon banished by others, as dangerousas they were agreeable.

On reaching home she found a courier awaiting her witha message from the King, commanding her return to theCourt that very day, in order that she might be present at anentertainment in preparation for the succeeding one. Shetook her departure accordingly, a few hours after the receiptof the message, and returned to the Court, where she wasreceived with great pleasure by the King and Queen; whoinformed her that a foreign Prince, upon his travels, havingarrived there a few days previously, they had determined togive him a fête, that he might talk in other countries of themagnificence displayed in their kingdom.

The youthful Hebe, obeying a presentiment of which shewas unconscious, first inquired of the Princess, her sister, ifthe foreigner was handsome. "I never yet saw any one thatcould be compared to him," answered the Princess. "Describe,him to me," said Hebe, with emotion. "He is such as theypaint heroes," replied Ilerie. "His form is graceful; his demeanournoble; his eyes are full of a fire that has alreadymade more than one indifferent beauty at this Court acknowledgetheir power. He has the finest head in the world;his hair is dark brown; and the moment he appears, heabsorbs the attention of all beholders."

"You draw a most charming portrait of him," said theyouthful Hebe; "is it not a little flattered?" "No, sister,"replied the Princess Ilerie, with a sigh she could not suppress."Alas! you will find him, perhaps, but too worthy of admiration."

The Queen retired, and the beautiful Hebe, as soon as shehad time to examine her heart, perceived that she had lostthat tranquillity of which, till now, she had not known thevalue.

"Anguillette!" she exclaimed, as soon as she was alone."Alas! what is this object which you have allowed to presentitself to my sight? Your prudent counsels are rendered vain[Pg 83]by its presence. Why do you not give me strength enoughto resist such attractive charms? It may be, however, thattheir power surpasses that of any Fairy."

Hebe slept but little that night. She rose very early, andthe thought of how she should dress herself for the fête thatevening occupied her the whole day, to a degree she had beenpreviously a stranger to, for it was the first time she had feltan anxiety to please.

The young foreigner, actuated by the same desire, neglectednothing that might make him appear agreeable to the eyes ofthe charming Hebe. The Princess Ilerie was equally solicitousof conquest. She possessed a thousand attractions, and whenHebe was not beside her, she was considered the most beautifulcreature in the world; but Hebe outshone every one.The Queen gave a magnificent ball that evening; it was succeededby a marvellous banquet. The young foreigner wouldhave been struck by its prodigious splendour, if he could havelooked at anything besides Hebe. After the banquet, a noveland brilliant illumination shed another daylight over thepalace gardens. It was summer-time; the company descendedinto the gardens for the pleasure of an evening promenade.The handsome foreigner conducted the Queen; but thishonour did not compensate him for being deprived of thecompany of his Princess, even for a few moments. The treeswere decorated with festoons of flowers, and the lamps whichformed the illumination were disposed in a manner to represent,in every direction, bows, arrows, and other weapons ofCupid, together, in some places, with inscriptions.

The company entered a little grove, illuminated like therest of the gardens, and the Queen seated herself beside apleasant fountain, around which had been arranged seats ofturf, ornamented with garlands of pinks and roses. Whilstthe Queen was engaged in conversation with the King and ahost of courtiers that surrounded them, the Princesses amusedthemselves by reading the sentences formed by small lampsunder the various devices. The handsome foreigner was atthat moment close to the beautiful Hebe. She turned her eyestowards a spot in which appeared a shower of darts, and readaloud these words, which were displayed beneath them:—

"They are those which are shot from the eyes of thedivine Hebe," quickly added the Prince, looking at hertenderly. The Princess heard him, and felt confused; butthe Prince drew from her embarrassment a happy augury forhis love, as it appeared unmingled with anger. The fête terminatedwith a thousand delightful novelties. The charms ofthe stranger had touched too sensibly the heart of Ilerie forher to be long without perceiving that he loved another. ThePrince had paid her some attention previous to the arrival ofHebe at Court; but since he had seen the latter, he had beenwholly engrossed by his passion.

In the meanwhile the young stranger endeavoured, by everyproof of affection, to touch the heart of the beautiful Princess.He was devoted, amiable—her fate compelled her to love, andthe Fairy abandoned her to the inclinations of her heart.What excuses for yielding! She could no longer struggleagainst herself. The charming Stranger had informed her thathe was the son of a King, and that his name was Atimir.This name was known to the Princess. The Prince had performedwonders in a war between the two kingdoms; and asthey had always been opposed to each other, he had notchosen to appear at the Court of Hebe's royal father underhis real name.

The young Princess, after a conversation during which herheart fully imbibed the sweet and dangerous poison of whichthe Fairy had warned her, gave permission to Atimir to discloseto the King his rank and his love. The young Princewas transported with delight; he flew to the King's apartments,and urged his suit with all the eloquence his lovecould inspire him with.

The King conducted him to the Queen. This proposedmarriage, assuring the establishment of a lasting peace betweenthe two kingdoms, the hand of the beautiful Hebe was promisedto her happy lover as soon as he had received the consentof the King, his father. The news was soon circulated,and the Princess Ilerie suffered anguish equal to her jealousy.She wept—she groaned; but it was necessary to control heremotion and conceal her vain regrets.

The beautiful Hebe and Atimir now saw each other continually;their affection increased daily, and in those happy[Pg 85]days the young Princess could not imagine why the Fairiesdid not employ all their skill to make mortals fall in lovewhen they wished to insure their felicity.

An ambassador from Atimir's royal father arrived at Court.He had been awaited with the utmost impatience. He wasthe bearer of the required consent, and preparations wereimmediately commenced for the celebration of those grandnuptials. Atimir had therefore no longer any reason foranxiety—a dangerous state for a lover one desires to retainfaithful.

As soon as the Prince felt certain of his happiness, hebecame less ardent. One day that he was on his way to meetthe fair Hebe in the palace gardens, he heard the voices offemales in conversation in a bower of honeysuckles. Hecaught the sound of his name, and this awakened his curiosityto know more. He approached the bower softly, and easilyrecognised the voice of the Princess Ilerie. "I shall diebefore that fatal day, my dear Cléonice," said she, to ayoung person seated beside her. "The gods will not permitme to behold the ungrateful object of my love united to thetoo fortunate Hebe. My torments are too keen to enduremuch longer." "But, madam," replied her female companion,"Prince Atimir is not faithless; he has never avowedlove for you. Destiny alone is to blame for your misfortunes,and amongst all the princes who adore you, you might find,perhaps, one more amiable than he is, did not a fatal prepossessionengross your heart." "More amiable than him!"rejoined Ilerie. "Is there such a being in the universe?Powerful Fairy!" she added, with a sigh, "of all the blessingswith which you have laden the fortunate Hebe, I butcovet that of Atimir's devoted attachment to her." Thewords of the Princess were interrupted by her tears. Ah!how happy would she have been had she known how muchthose tears had moved the heart of Atimir!

She rose to leave the bower, and the Prince hid himselfbehind some trees to escape observation. The tears and thelove of Ilerie had affected him deeply, but he imagined theywere but the emotions of pity which he felt for a beautifulPrincess whom he had unintentionally made so miserable.He proceeded to join Hebe, and the contemplation of her[Pg 86]charms banished for the moment all other thoughts from hismind. In passing through the gardens, as he returned withthe Princess Hebe to the Palace, he trod upon somethingwhich attracted his attention. He picked it up, and found itwas a set of magnificent tablets. It was not far from thebower in which he had overheard the conversation of Ilerieand her attendant. He feared if Hebe saw the tablets, shewould obtain some knowledge of his adventure. He hid them,therefore, without her having observed them. She happenedat that moment to be occupied in re-adjusting some ornamentin her head-dress.

That evening Ilerie did not make her appearance in theQueen's apartments. It was reported that she had felt indisposedon returning from her walk. Atimir perfectly understoodthat her object was to conceal the agitation to which hehad seen her a prey in the bower of honeysuckles. Thisreflection increased his compassion for her.

As soon as he had retired to his own chamber he opened thetablets he had picked up. On the first leaf he saw a cipherformed of a double A, crowned with a wreath of myrtle, andsupported by two little Cupids, one of whom appeared to bewiping the tears from his cheeks with the end of the ribbonthat bandaged his eyes, and the other breaking his arrows.The sight of this cipher agitated the young Prince. Heknew that Ilerie drew admirably. He turned over the leafquickly to gain further information, and on the opposite sidefound the following lines:-

The handwriting, which he recognised, but too clearly provedto him that the tablets were those of the Princess Ilerie. Hewas affected by the great tenderness of these sentiments,which far from being nourished by his love and attentions,were not even encouraged by hope. These verses remindedhim that previous to the arrival of Hebe at Court he hadthought Ilerie lovely. He began to consider himself unfaithfulto that Princess, and he became too seriously so tothe charming Hebe.

He struggled, however, against these first emotions; but[Pg 87]his heart was accustomed to range, and so dangerous a habitis rarely corrected.

He threw Ilerie's tablets on a table, resolving not to lookat them any more; but he took them up again a momentafterwards, despite himself, and found in them a thousandthings which completed the triumph of Ilerie over the divineHebe.

The Prince's heart was occupied all night by conflictingfeelings. In the morning he waited on the King, who namedthe day he had fixed on for his marriage with Hebe. Atimirreplied with an embarrassment which the King mistook for aproof of his passion—(how little do we know of the humanheart!) It was the effect of his inconstancy! The Kingdesired to visit the Queen; the Prince was obliged to followhim. He had been there but a short time when the PrincessIlerie appeared with an air of melancholy which made hermore lovely in the eyes of the inconstant Atimir, who wasaware of its cause. He approached her, and talked to her forsome time. He gave her to understand that he was no longerignorant of her affection for him. He spoke with ardour ofhis feelings for her. It was too much for Ilerie. Ah! howis it possible to receive calmly the assurance of so great sounexpected a happiness.

The charming Hebe entered the Queen's apartments shortlyafterwards. Her sight brought the blood into the cheeksboth of the Princess Ilerie and of the fickle Atimir. "Howbeautiful she is!" exclaimed Ilerie, looking at the Prince withan emotion she could not conceal. "Avoid her, sir, or endat once my existence." The Prince had not power to answerher. Hebe approached them with a grace and charm whichunconsciously loaded with reproaches the ungrateful Atimir.He could not long endure his position. He quitted thePrincess, saying that he was anxious to despatch a courier tohis father. She was so prepossessed in his favour that shenever noticed some eloquent glances at Ilerie, which he caston leaving her.

While Ilerie triumphed in secret, the beautiful Hebe learnedfrom the King and Queen that in three days she was to bethe bride of Atimir. How unworthy was he of the sensationswhich this news awakened in the heart of the lovely Hebe.

The faithless Prince, though pre-occupied by his new[Pg 88]passion, passed part of the day in Hebe's company. Ilerie waspresent, and was a thousand times ready to die with jealousy.Her love had redoubled since she had entertained hope.

On returning to his own apartments in the evening, thePrince was presented with a note by an unknown messenger.He opened it hastily, and found in it these words:—

"I yield to a passion a thousand times stronger than myreason. Since I can no longer attempt to conceal sentimentswhich chance has revealed to you, come, Prince, come, andlearn the determination to which I am driven by the love youhave inspired me with. Oh, how happy will it be for me if itcost me but my life!"

The bearer of the note informed the Prince that he wascommissioned to conduct him to the spot where the PrincessIlerie awaited him. Atimir did not hesitate a moment tofollow him, and after several turnings, he was introduced intoa little pavilion at the end of a very dark avenue. The interiorof the pavilion was sufficiently lighted. He found in itIlerie with one of her attendants; the rest were walking inthe gardens. When she had retired to this apartment, noone entered it without her orders. Ilerie was seated on a pileof cushions of crimson and gold embroidery. Her dress wasrich and elegant, the material being of yellow and silver tissue.Her hair, which was black and exceedingly beautiful, was ornamentedwith ribbons of the same colour as the dress, and tiesof yellow diamonds. At her sight, Atimir could not persuadehimself that infidelity was a crime. He knelt at her feet, andIlerie, gazing upon him with a tenderness sufficiently indicativeof the emotion of her heart, said, "Prince, I have notcaused you to come hither in order to persuade you to breakoff your marriage; I know too well it is determined upon, andthe expressions with which you have endeavoured to alleviatemy misfortune and flatter my affection do not induce me tobelieve that you would abandon Hebe for me; but," she continued,with a gush of tears, which completed the conquest ofthe heart of Atimir, "I will not endure the life which youhave rendered so wretched. I will sacrifice it without regretto my love, and this poison," she added, showing a little boxwhich she had in her hand, "will save me from the fearfultorment of seeing you the husband of Hebe."

"No, beautiful Ilerie!" exclaimed the fickle Prince, "I will[Pg 89]never be her husband. I will abandon all for your sake; I loveyou a thousand times better than I loved Hebe; and despitemy duty and my faith so solemnly plighted, I am ready tofly with you to a spot where no obstacle shall exist to ourhappiness." "Ah, Prince!" said Ilerie, with a sigh, "can Iconfide, then, in one so faithless?" "He will never be faithlessto you," rejoined Atimir. "And the King, your father,who gave Hebe to me, will not refuse to sanction my unionwith the lovely Ilerie, when she is already mine." "Away,then, Atimir," said the Princess, after a few minutes' silence."Let us hasten whither our destiny leads us. Whatevermisery the step entails on me, nothing can weigh against thesweet delights of loving and being beloved."

After these words, they consulted together respecting theirflight. There was no time to lose. They determined to departthe following night. They separated with regret, and,notwithstanding the vows of Atimir, Ilerie still feared thepower of Hebe's attractions. The rest of that night and allthe next day she was a prey to that anxiety.

In the meanwhile, the Prince hurriedly gave all the necessaryorders for keeping his departure secret, and the next day,as soon as everybody in the palace had retired to their apartments,he hastened to join Ilerie in the pavilion in the garden,where she awaited him, attended only by Cléonice. They setout, and made incredible haste to pass the frontiers of thekingdom.

The following morning the news was made public, by aletter which Ilerie had written to the Queen, and anotherwhich Atimir had addressed to the King. They were couched intouching language, and it was easy to perceive that love haddictated them. The King and Queen were extremely enraged;but no words can express the agony of the unfortunate andcharming Hebe. What despair! what tears! what petitionsto the Fairy Anguillette to terminate torments equal to themost cruel she had predicted! But the Fairy kept her word.In vain did Hebe seek the riverside. Anguillette did notappear, and she abandoned herself to all the horrors of desperation.The Princes who had been discouraged by thesuccess of the ungrateful Atimir now felt their hopes revive;but their attentions and professions only increased the tortureof the faithful Hebe.

The King ardently desired that she should select for herselfa husband, and had several times urged her to do so; butthat duty appeared too cruel to her affectionate heart. Shedetermined to fly from her father's kingdom; but, before herdeparture, she went once more in search of Anguillette. TheFairy could no longer resist the tears of the beautiful Hebe.She appeared to her, and at her sight the Princess wept stillmore, and had not the power to speak to her.

"You have now experienced," said the Fairy, "what thatfatal pleasure which I would never willingly have accorded toyou is; but Atimir has too severely punished you, Hebe, foryour neglect of my advice. Go! Fly these scenes, whereeverything recalls to you the remembrance of your love. Youwill find a vessel on the coast, which will bear you to theonly spot in the world where you can be cured of your unfortunateattachment; but take care," added Anguillette, raisingher voice, "when your heart shall have regained its tranquillity,that you never seek to behold again the faithless Atimir, or itwill cost you your life!" Hebe wished more than once to seethat Prince again at whatever price Love might compel her topay for that gratification; but a whisper of Reason, and respectfor her own honour, induced her to accept the Fairy's offer.She thanked her for this last favour, and departed the nextmorning for the sea-coast, followed by such of her women asshe had most confidence in.

She found the vessel Anguillette had promised her. It wasgilt all over. The masts were of marqueterie of the mostadmirable pattern; the sails, of rose-colour and silver tissue;and in every part of it was inscribed the word "Liberty."The crew were attired in dresses of the same colours as thesails. All appeared to breathe in this atmosphere the sweetair of freedom.

The Princess entered a magnificent cabin. The furniturewas admirable, and the paintings perfect. She was as mucha prey to sorrow in this new abode as she was in her father'sCourt. They strove in vain to amuse her by a thousandpleasures; she was not yet in a state of mind to pay theslightest attention to them.

One day while she was contemplating a painting in hercabin, which represented a landscape, she remarked in it ayoung shepherd, who, with a smiling countenance, was depicted[Pg 91]cutting nets to set at liberty a great number of birdsthat had been caught in them, and some of these littlecreatures seemed to be soaring to the skies with marvellousvelocity. All the other pictures displayed similar subjects.None suggested an idea of love, and all appeared to boast thecharms of Liberty. "Alas!" exclaimed the Princess, sorrowfully,"will my heart never enjoy that sweet happinesswhich reason prays for so often in vain?"

The unfortunate Hebe thus passed her days, strugglingbetween her love and her desire to forget it. The ship hadbeen a month at sea without touching anywhere, when onemorning that the Princess was on deck she saw land at a distance,which appeared to be that of a very lovely country.The trees were of surprising height and beauty, and as thevessel neared them, she perceived they were covered withbirds of the most brilliant plumage, whose songs made acharming concert. Their notes were very soft, and it appearedas if they were afraid of making too much noise. Theylanded on this beautiful shore. The Princess descended fromthe vessel, followed by her women, and from the moment shebreathed the air of this island, some unknown power seemedto set her heart at rest, and she fell into an agreeable slumber,which for a short time sealed up her beautiful eyes.

This pleasant country, to which she was a stranger, was thePeaceful Island. The Fairy Anguillette, a near relation ofthe Princes who reigned in these parts, had conferred upon it,for two thousand years, the happy power of curing unfortunateattachments. It is confidently asserted that it stillpossesses that power; but the difficulty is to find theisland.

The Prince who reigned in it at that period, was descendedin a right line from the celebrated Princess Carpillon and hercharming husband, of whom a modern Fairy, wiser and morepolished than those of ancient times, has so gracefully recountedthe wonderful adventures.[8]

While the fair Hebe enjoyed a repose, the sweetness of whichshe had not tasted for six months, the Prince of the PeacefulIsland was taking an airing in the wood that fringed theshore. He was seated in his car, drawn by four young whiteelephants, and surrounded by a portion of his Court. Thesleeping Princess attracted his attention. Her beauty astonishedhim. He descended from his car with a haste andvivacity unusual to his nature. He felt at the sight of herall the love which the charms of Hebe were worthy to inspire.The noise awoke her, and on opening her lovely eyes, she wasstruck by a thousand beauties in the young Prince. He wasof the same age as Hebe—just nineteen. He was perfectlyhandsome, his figure full of grace, his height above the ordinarystandard, and his hair, which fell in rich curls down to hiswaist, was of the same colour as Hebe's. His dress was composedof feathers of a thousand different colours, over whichhe wore a sort of mantle, with a train all made of swan's-down,and fastened on his shoulders by the finest jewels inthe world. His girdle was of diamonds, from which hung bygolden chains a small sabre, the hilt and sheath of which wereentirely covered with rubies. A sort of helmet, made offeathers like the rest of his attire, crowned his handsome head,and on one side of it, fastened by a diamond of prodigioussize, was a plume of heron's feathers, which added greatly tothe effect of his appearance.

The Prince was the first object that presented itself to theeyes of the young Princess at her waking. He appearedworthy of her observation, and for the first time in her life shelooked upon another than Atimir with some interest.

"Everything assures me," said the Prince of the PeacefulIsland to the Princess, "that you can be no other than thedivine Hebe. Alas! who else could possess so many charms?""Who, my Lord," replied the young Princess, blushing, asshe rose to her feet, "could have so soon informed you of myhaving landed on this island?" "A powerful Fairy," answeredthe young monarch, "who, desirous of making me the happiestPrince in the world, and this country the most fortunate, hadpromised to lead you hither, and had even permitted me toindulge in the proudest hopes; but I am too well aware," headded, with a sigh, "that my fate depends much more uponyour favour than upon hers."

After this speech, to which she replied with much propriety,the Prince requested her to enter his car, that she might be[Pg 93]conducted to the palace; and out of respect to her, he wouldhave declined taking his place in it, but as she had gatheredfrom his language and his attendants that he was the sovereignof the island, she insisted on his seating himself besideher. Never had two such beautiful persons been seen in thesame car. All the Prince's courtiers at the sight involuntarilyburst into a tumult of applause. On the road, theyoung Prince entered into conversation with Hebe, with greatanimation and tenderness; and the Princess, happy to findher heart once more at ease, had recovered all her naturalvivacity.

They reached the palace; it was not far from the sea-coast.It was approached through long and beautiful avenues,bordered by canals of running water. It was built entirelyof ivory and roofed with agate.

The Prince's guards were drawn up in line in all the courts.In the first, they were clothed with yellow feathers, andcarried quivers, bows and arrows of silver. In the second,they were all clothed with flame-coloured feathers, and woresabres with golden hilts, and sheaths ornamented with turquoises.The royal party entered the third court, in whichthe guards were dressed in white feathers, and held in theirhands demi-lances painted and gilt, and entwined with garlandsof flowers. There was never any war in that country, so thatthey did not carry any formidable weapons.

The Prince, descending from his car, led the lovely Hebe toa magnificent apartment. His Court was numerous, theladies were beautiful; the men gallant and graceful; andalthough everybody in the Island was dressed in feathersonly, they evinced so much taste in the arrangement of thecolours, that the effect was very agreeable.

That evening, the Prince of the Peaceful Island gave asuperb banquet to the beautiful Hebe, which was followed bya concert of flutes, lutes, theorbos and harpsichords. Inthat country they were not fond of any noisy instruments.The music was very charming; when it had lasted some time,a very sweet voice sang the following words:—

The Prince gazed on Hebe while this tender air was sung,with an expression which persuaded her that the verses butdeclared his own sentiments.

When the concert was over, the Prince of the PeacefulIsland, as it was late, led the Princess to the apartment selectedfor her. It was the most beautiful room in the palace. Shefound in it a great many ladies, who had been chosen by thePrince to have the honour of attending upon her.

The Prince quitted the beautiful Hebe the most enamouredof men. The Princess retired to rest, the ladies of the Courtwithdrew, and no one remained in the bed-chamber except theattendants she had brought with her. "Who could havebelieved it?" said she to them, as soon as they were lefttogether, "my heart is tranquil. What deity has appeasedmy sufferings? I no longer love Atimir. I can think thathe is the husband of Ilerie without dying of grief. Is notall this a dream which passes around me? No," she continued,after a moment's pause; "for even my dreams werenever so free from agitation." She then returned thanks athousand times to Anguillette, and fell asleep.

When she awoke the next morning the Fairy appeared toher with a gracious smile upon her countenance, which she hadnot seen her wear since the fatal day she had requested thegift of love. "At length," said the kind Fairy, "I havefortunately brought you hither. Your heart is free, andtherefore it may be happy. I have cured you of a banefulpassion; but, Hebe, may I trust that the fearful torments towhich you have been exposed will sufficiently induce you toshun for ever those places in which you might chance to meetthe ungrateful Atimir." What promises did not the youngPrincess make to the Fairy! How repeatedly did she abjurelove and her faithless lover! "Remember, at least, yourpromises," rejoined the Fairy, with an air that inspiredrespect. "You will perish with Atimir should you ever seekagain to behold him; but everything around you here oughtto prevent your entertaining a desire so fatal to your existence.I will no longer conceal from you what I havedetermined upon in your favour. The Prince of the PeacefulIsland is my kinsman. I protect him and his empire. Heis young, he is amiable, and no Prince in the world is soworthy of being your husband. Reign, then, fair Hebe, in[Pg 95]his heart and over his realm. Your royal father consents toyour union. I was in his palace yesterday. I informed himand the Queen of your present position, and they gave me fullpower to care for your future fortunes."

The Princess was greatly tempted to ask the Fairy whatnews had been heard of Atimir and Ilerie since her departure,but she dared not, after so many favours, run the risk of displeasingher. She employed to thank her all the eloquencethe Fairy had gifted her with.

Her attendants now entered the chamber, and the Fairydisappeared. As soon as Hebe had arisen, twelve children ofthe most perfect beauty, dressed as Cupids, brought to herfrom the Prince twelve crystal baskets, filled with the mostbrilliant and fragrant flowers in the world. These flowerscovered sets of jewels of all colours and of marvellous beauty.In the first basket presented to her, she found a note containingthese lines:—

After what the Fairy had ordained, the Princess comprehendedthat she ought to receive these attentions from hernew admirer as those of a Prince who was shortly to be herhusband.

She received the little Cupids very graciously, and theyhad scarcely taken their departure, when twenty-four dwarfs,fancifully, but magnificently attired, appeared, bearing otherpresents. They consisted of dresses made entirely of feathers;but the colours, the work, and the jewels with which theywere ornamented were so beautiful, that the Princess admittedshe had never seen anything so elegant.

She chose a rose-coloured dress to wear that day. Herhead-dress was composed of plumes of the same colour. Sheappeared so charming with these new ornaments, that thePrince of the Peaceful Island, who came to see her as soon asshe was dressed, felt his passion for her redoubled. All theCourt hastened to admire the Princess. In the evening the[Pg 96]Prince proposed to the fair Hebe to descend into the palacegardens, which were admirably laid out.

During the promenade, the Prince informed Hebe that theFairy had, for the last four years, led him to expect thatPrincess's arrival in the Peaceful Island; "but shortly afterthat period," added the Prince, "on my pressing her to fulfilher promise, she appeared distressed, and said to me, 'ThePrincess Hebe is destined by her father to another; but ifmy science does not deceive me, she will not marry the Princewho has been chosen for her husband. I will let you knowthe issue.' Some months afterwards the Fairy returned tothe island. 'Fate favours you,' said she to me: 'the Princewho was to have married Hebe will not be her husband, andin a short time you will behold here the most beautifulPrincess in the world.'"

"It is true," replied Hebe, blushing, "that I was to havemarried the son of a King whose dominions were adjacent tothose of my father; but, after several events, the love he conceivedfor the Princess, my sister, induced him to fly withher from my father's kingdom."

The Prince of the Peaceful Island said a thousand tenderthings to the beautiful Hebe respecting the happy destinywhich, in accordance with the Fairy's desire, had brought thePrincess into his dominions. She listened to him with greaterpleasure, as it interrupted her account of her own adventures,for she feared she could not speak of her faithless lover withoutthe Prince's observing how great had been her affectionfor him.

The Prince of the Peaceful Island led Hebe into a grotto,highly decorated, and embellished by wonderful fountains.The further end of the grotto was dark; there were a greatmany niches in it, filled with statues of nymphs and shepherds,but they could scarcely be distinguished in the obscurity. Assoon as the Princess had remained a few minutes in thegrotto, she heard some agreeable music. A sudden and verybrilliant illumination disclosed to her that it was a portion ofthese statues who were performing this music, whilst the restadvanced, and danced before her a very elegant and well-conceivedballet. It was intermixed with sweet and tendersongs.

They had placed all the actors in this divertissement in[Pg 97]the depths of the grotto, to surprise the Princess moreagreeably.

After the ballet wild men appeared, and served up a superbcollation under an arbour of jasmine and orange flowers.

The entertainment had nearly reached its termination,when suddenly the Fairy Anguillette appeared in the air,seated in a car drawn by four monkeys. She descended, andannounced to the Prince of the Peaceful Island a delightfulpiece of good fortune, by apprising him that it was her desirehe should become the husband of Hebe, and that that beautifulPrincess had promised her consent.

The Prince, transported with joy, was uncertain at themoment whether his first thanks were due to Hebe or toAnguillette; and although joy does not inspire one with suchaffecting expressions as sorrow, he nevertheless acquittedhimself with much talent and grace.

The Fairy determined not to leave the Prince and Princessbefore the day fixed for their union. It was to be in threedays. She made superb presents to the fair Hebe and to thePrince of the Peaceful Island, and at length, on the day shehad named, they repaired, followed by their whole Court andan infinite number of the inhabitants of the Island, to thetemple of Hymen.

It was constructed simply of branches of olive and palmtreesinterlaced, and which, by the power of the Fairy, neverwithered.

Hymen was therein represented by a statue of white marble,crowned with roses, elevated on an altar, decorated only withflowers, and leaning on a little Cupid of exquisite beauty, who,with a smiling countenance, presented to him a crown ofmyrtle.

Anguillette, who had erected this temple, resolved thateverything in it should be marked by the greatest simplicity,to show that love alone could render Hymen happy. Thedifficulty is to unite them. As it was a miracle worthy thepower of a Fairy, she had joined them indissolubly in thePeaceful Island, and, contrary to the custom in other kingdoms,one could there be married, and remain fond andfaithful.

In this temple of Hymen the fair Hebe, led by Anguillette,plighted her troth to the Prince of the Peaceful Island, and[Pg 98]received his vows with pleasure. She did not feel for himthe same involuntary inclination which she had done forAtimir; but her heart, being at that moment free frompassion, she received this husband, by command of the Fairy,as a Prince worthy of her by his personal merit, and still moreso by the affection he bore to her.

The marriage was celebrated by a thousand splendid entertainments,and Hebe found herself happy with a Prince whoadored her.

In the meanwhile the King, Hebe's father, had receivedsome ambassadors from Atimir, who sent them to requestpermission for him to espouse Ilerie. The King, Atimir'sfather, was dead, and that Prince was consequently absolutemaster in his own country. The hand of the Princess hehad carried off was accorded to him with joy. After themarriage Queen Ilerie sent other ambassadors to her royalparents to request permission for her to revisit their Court,and to obtain their forgiveness for the fault which love hadcaused her to commit, and which the merit of Atimir mightbe pleaded in excuse of. The King consented, and Atimirproceeded to the Palace with his bride. A thousand entertainmentsmarked the day of their arrival. Shortly afterwardsthe fair Hebe and her charming husband sent ambassadorsalso to the King and Queen, to announce theirmarriage to them. Anguillette had already informed themof the event, but they did not on that account receive theambassadors with less delight or distinction.

Atimir was with the King when they were introduced totheir first audience. The lovely form of Hebe could never beeffaced from a heart in which she had reigned with suchsupreme power. Atimir sighed, in spite of himself, at therecital of the happiness of the Prince of the Peaceful Island.He even accused Hebe of being inconstant, forgetting howmuch reason he had given her for becoming so.

The ambassadors of the Prince of the Peaceful Islandreturned to their sovereign laden with honours and presents.They related to the Princess how much delight the King andQueen had manifested at the tidings of her happy marriage.But, oh! too faithful chroniclers, they informed her at thesame time that the Princess Ilerie and Atimir were at theCourt. These names, so dangerous to her peace, renewed her[Pg 99]anxiety. She was happy; but can mortals command uninterruptedfelicity?

She could not resist her impatience to return to the Courtof the King, her father. It was only, she said, to see oncemore him and her mother. She believed this herself; and howoften, when we are in love, do we mistake our own feelings!

Notwithstanding the threats uttered by the Fairy, in orderto prevent her from revisiting the spot where she might againbehold Atimir, she proposed this voyage to the Prince of thePeaceful Island. At first he refused. Anguillette had forbiddenhim to let Hebe go out of his dominions. Shecontinued to press him. He adored her, and was ignorant ofthe passion she had formerly entertained for Atimir. Is itpossible to refuse anything to those we love?

He hoped to please Hebe by his blind obedience. He gaveorders for their departure, and never was there seen suchmagnificence as was displayed in his equipage and on boardhis vessels.

The sage Anguillette, indignant at the little respect paidby Hebe and the Prince of the Peaceful Island to her instructions,abandoned them to their destiny, and did not make herappearance to renew the prudent advice by which they had solittle profited.

The Prince and Princess embarked, and after a veryprosperous voyage, arrived at the Court of Hebe's father.The King and Queen were extremely delighted to beholdonce more that dear Princess. They were charmed with thePrince of the Peaceful Island: they celebrated the arrival ofthe royal pair by a thousand entertainments throughout thekingdom. Ilerie trembled on hearing of the return of Hebe.It was decided that they should meet, and that no referencewhatever should be made to past events.

Atimir requested to be allowed to see Hebe. It appearedto Ilerie, indeed, that he preferred his request with a littletoo much eagerness.

The Princess Hebe blushed when he entered her apartment,and they both felt an embarrassment out of whichall their presence of mind could not extricate them.

The King, who was present, remarked it. He joined intheir conversation; and to render the visit shorter, proposedto the Princess to descend into the Palace Gardens.

Atimir dared not offer his hand to Hebe. He bowed to herrespectfully, and retired.

But what thoughts and what feelings did he not carryaway with him in his heart! All the deep and tender passionhe had formerly felt for Hebe was rekindled in a moment.He hated Ilerie; he hated himself. Never was infidelity followedby so much repentance, nor by so much suffering.

In the evening he went to the Queen's apartments. ThePrincess Hebe was there. He had no eyes but for her. Hesought assiduously for an opportunity of speaking to her.She continued to avoid him; but her glances were too clearlycomprehended by him for his peace. He persisted for sometime in compelling her to observe that her eyes had regainedtheir former empire over him.

Hebe's heart was alarmed by it. Atimir appeared to herstill too charming. She determined to shun him as carefullyas he sought her. She never spoke to him but in presenceof the Queen, and then only when she could not possibly avoidit. She resolved also to advise the Prince of the PeacefulIsland to return speedily to his own kingdom. But with whatdifficulty do we endeavour to fly from those we love!

One evening that she was reflecting on this subject, sheshut herself up in her cabinet, in order to indulge in hermusings without interruption. She found in her pocket anote, which had been slipped into it unperceived by her, andthe handwriting of Atimir, which she recognised, threw herinto an agitation which cannot be described. She consideredshe ought not to read it; but her heart triumphed over herreason, and opening it she found these lines:—

"Ah, cruel one!" exclaimed the Princess. "What have Idone to you that you seek to rekindle in my soul a passion[Pg 101]which has cost me so much agony?" The tears of Hebeinterrupted her utterance.

In the meanwhile Ilerie was tortured by a jealousy whichwas but too well founded. Atimir, carried away by his passion,lost all control over himself. The Prince of the PeacefulIsland began to perceive his attachment to Hebe; but he wasdesirous of examining more narrowly the conduct of Atimirbefore he spoke to the Princess on the subject. He adoredher with unabating constancy, and feared by his remarks todraw her attention to the passion of his rival.

A few days after Hebe had received Atimir's note, a tournamentwas proclaimed. The Princes, and all the young noblemenof the Court, were invited to break a lance in honour ofthe ladies.

The King and Queen honoured the tournament with theirpresence. The fair Hebe and the Princess Ilerie were to conferthe prizes with their own hands. One was a sword, thehilt and sheath of which were entirely covered with jewels ofextraordinary beauty. The other, a bracelet of brilliants ofthe finest water.

All the knights entered for the lists made their appearancewith marvellous magnificence, and mounted on the finesthorses in the world. Each wore the colours of his mistress,and on their shields were pictured gallant devices, expressiveof the sentiments of their hearts.

The Prince of the Peaceful Island was superbly attired, androde a dun-coloured horse with black mane and tail of incomparablebeauty. In all his appointments rose colour was predominant.It was the favourite colour of Hebe. An ampleplume of the same hue floated above his light helmet. Hedrew down the applause of all the spectators, and looked sohandsome in his brilliant armour, that Hebe mentally reproachedherself a thousand times for entertaining such feelingsas the unhappiness of another had inspired her with.

The retinue of the Prince of the Peaceful Island was numerous.They were all attired according to the fashion of theircountry. Everything around him was elegant and costly.An esquire bore his shield, and all were eager to examine thedevice.

It was a heart pierced with an arrow; a little Cupid wasdepicted shooting many others at it to inflict fresh wounds,[Pg 102]but all except the first appeared to have been shot in vain.Beneath were these words:—

The colour and the device of the Prince of the PeacefulIsland, rendered it obvious that it was as the champion of thefair Hebe he had chosen to enter the lists.

The spectators were still admiring his magnificent array,when Atimir appeared, mounted on a proud and fiery steed,entirely black. The prevailing colour of the dress he hadassumed for that day was what is usually termed "dead-leaf,"unadorned with gold, silver, or jewels; but on his helmethe wore a tuft of rose-coloured feathers, and although heaffected great negligence in his attire, he was so handsome,and bore himself so proudly, that from the moment he enteredthe lists no one looked at anything else. On his shield, whichhe carried himself, was painted a Cupid trampling upon somechains, while at the same time he was loading himself withothers that were heavier. Around the figure were thesewords:—

The train of Atimir were attired in dead-leaf and silver,and on them he had showered jewels. It was composed ofthe principal noblemen of his Court, and although they wereall fine-looking men, it was easy to see by the air of Atimirthat he was born to command them. It is impossible todescribe the various emotions which the sight of Atimirawakened in the hearts of Hebe and Ilerie, and the poignantjealousy which the Prince of the Peaceful Island felt when hesaw floating over the helmet of Atimir, a plume of the samecolour as his own.

The motto of his device kindled his anger into a fury,which he controlled for the moment, only to choose a bettertime to vent it on his rival.

The King and Queen saw clearly enough the audacity andimprudence of Atimir, and were exceedingly angry with him;but it was not the time to show it.

The tilting was commenced amidst a flourish of trumpetswhich rent the air. It was exceedingly good. All the youngknights made proof of their skill. The Prince of the Peaceful[Pg 103]Island, although a prey to his jealousy, signalized himselfparticularly, and remained conqueror.

Atimir, who was aware that the prize for the first encounterwould be given by Ilerie, did not present himself to disputethe victory with the Prince of the Peaceful Island. Thejudges of the field declared the latter victor; and, amidstthe acclamation and applause of all the spectators, he advancedwith the greatest possible grace to the spot where theRoyal Family were seated, to receive the diamond bracelet.

The Princess Ilerie presented it to him. He received itwith due respect, and having saluted the King, Queen, andPrincesses, returned to his place in the lists.

The mournful Ilerie had too clearly observed the contemptwith which the fickle Atimir had treated the prize destined tobe accorded by her hand. She sighed sadly, while the fairHebe felt a secret joy which reason vainly endeavoured tostifle in her heart. Other courses were run with resultssimilar to those which had preceded them. The Prince ofthe Peaceful Island, animated by the presence of Hebe,performed wonders, and was a second time conqueror; butAtimir, weary of beholding the glory of his rival, and flatteredby the idea of receiving the prize from the hand of Hebe,presented himself at the opposite end of the lists.

The rivals gazed at each other fiercely, and the impendingencounter between two such great Princes was distinguishedby the fresh agitation which it excited in the two Princesses.The Princes ran their course with equal advantage. Eachbroke his lance fairly without swerving in his saddle. Theacclamations were redoubled, and the Princes, without givingtheir horses time to breathe, returned to their places, receivedfresh lances, and ran a second course with the same address asthe first. The King, who feared to see Fortune give thevictory to either of these rivals, and in order to spare thefeelings of both, sent in all haste to them to say that theyought to be satisfied with the glory they had acquired, andto request them to let the tilting terminate for that day withthe course they had just run.

The King's messenger having approached them, theylistened with impatience to the royal request, particularlyAtimir, who, seizing the first opportunity to reply, said, "Go,tell the King that I should be unworthy the honour he does[Pg 104]me in taking an interest in my glory, if I could remain satisfiedwithout conquest."

"Let us see," rejoined the Prince of the Peaceful Island,clapping spurs to his horse, "who best deserves the esteem ofthe King and the favours of Fortune!"

The King's messenger had not retraced his steps to theroyal balcony before the two rivals, animated by strongerfeelings than the mere desire to carry off the prize of the joust,had met in full career.

Fortune favoured the audacious Atimir: he was the conqueror.The horse of the Prince of the Peaceful Island,fatigued with the many severe courses he had run, fell, androlled his master in the dust.

What joy for Atimir! and what fury for the unfortunatePrince of the Peaceful Island! Leaping to his feet againinstantly, and advancing to his rival before any one couldreach to part them,—"Thou hast conquered me in thesegames, Atimir," said he, with an air which sufficiently expressedhis wrath, "but it is with the sword that our quarrelmust be decided." "Willingly," replied the haughty Atimir."I will await thee to-morrow at sunrise in the wood thatborders the palace gardens." The Judges of the Field joinedthem as these last words were uttered, and the Princesmutually affected unconcern, for fear the King should suspectand frustrate their intentions. The Prince of the PeacefulIsland remounted his horse, and rode with all the speedhe could urge it to, from the fatal spot where he had beendefeated by Atimir. In the meanwhile that Prince proceededto receive the prize of the joust from the hand of Hebe, whopresented it to him with a confusion sufficiently betraying theconflicting emotions in her bosom; while Atimir, in receivingit, displayed all the extravagancies of a passionate lover.

The King and Queen, who kept their eyes upon him, couldnot fail to observe this, and returned to the Palace much discontentedwith the termination of the day. Atimir, occupiedonly by his passion, left the lists, forbidding any of his trainto accompany him; and Ilerie, smarting with grief andjealousy, retired to her apartments.

What then were the feelings of Hebe! "I must depart,"she said to herself. "What other remedy is there for theevil I anticipate?"

In the meanwhile, the King and the Queen determined torequest Atimir would return to his own dominions, to avoid thepainful consequences which his love might entail upon them.They resolved also to make the same proposition to the Princeof the Peaceful Island, in order not to show any preference foreither; but ah! too tardy prudence! whilst they were deliberatinghow best to secure the departure of the two Princes,the rivals were preparing to meet in mortal combat.

Hebe, on returning from the lists, immediately inquired forthe Prince of the Peaceful Island. She was answered that hewas in the palace gardens; that he had desired he might notbe followed, and that he appeared very melancholy. The fairHebe thought it was her duty to seek and console him for theslight mischances which had happened to him, and therefore,without staying a moment in her own apartment, descendedinto the gardens, followed only by a few of her women.

In the course of her search for the Prince of the PeacefulIsland, she entered a shady alley, and came suddenly on theenamoured Atimir, who, transported by his passion, and listeningonly to its promptings, threw himself on his knees at ashort distance from the Princess, and drawing the swordwhich he had that day received from her hand, exclaimed,"Hear me, beautiful Hebe! or see me die at your feet!"

Hebe's attendants, terrified by the actions of the Prince,rushed upon him, and endeavoured to force from his graspthe sword, the point of which he had directed towards himselfwith desperate resolution. Hebe, the unhappy Hebe, wouldhave flown from the spot; but how many reasons concurredto detain her near him she loved!

The desire to suppress the scandal this adventure mightcreate; the intention to implore Atimir to endeavour to stiflea passion which was so perilous to them; the pity naturallyawakened by so affecting an object,—everything, in short,conspired to arrest her flight. She approached the Prince.Her presence suspended his fury. He let fall his sword atthe feet of the Princess. Never was so much agitation, somuch love, so much anguish, displayed in an interview thatlasted but a few minutes. No words can express the feelingsof those wretched lovers during that brief period. Hebe,alarmed at finding herself in the company of Atimir, almost,perhaps, in sight of the Prince of the Peaceful Island, made a[Pg 106]great effort to depart, and left him with a command never tosee her more. What an order for Atimir! But for the recollectionof the combat to which he had been challenged by thePrince of the Peaceful Island, he would have turned his swordan hundred times against his own breast; but he trusted toperish in revenging himself on his rival.

In the meanwhile, the fair Hebe shut herself up in her ownchamber, to avoid more surely the sight of Atimir. "RelentlessFairy," she cried, "thou didst only predict my death asthe consequence of my again beholding this unhappy Prince;but the tortures I suffer are a much more dreadful penalty."Hebe sent her attendants to seek for the Prince of the PeacefulIsland in the gardens, and throughout the Palace; but hewas nowhere to be found, and she became extremely anxiouson his account. They hunted for him all night long, but invain, for he had concealed himself in a little rustic buildingin the middle of the wood, to be more certain that no onecould prevent his proceeding to the spot fixed on for thecombat. He was on the ground at sunrise, and Atimirarrived a few minutes afterwards. The two rivals, impatientfor revenge and victory, drew their swords. It was the firsttime the Prince of the Peaceful Island had wielded his inearnest, for war was unknown in his island.

He proved, however, not a less redoubtable antagonist onthat account to Atimir. He had little skill, but much bravery,and great love. He fought like a man who set no value onhis life, and Atimir worthily sustained in this combat the highreputation he had previously acquired. The Princes wereanimated by too many vindictive feelings for their encounternot to terminate fatally. After having fought with equaladvantage for a considerable period, they dealt each other atthe same instant so furious a blow, that both fell to the earthwhich was speedily red with their blood.

The Prince of the Peaceful Island fainted with the loss ofhis; and Atimir, mortally wounded, uttered but the name ofHebe as he expired for her sake.

One of the parties in search of the Prince of the PeacefulIsland arrived on the spot, and were horror-struck at the sightof this cruel spectacle.

The Princess Hebe, urged by her anxiety, had descendedinto the gardens. She hastened towards the place from[Pg 107]whence she heard the exclamations of her people, who utteredin confusion the names of the two Princes, and beheld thesefatal and affecting objects. She believed the Prince of thePeaceful Island was dead as well as Atimir, and at that momentthere was little difference to be distinguished between them."Precious lives," exclaimed Hebe, despairingly, after gazingfor an instant on the unfortunate Princes,—"precious lives,which have been sacrificed for me; I hasten to avenge youby the termination of my own!" With these words she flungherself upon the fatal sword Atimir had received from herhands, and buried the point in her bosom before her people,astonished at this dreadful scene, had power to prevent her.

She expired, and the Fairy Anguillette, moved by so muchmisery despite of all the obstacles her science had enabled herto raise, appeared on the spot which had witnessed the destructionof these beautiful beings. The Fairy upbraided Fate, andcould not restrain her tears. Then hastening to succour thePrince of the Peaceful Island, who she knew was still breathing,she healed his wound, and transported him in an instant tohis own island, where, by the miraculous power she had conferredon it, the Prince consoled himself for his loss, and forgothis passion for Hebe.

The King and Queen, who had not the advantage of suchassistance, gave themselves up entirely to their sorrow; andtime only brought them consolation. As to Ilerie, nothingcould exceed her despair. She remained constant to her grief,and to the memory of the ungrateful Atimir.

Meanwhile, Anguillette, having transported the Prince ofthe Peaceful Island to his dominions, touched with her wandthe sad remains of the charming Atimir and the lovely Hebe.At the same instant they were transformed into two trees ofthe most perfect beauty. The Fairy gave them the name ofCharmes,[9] to preserve for ever the remembrance of the charmswhich had been so brilliantly displayed in the persons of theseunfortunate lovers.

YOUNG AND HANDSOME.

Once on a time there was a potent Fairy, who endeavouredto resist the power of Love; but the little god was more potentthan the Fairy. He touched her heart without even employingall his power. A handsome Knight arrived at the Courtof the Fairy in search of adventures. He was amiable, theson of a king, and had acquired renown by a thousand nobleachievements. His worth was known to the Fairy. Famehad wafted the report of it even into her dominions.

The person of the young Prince corresponded so entirelywith his high reputation, that the Fairy, moved by so manycharms, accepted in a very short time the proposals which thehandsome Knight made to her. The Fairy was beautiful,and he was sincerely in love with her. She married him, andby that marriage made him the richest and most powerfulKing in the world. They lived a long time most happilytogether after their union.

The Fairy grew old, and the King, her husband, althoughhe kept pace with her in years, ceased to love her as soon asher beauty had departed. He attached himself to some youngbeauties of his Court, and the Fairy was tormented by ajealousy which proved fatal to several of her rivals. She hadhad but one daughter by her marriage with the handsomeKnight. She was the object of all her tenderness, and wasworthy of the affection lavished on her.

The Fairies, who were her relations, had endowed her fromher birth with the finest intelligence, the sweetest beauty,and with graces still more charming than beauty. Herdancing surpassed anything that had ever been seen, and hervoice subdued all hearts.

Her form was perfect symmetry. Without being too tall,her appearance was noble. Her hair was of the most beautifulblack in the world. Her mouth small and exquisitely formed,her teeth of surprising whiteness. Her lovely eyes wereblack, sparkling, and expressive, and never did glances sopiercing and yet so tender awaken love in the bosoms of allbeholders.

The Fairy had named her Young and Handsome. She hadnot as yet endowed her herself. She had postponed thatfavour in order to judge the better in process of time by whatsort of benefit she could ensure the happiness of a child thatwas so dear to her.

The King's inconstancies were an eternal source of afflictionto the Fairy. The misfortune of ceasing to be loved inducedher to believe that the most desirable of blessings was to bealways lovely. And this, after a thousand reflections, wasthe gift she bestowed on Young and Handsome. She was thenjust sixteen: and the Fairy employed all her science in theformation of a spell which should enable the Princess toremain for ever exactly as she appeared at that moment.What greater benefit could she bestow on Young and Handsomethan the happiness of never ceasing to be like herself?The Fairy lost the King, her husband, and although he had beenlong unfaithful to her, his death caused her such deep sorrow,that she resolved to abandon her empire, and to retire to acastle which she had built in a country quite a desert, andsurrounded by so vast a forest that the Fairy alone could findher way through it.

This resolution sadly afflicted Young and Handsome. Shewished not to quit her mother; but the Fairy peremptorilycommanded her to remain; and before she returned to herwilderness, she assembled in the most beautiful palace in theworld all the pleasures and sports she had long banished, andcomposed from them a Court for Young and Handsome, whoin this agreeable company gradually consoled herself for theabsence of the Fairy.

All the Kings and Princes who considered themselvesworthy of her (and in those days people flattered themselvesmuch less than they do now) came in crowds to the Court ofYoung and Handsome, and endeavoured by their attentionsand their professions to win the heart of so lovely a Princess.

Never had anything equalled the magnificence and amusementsof the palace of Young and Handsome. Each daywas distinguished by some new entertainment. Everybodycomposing it was happy, except her lovers, who adored herwithout hope. She looked with favour upon none; but theysaw her daily, and her most indifferent glances were sufficientlyattractive to detain them there for ever.

One day Young and Handsome, content with the prosperityand popularity of her reign, wandered into a pleasant wood,followed only by some of her nymphs, the better to enjoy thecharm of solitude. Absorbed by agreeable reflections, (whatcould she think of that would not be agreeable?) she emergedfrom the wood unconsciously, and walked towards a charmingmeadow enamelled with thousands of flowers.

Her beautiful eyes were occupied in contemplating a hundredvarious and pleasing objects, when they lighted in turnon a flock of sheep which was quietly feeding in the meadowon the bank of a little brook that murmured sweetly as itrippled over the pebbles in its path. It was overshadowed bya tuft of trees. A young shepherd, stretched on the grassbeside the rivulet, was calmly sleeping; his crook was leaningagainst a tree, and a pretty dog, which appeared to be more afavourite of its master than the guardian of his flock, layclose to the shepherd.

Young and Handsome approached the brook, and cast hereyes upon the youth. What a beautiful vision! Cupidhimself sleeping in the arms of Psyche did not display suchcharms.

The young Fairy stood gazing, and could not restrain somegestures of admiration, which were quickly succeeded by moretender emotions. The handsome shepherd appeared to beabout eighteen, of a commanding form; his brown hair,naturally curling, fell in wavy locks upon his shoulders, andwas in perfect harmony with the most charming face in theworld. His eyes, closed in slumber, concealed from the Fairy,beneath their lids, new fires reserved by Love to redouble herpassion for the shepherd.

Young and Handsome felt her heart agitated by an emotionto which it had hitherto been a stranger, and it was no longerin her power to stir from the spot.

Fairies possess the same privilege as goddesses. They lovea shepherd when he is loveable, just as if he were the greatestmonarch in the universe. For all classes of mortals are equallybeneath them.

Young and Handsome found too much pleasure in her newsensations to endeavour to combat them. She loved fondly,and from that moment only indulged in the happy idea ofbeing loved in return. She did not dare to wake the handsomeshepherd, for fear he should remark her agitation; andpleasing herself with the notion of discovering her love forhim in a gallant and agreeable manner. She rendered herselfinvisible to enjoy the astonishment she was about to causehim.

Immediately arose a strain of enchanting music. What anexquisite symphony! It went straight to the heart. Thedelicious sound awoke Alidor (such was the name of thehandsome shepherd), who for some moments imagined he wasin an agreeable dream; but what was his surprise when, onrising from the grass on which he had been lying, he foundhimself attired in the most tasteful and magnificent fashion.The colours of his dress were yellow and grey, laced withsilver. His wallet was embroidered all over with the initialsof Young and Handsome, and suspended by a band of flowers.His crook was of the most marvellous workmanship, ornamentedwith precious stones of different colours set in elegantdevices. His hat was composed entirely of jonquils and bluehyacinths most ingeniously woven together.

Delighted and astonished at his new attire, he gazed athimself reflected in the neighbouring stream. Young andHandsome, meanwhile, feared an hundred times for him thefate of the beautiful Narcissus.

The wonder of Alidor was still further increased at seeinghis sheep covered with silk whiter than snow, in lieu of theirordinary fleeces, and adorned with a thousand knots ofribbons of various colours.

His favourite ewe was more decorated than any of theothers. She came skipping over the grass to him, appearingproud of her ornaments.

The shepherd's pretty dog had a golden collar, on whichbands of small emeralds formed these four lines:—

The handsome shepherd judged by these verses that hewas indebted to Love for his agreeable adventure. The sun,by this time, had set. Alidor, absorbed in a delightful reverie,bent his steps towards his cottage. He did not observeany change in its exterior, but he had scarcely crossed thethreshold when a delicious fragrance announced to him someagreeable novelty. He found the walls of his little hut hungwith a tissue of jasmine and orange flowers. The curtains ofhis bed were of the same materials, looped up by garlands ofpinks and roses. An agreeable atmosphere kept all theseflowers perfectly fresh and beautiful.

The floor was of porcelain, on which were represented thestories of all the goddesses who had been in love withshepherds. Alidor observed this;—he was very intelligent.The shepherds of that country were not ordinary shepherds.Some of them were descended from Kings or great Princes,and Alidor could trace his pedigree up to a Sovereign whohad long sat on the throne of those realms before theybecame a portion of the dominions of the Fairies.

Up to this period the handsome shepherd had been insensibleto the charms of Love; but he now began to feel, evenwithout having as yet distinguished the particular object,that his young heart burned to surrender itself a prisoner.He was dying with impatience to become acquainted withthe Goddess or Fairy who had bestowed upon him suchtasteful and beautiful proofs of her affection. He paced hischamber with a sweet anxiety which he had never beforeexperienced. As night fell, an agreeable illumination appearedto shed a new daylight throughout the cottage. Themusings of Alidor were interrupted by the sight of a richand delicate banquet, which was served up to him by invisiblehands. "What!" exclaimed the shepherd, smiling; "stillnew pleasures, and no one to partake them with me?" Hislittle dog attempted to play with him, but he was too muchpre-occupied to encourage his gambols.

Alidor seated himself at the table. A little Cupid appearedand presented him with wine in a cup made of one entire[Pg 113]diamond. The shepherd made a tolerable supper for thehero of such adventures. He endeavoured to question thelittle Cupid; but, instead of answering, the boy shot arrowsat him, which, the moment they struck, became drops ofexquisitely scented water. Alidor comprehended clearly bythis sport that the little Cupid was forbidden to explain themystery. The table disappeared as soon as Alidor had ceasedeating, and the little Cupid flew away.

A charming symphony stole upon the ear, awaking athousand tender sensations in the heart of the young shepherd.His impatience to learn to whom he was indebted for all thesepleasures increased every instant, and it was with great joy heheard a voice sing the following words:—

"Appear, thou charming being!" exclaimed the shepherd;"and by your presence crown my happiness. I believe you tobe too beautiful to fear that I should ever be faithless."

No answer was returned to this adjuration. The musicceased shortly afterwards; a profound silence reigned in thecottage and invited the shepherd to sweet repose. He threwhimself on his bed, but it was some time before he could sleep,agitated as he was by his curiosity and his new-born passion.

The song of the birds awoke him at daybreak. He quittedhis cottage and led his pretty flock to the same spot wherethe preceding day his good fortune had commenced. Scarcelyhad he seated himself beside the brook, when a canopy, composedof a most brilliant stuff of flame-colour and gold wasattached to the branches of the nearest trees to shelter Alidorfrom the rays of the sun. Some young shepherds and prettyshepherdesses of the neighbourhood arrived at the spot. Theywere in search of Alidor. His canopy, his flock, and his dressexcited in them great astonishment.

They advanced hastily, and eagerly asked him the originof all these marvels. Alidor smiled at their surprise, andrecounted to them what had occurred to him. More than[Pg 114]one shepherd felt jealous, and more than one shepherdessreddened with mortification. There were few of the latter inthose parts who had not had designs upon the heart of thehandsome shepherd, and a goddess or a fairy appeared tothem by far too dangerous a rival.

Young and Handsome, who rarely lost sight of her shepherd,endured with considerable impatience the conversationof the shepherdesses. Some amongst them were verycharming, and one so lovely that she might be a formidablerival even to a goddess.

The indifference with which Alidor treated them all re-assuredthe young Fairy. The shepherdesses quitted Alidorreluctantly, and led their flocks further into the meadow.

Shortly after they had departed, leaving only a few shepherdswith Alidor, a delicious banquet appeared, set out upona marble table. Seats of green turf arose around it, andAlidor invited his friends, the shepherds who had come tojoin him, to share his repast. On seating themselves at thetable, they discovered that they were all attired in handsomedresses, though less magnificent than that of Alidor, which atthe same moment became dazzling with jewels.

The neighbouring echoes were suddenly awakened by rustic,but graceful, music, and a voice was heard singing the followingwords:—

The astonishment of the shepherds increased every moment.A troop of young shepherdesses approached the banks of therivulet. The melody of the music was not so much theattraction which led them to this spot, as the desire to seeAlidor. They began to dance beneath the trees, forming anagreeable littlebal-champêtre.

The young Fairy, who was present all the time, but invisible,assumed in an instant, with six of her nymphs, the prettiestshepherdesses' dresses that had ever been seen. Their onlyornaments were garlands of flowers. Their crooks wereadorned with them, and Young and Handsome, with a simplewreath of jonquils, which produced a charming effect in her[Pg 115]beautiful black hair, appeared the most enchanting person inthe world. The arrival of these fair shepherdesses surprisedthe whole company. All the beauties of the district felt mortified.There was not a shepherd who did not eagerly exerthimself to do the honours of thefête to the new-comers.

Young and Handsome, though unknown to them as aFairy, did not receive less respect or attract less attention.The sincerest homage is always paid to beauty. Young andHandsome felt flattered by the effect of her charms unaidedby the knowledge of her dignity.

As to Alidor, the instant she appeared amongst them, forgettingthat the love which a goddess or a fairy bore to himbound him to avoid anything that might be displeasing toher, he flew towards Young and Handsome, and accosting herwith the most graceful air in the world:—"Come, beautifulshepherdess," said he, "come and occupy a place more worthyof you. So exquisite a person is too superior to all otherbeauties to remain mingled with them." He offered his hand,and Young and Handsome, delighted with the sentimentswhich the sight of her had begun to awaken in the breast ofher shepherd, allowed herself to be led by Alidor beneath thecanopy which had been attached to the trees as soon as hehad arrived at the spot that morning. A troop of youngshepherds brought, by his orders, bundles of flowers andbranches, and constructed with them a little throne, on whichthey seated Young and Handsome. Alidor laid himself ather feet. Her nymphs seated themselves near her, and therest of the party formed a large circle, in which everybodytook their places according to their inclinations.

This spot, adorned with so much beauty, presented themost agreeable spectacle in the world. The murmur of thebrook mingled with the music, and it seemed as if all thebirds in the neighbourhood had assembled there to take theirparts in the concert. A great number of shepherds advanced,in separate groups, to pay their court to Young and Handsome.One amongst them, named Iphis, approaching theyoung Fairy, said to her, "However distinguished may bethe place Alidor has induced you to accept, it is one, perhaps,very dangerous to occupy." "I believe so," answered theFairy, with a smile that had power to captivate all hearts."The shepherdesses of this village will find it difficult to[Pg 116]forgive me the preference which Alidor appears to haveaccorded to me amongst so many beauties more deserving ofit." "No," rejoined Iphis; "our shepherdesses will be morejust; but Alidor is beloved by a goddess." And thereuponIphis related to Young and Handsome the adventure whichhad befallen the beautiful shepherd. When he had finishedhis story, the young Fairy, turning towards Alidor with agracious air, said to him, "I do not desire to provoke so terriblean enemy as the goddess by whom you are beloved. Evidentlyshe did not intend me to occupy this position, andtherefore I resign it to her."

She rose as she said these words, but Alidor, gazing fondlyupon her, exclaimed, "Stay, lovely shepherdess; there is nogoddess whose love I would not sacrifice for the delight ofadoring you; and she of whom Iphis speaks is not over wise,at least in matters of the heart, since she has permitted meto behold you!" Young and Handsome could not make anyreply to Alidor. The shepherds at that moment came torequest her to dance, and never was more grace displayedthan on this occasion. Alidor was her partner, who surpassedhimself. Never had the most magnificentfêtes at the Courtof Young and Handsome afforded her so much pleasure asthis rural entertainment. Love embellishes every spot inwhich we behold the object of our affections. Alidor felt hispassion increasing every instant, and made a thousand vowsto sacrifice all the goddesses and fairies in the world to theardent love with which his shepherdess had inspired him.Young and Handsome was delighted with the evident attachmentof the beautiful shepherd; but she wished to make amomentary trial of his affection. Iphis was amiable, and, ifAlidor had not been present, would no doubt have been muchadmired. The young Fairy spoke to him twice or thrice verygraciously, and danced several times with him.

Alidor burned with a jealousy as intense as his love. Youngand Handsome observed it, and feeling more sure of hershepherd's heart, she ceased paining it, spoke no more toIphis during the rest of the day, and bestowed on Alidor hermost encouraging glances. Heavens! what glances! theywould have filled the most insensible hearts with love.

Evening having arrived, the lovely company separated withregret. A thousand sighs followed Young and Handsome,[Pg 117]who forbade any of the shepherds to accompany her; but shepromised Alidor, in a few brief words, that he should see heragain in the meadows the next morning. She departed,followed by her nymphs and watched by the shepherds, whowere in hopes that, by following her at a distance, they mightdiscover, without her perceiving them, the village to whichthese divine beings belonged; but the moment that Youngand Handsome had entered a little wood which concealed herfrom the sight of the shepherds, she rendered herself and hernymphs invisible, and they amused themselves for some timein seeing the shepherds vainly endeavouring to trace the roadthey had taken. Young and Handsome observed with pleasurethat Alidor was amongst the most eager of the party.

Iphis was in despair that he had not followed them closelyenough, and several of the shepherds, who had been captivatedby the nymphs, passed half of the night in huntingthe woods and the neighbourhood. Some authors have assertedthat the nymphs, following the example of the young Fairy,thought some of these shepherds more charming than all thekings they had ever seen in their lives.

Young and Handsome returned to her palace, and, althougha Fairy, always occupied by a thousand different affairs, mightabsent herself without causing much surprise, she found allher lovers exceedingly uneasy at not having seen her thewhole day, but not one of them ventured to reproach her forit. It was necessary to be a very submissive and respectfulsuitor in the palace of Young and Handsome, or she wouldspeedily issue an order for him to quit her Court. Heradmirers did not even dare to speak to her of their passion.It was only by their attentions, their respect, and theirconstancy, that they could hope eventually to touch herheart.

Young and Handsome appeared little interested in whatwas passing around. She ate scarcely any supper, fell intofrequent fits of musing, and the princes, her lovers, attentiveto all her actions, imagined that they heard her sigh severaltimes. She dismissed all the Court very early, and retired toher apartments.

When one is looking forward to a meeting with those welove, everything that presents itself in the interim appearsvery poor and very troublesome.

The young Fairy, with the nymphs who had followed herall the day, concealed in a cloud, were transported in aninstant to the hut of the handsome shepherd. He hadreturned to it, very much vexed at not being able to ascertainthe road his divine shepherdess had taken. Everything inhis cottage was as charming as when he had left it; but asin musing he cast his eyes upon the floor of his little chamber,he perceived a change in it. In lieu of paintings from thestories of goddesses who had been in love with shepherds, heperceived the subjects were composed of terrible examples ofunfortunate lovers who had proved unworthy of the affection ofthose divinities.

"You are right," exclaimed the handsome shepherd, onobserving these little pictures; "you are right, Goddess. Ideserve your anger; but wherefore did you permit so lovely ashepherdess to present herself to my sight? Alas! whatdivinity could defend a heart from the effects of such charms!"Young and Handsome had arrived in the cottage when Alidoruttered these words. She felt all the tenderness of them, andher affection was redoubled by them.

As on the previous day, a magnificent repast appeared, butAlidor did not enjoy it as he did the first. He was in love,and even a little jealous; for it often recurred to him thathis shepherdess had spoken with some interest to Iphis.The promise, however, that she had made him, that he shouldsee her the next day in the meadow, soothed a little hisvexation.

The little Cupid waited on him during his repast, butAlidor, occupied by his new anxiety, spoke not a word to him.The table disappeared, and the child, approaching Alidor,presented him with two magnificent miniature cases, andthen flew away.

The handsome shepherd opened one of the cases hastily.It contained the portrait of a young female of such perfectbeauty, that imagination can scarcely conceive it. Underthis marvellous miniature was written, in letters of gold—

"One must have seen my shepherdess," said Alidor, gazingon this beautiful portrait, "not to be enchanted by so lovely[Pg 119]a person." He closed the case, and flung it carelessly on atable.

He then opened the other case which the little Cupid hadgiven to him; but what was his astonishment at the sight ofthe portrait of his shepherdess, resplendent with all the charmsthat had made so lively an impression on his heart!

She was painted as he had seen her that very day—herhair dressed with flowers, and the little that appeared of herdress was that of a shepherdess. The handsome shepherdwas so transported with his love, that he gazed on it for along time without perceiving that the following words werewritten beneath the portrait:—

"Alas!" exclaimed Alidor, "without her could there beany happiness?" This ecstasy delighted Young and Handsome.The beautiful face he had contemplated unmoved wasonly a fancy portrait. The young Fairy was desirous ofascertaining whether her shepherd would prefer her to sobeautiful a person, and who appeared to be a goddess or afairy.

Convinced of the love of Alidor, she returned to her palace,after having assembled her nymphs by a signal that hadbeen agreed upon. It was the illumination of the sky bysome harmless lightning, and since that time such is often tobe seen on a summer evening, unaccompanied by thunder.The nymphs rejoined her: they had also desired to hearsomething more of their lovers. Some of them were sufficientlypleased. They had found their swains occupied withrecollections of them, and speaking of them with ardour, butothers were less satisfied with the effect of their beauty.They found their shepherds fast asleep. A man may sometimesappear very much in love during the day, who is notsufficiently so for his passion to keep him awake all night.

The young Fairy retired to rest as soon as she arrived ather palace, charmed with the sincere affection of her shepherd.She had no other anxiety than the agreeable one arising fromher impatience to see him again. As to Alidor, he slept alittle, and without alarming himself at the warnings whichhe had read beneath the two miniatures. He thought only[Pg 120]of returning to the meadow: he hoped to see his shepherdessthere during the day. It seemed to him that he could notget there soon enough.

He led his charming flock to the fortunate spot where hehad seen Young and Handsome; his pretty dog took goodcare of it. The comely shepherd could think of nothing buthis shepherdess.

Young and Handsome was, much against her will, occupiedthat morning receiving the ambassadors of several neighbouringmonarchs. Never were audiences so short; yet, notwithstanding,a considerable portion of the day passed in theperformance of these tiresome ceremonies. The young Fairysuffered as much as her shepherd, whose keen impatiencecaused him a thousand torments.

The sun had set. Alidor had no longer any hope of seeinghis shepherdess that day. How great was his grief!

He deplored his fate. He sighed incessantly. He madeverses on her absence, and with the ferrule of his crook engravedthem on the trunk of a young elm.

As he finished carving these lines, Young and Handsomeappeared in the meadow at a distance, with her nymphs allstill attired as shepherdesses. Alidor recognised her a longway off. He ran—he flew towards Young and Handsome,who received him with a smile so charming, that it wouldhave increased the felicity of the gods themselves.

He told his love to her with an ardour capable of persuadinga heart less tenderly inclined towards him than that of theyoung Fairy. She desired to see what he had carved on thetree, and was charmed with the talent and affection of hershepherd. He related to her all that happened to him thepreceding evening, and offered a thousand times to followher to the end of the world to fly from the love which a goddessor a fairy had unfortunately conceived for him. "Myloss would be too great should you fly from that fairy,"[Pg 121]replied Young and Handsome, in her sweetest manner. "Itis no longer necessary for me to disguise my sentiments fromyou, as I am convinced of the sincerity of yours. It is I,Alidor!" continued the charming Fairy—"It is I who havegiven you these proofs of an affection which, if you continuefaithful to me, will ensure your happiness and mine for ever!"

The handsome shepherd, transported with love and joy,flung himself at her feet, his silence appeared more eloquentto the young Fairy than the most finished oration. She badehim rise, and he found himself superbly attired. The Fairythen touching the ground with her crook, there appeared amagnificent car, drawn by twelve white horses of surpassingbeauty. They were harnessed four abreast. Young and Handsomestepped into the car, and caused the comely shepherdto take his seat beside her. Her nymphs found room in italso, and as soon as they had all taken their places, the beautifulhorses, who had no occasion for a driver to intimate tothem the intentions of their mistress, swiftly conveyed thewhole party to a favourite château belonging to the youngFairy. She had adorned it with everything that her artcould furnish her with in the way of wonders. It was calledthe Castle of Flowers, and was the most charming residencein the world.

The young Fairy and her happy lover arrived with theattendant nymphs in a spacious court-yard, the walls of whichwere formed out of thick hedges of jasmines and lemon-trees.They were only breast-high. Beneath them ran a lovelyriver, which encompassed the court-yard; beyond it a charminggrove, and then fields stretching as far as the eye couldsee, through which the said river made a thousand windings,as unwilling to quit so beautiful a home.

The castle was more to be admired for its architecturethan for its size. It contained twelve apartments, each ofwhich had its peculiar beauty. They were very spacious; butthere was not room enough in them for the residence ofYoung and Handsome, and all her Court, which was the mostnumerous and magnificent in the universe. The young Fairyused this castle but as a place of retreat. She was accompaniedthither generally by only her most favourite nymphs and theofficers of her household.

She led the shepherd into the Myrtle Room. All the furniture[Pg 122]was made of myrtles in continual blossom, interlaced with anart that displayed the power and good taste of the young Fairy,even in the most simple things. All the rooms in the castlewere furnished in the same manner, with flowers only. Theair breathed in them was always fragrant and pure.

Young and Handsome, by her power, had banished forever from the spot the rigours of winter, and if the heats ofsummer were ever permitted to penetrate these agreeablebowers, it was only to render more enjoyable the beautifulbaths attached to the building, which were delicious.

The apartment was of white and blue porphyry, exquisitelysculptured; the baths being of the most curious and agreeableforms. That in which Young and Handsome bathed, wasmade out of a single topaz, and placed on a platform in analcove of porcelain. Four columns, composed of amethysts ofthe most perfect beauty, supported a canopy of magnificentyellow and silver brocade, embroidered with pearls. Alidor,absorbed by the happiness of beholding the charming Fairy,and remarking her affection for him, scarcely noticed all thesemarvels.

A delightful and tender conversation detained these happylovers for a long time in the Myrtle Room. A splendidsupper was served in the Jonquil Saloon. An elegant entertainmentfollowed. The nymphs acted to music the lovesof Diana and Endymion.

Young and Handsome forgot to return to her palace, andpassed the night in the Narcissus Chamber. Alidor, entrancedwith love, was long before he tasted the sweets of slumber inthe Myrtle Room, to which he was conducted by the nymphs,on the termination of the entertainment. Young and Handsome,who forbore to use her power to calm such agreeableemotions, also laid awake till nearly daybreak.

Alidor, impatient to behold again the charming Fairy,awaited the happy moment for some time in the JonquilSaloon. He had neglected nothing in his attire which couldadd a grace to his natural attractions. Young and Handsomeappeared a thousand times more lovely than Venus. Shepassed a part of the day with Alidor and the nymphs in thegarden of the castle, the beauties of which surpassed themost marvellous description. There was an agreeable littlefête champêtre in a delicious grove, wherein Alidor, during a[Pg 123]favourable opportunity, had the sweet pleasure of professinghis ardent love to Young and Handsome.

She desired, that same evening, to return to her palace;but promised Alidor to come back to him the next day.Never has an absence of a few hours been honoured by somany regrets. The handsome shepherd passionately desiredto follow the young Fairy, but she commanded him to remainin the Castle of Flowers. She wished to hide her attachmentfrom the eyes of all her Court. No one entered this castlewithout her order, and she had no fear that her nymphs woulddisclose her secret. The secrets of a Fairy are always safe.They are never divulged; the punishment would follow theoffence too swiftly.

Young and Handsome asked Alidor for the pretty dogwhich had always followed him, that she might take itwith her. Everything is dear to us that pleases those welove.

After the departure of the young Fairy, the shepherd, toindulge in his anxiety, rather than to dissipate it, plungeddeeper into the woods to muse on his adorable mistress. Ina little meadow, enamelled with flowers, and watered by anagreeable spring, which arose near the middle of the wood, heperceived his flock gambolling in the grass. It was watchedby six young female slaves, with handsome features, dressedin blue and gold, with golden chains and collars. Hisfavourite sheep recognised her master and ran to him. Alidorcaressed her, and was deeply touched by the attentions ofYoung and Handsome to everything which concerned him.

The young slaves showed Alidor their hut. It was not farfrom the spot, at the end of a beautiful and very shady alley.This little dwelling was built of cedar. The initials of Youngand Handsome and Alidor entwined together, appeared inevery part of it, formed with the rarest woods. The followinginscription was written in letters of gold upon a large turquoise:—

The handsome shepherd returned to the Castle of Flowers,enchanted by the kindness of the young Fairy. He declined[Pg 124]any entertainment that evening. When absent from thosewe love, what care we for amusements!

Young and Handsome returned the next day, as she hadpromised, to her happy lover. What joy was theirs to beholdeach other again! All the power of the young Fairy hadnever procured for her so much felicity.

She passed nearly all her time at the Castle of Flowers,and rarely now appeared at Court. In vain did the princes,her suitors, grieve almost to death at her absence, everythingwas sacrificed to the fortunate Alidor.

But could so sweet a happiness last long untroubled?Another Fairy, besides Young and Handsome, had seen thebeautiful shepherd, and felt her heart also touched by hischarms.

One evening that Young and Handsome had gone to showherself for a few moments to her Court, Alidor, engrossed byhis passion, sat deeply musing in the Jonquil Saloon, whenhis attention was awakened by a slight noise at one of thewindows, and on looking towards it he perceived a brilliantlight, and the next moment he saw on a table, near which hewas seated, a little creature about half a yard high, very old,with hair whiter than snow, a standing collar, and an old-fashionedfarthingale. "I am the Fairy Mordicante," saidshe to the handsome shepherd; "and I come to announce tothee a much greater happiness than that of being beloved byYoung and Handsome." "What can that be?" inquiredAlidor, with a contemptuous air. "The gods have nonemore perfect for themselves!" "It is that of pleasing me,"replied the old Fairy, haughtily. "I love thee, and my poweris far greater than that of Young and Handsome, and almostequals that of the Gods. Abandon that young Fairy for me.I will revenge thee on thine enemies, and on all whom thouwouldst injure."

"Thy favours are useless to me," answered the youngshepherd, with a smile; "I have no enemies, and I wouldinjure no one; I am too well satisfied with my own lot; andif the charming Fairy I adore were but a simple shepherdess,I could be as happy with her in a cottage as I am now in theloveliest palace in the world." At these words the wickedFairy became suddenly as tall and as large as she had hithertobeen diminutive, and disappeared making a horrible noise.

The next morning, Young and Handsome returned to theCastle of Flowers. Alidor related his adventure. They bothknew the Fairy Mordicante. She was very aged, had alwaysbeen ugly, and exceedingly susceptible. Young and Handsomeand her happy lover made a thousand jokes upon herpassion, and never for a moment felt the least uneasiness as tothe consequences of her fury.

A week afterwards, Young and Handsome and the lovelyshepherd took an excursion in a fine barge, gilt all over,on the beautiful river which encircled the Castle of Flowers,followed by all their little Court in the prettiest boats in theworld. The barge of Young and Handsome was shaded by acanopy formed of a light blue and silver tissue. The dressesof the rowers were of the same material. Other small boats,filled with excellent musicians, accompanied the happy lovers,and performed some agreeable airs. Alidor, more enamouredthan ever, could gaze on nothing but Young and Handsome,whose beauty appeared that day more charming than can bedescribed.

In the midst of their enjoyment they saw twelve Syrensrise out of the water, and a moment afterwards twelve Tritonsappeared, and joining the Syrens, encircled with them thelittle barque of Young and Handsome. The Tritons playedsome extraordinary airs on their shells, and the Syrens sangsome graceful melodies, which for a while entertained theyoung Fairy and the beautiful shepherd. Young and Handsome,who was accustomed to wonders, imagined that it wassome pageant which had been prepared by those whose dutyit was to contribute to her pleasure by inventing new entertainments;but all on a sudden these perfidious Tritons andSyrens, laying hold of the young Fairy's boat, dragged itunder water.

The only danger which Alidor feared was that whichthreatened the young Fairy. He attempted to swim to her,but the Tritons carried him off despite his resistance, andYoung and Handsome, borne away by the Syrens in themeanwhile, was transported into her palace.

One Fairy having no power over another, the jealous Mordicantewas compelled to limit her vengeance to the makingYoung and Handsome endure all the misery so cruel a bereavement[Pg 126]would necessarily occasion. In the meanwhile Alidorwas conveyed by the Tritons to a terrible castle guarded bywinged dragons. It was there that Mordicante had determinedto make herself beloved by the beautiful shepherd, orto be revenged on him for his disdain. He was placed in avery dark chamber. Mordicante, blazing with the mostbeautiful jewels in the world, appeared to him, and professedher affection for him. The shepherd, exasperated at beingtorn from Young and Handsome, treated the wicked Fairywith all the contempt she deserved. What could equal therage of Mordicante? But her love was still too violent topermit her to destroy the object of it. After detaining Alidorseveral days in this frightful prison, she resolved to endeavourto conquer the faithful shepherd by new artifices. She transportedhim suddenly to a magnificent palace. He was servedwith a sumptuousness which had not been exceeded in theCastle of Flowers. Endeavours were made to dissipate hisgrief by a thousand agreeable entertainments, and the mostbeautiful nymphs in the universe, who composed his Court,appeared to dispute with each other the honour of pleasinghim. Not a word more was said to him respecting thepassion of the wicked Fairy; but the faithful shepherd languishedin the midst of luxury, and was in no less despair athis separation from Young and Handsome, when witnessingthe gayest entertainments, than he had been whilst immuredin his dreadful prison.

Mordicante trusted, however, that the absence of Youngand Handsome, the continual round of pleasures provided forAlidor's amusement, and the presence of so many charmingwomen, would at length overcome the fidelity of the shepherd;and her object in surrounding him with so manybeautiful nymphs, was but to take herself the figure of theone which might most attract his attention. With this view,she mingled amongst them in disguise, sometimes appearingas the most charming brunette, and at others as the fairestbeauty in the universe.

Love, who is all-powerful in human hearts, had subdued fora time her natural cruelty; but desperation at being unable toshake the constancy of Alidor re-awakened her fury so powerfully,that she determined to destroy the charming shepherd,and make him the victim of the faithful love he cherished for[Pg 127]Young and Handsome. One day, without being seen, shewas watching him in a beautiful gallery, the windows of whichopened upon the sea; Alidor, leaning over a balustrade, musedin silence for a considerable time. But, at length, after aheavy sigh, he uttered such tender and touching lamentations,depicting so vividly his passion for the young Fairy, thatMordicante, transported with fury, appeared to him in hernatural shape; and, after having loaded him with reproaches,caused him to be carried back to his prison, and announced tohim that in three days he should be sacrificed to her hatred,and that the most cruel tortures should avenge her slightedaffection.

Alidor regretted not the loss of a life which had becomeinsupportable to him, deprived of Young and Handsome; andsatisfied that he had nothing to fear on her account from thewrath of Mordicante, the power of the young Fairy beingequal to hers, he calmly awaited the death he had beendoomed to.

In the meanwhile, Young and Handsome, as faithful as hershepherd, mourned over his loss. The Syrens who had waftedher back to her palace had disappeared as soon as their taskwas accomplished, and the young Fairy was convinced thatit was the cruel Mordicante who had bereft her of Alidor.The excess of her grief proclaimed at the same time to all herCourt, her love for the young shepherd, and her loss of him.

How many monarchs were envious of the misery even intowhich the wicked Fairy had precipitated Alidor? Whatvexation for these enamoured princes to learn that they hada beloved rival, and to behold Young and Handsome occupiedonly in weeping for this fortunate mortal! His loss, however,revived their hopes. They had discovered at last that Youngand Handsome could feel as well as inspire affection. Theyredoubled their attentions. Each flattered himself with thesweet hope to occupy some day the place of that fortunatelover; but Young and Handsome, inconsolable for the absenceof Alidor, and worried by the advances of his rivals, abandonedher Court, and retired to the Castle of Flowers. The sightof those charming scenes, where everything recalled to herheart the recollection of the lovely shepherd, increased hermelancholy and her affection.

One day, as she was walking in her beautiful gardens, and[Pg 128]gazing on the various objects with which they were adorned,she exclaimed aloud, "Alas! ye were formerly my delight;but I am now too much absorbed by my sorrow to take anyfurther interest in your embellishment." As she ceasedspeaking, she heard the murmur of a gentle breeze that,agitating the flowers of this beautiful garden, arranged theminstantaneously in various forms. First, they represented theinitials of Young and Handsome; then those of anothername, which she was not acquainted with; and a momentafterwards, they formed distinctly entire words, and Youngand Handsome, astonished at this novelty, read these verses,written in so singular a fashion:—

Young and Handsome was pondering on these verses, whenshe saw the Deity named in them appear in the air, and hastento declare his passion to her. He was in a little car of roses,drawn by a hundred white canary birds, harnessed ten andten, with strings of pearl. The car approached the earth, andZephyr descended from it close to the young Fairy. Headdressed her with all the eloquence of a very charming andvery gallant Divinity; but the young Fairy, in lieu of feelingflattered by so brilliant a conquest, replied to him like a faithfullover. Zephyr was not disheartened by the coldness of Youngand Handsome. He hoped to soften her by his attentions.He paid his court to her most assiduously, and neglectednothing that he thought could please her.

The glory of Alidor was now complete. He had a God forhis rival, and was preferred to him by Young and Handsome.

Nevertheless, this fortunate mortal was on the point ofbeing destroyed by the fury of Mordicante. A year had nearlyelapsed since the young Fairy and the beautiful shepherdhad been torn from each other, when Zephyr, who had givenup all hopes of shaking the constancy of Young and Handsome,and was moved by the tears which he saw her unceasinglyshed for the loss of Alidor, exclaimed one day, on findingher more depressed than usual, "Since it is no longer possiblefor me to flatter myself, charming Fairy, that I shall everhave the good fortune to gain your affections, I am desirousof contributing at least to your felicity. What can I do tomake you happy?"

"To make me happy," replied Youngand Handsome, with a look so full of tenderness that it wasenough to revive all the love of Zephyr, "you must restore tome my Alidor. I am powerless against another Fairy,but you, Zephyr, you are a God, and can destroy all the spellsof my cruel rival!" "I will endeavour," rejoined Zephyr,"to subdue the tender sentiments you have inspired me withsufficiently to enable me to render you an agreeable service."So saying, he flew away, leaving Young and Handsome toindulge in a sweet hope. Zephyr did not deceive her. Hewas not in the habit of loving for any length of time, withoutthe certainty of eventual success; and it was evident to himthat the young Fairy was too constant for him to hope thathe could ever make her forget Alidor; he therefore flew tothe horrible prison where the beautiful shepherd awaitednothing less than death. An impetuous wind, swelled bysix northern breezes, that had accompanied Zephyr, blew openin an instant the gates of the dungeon, and the beautifulshepherd, enveloped in a very brilliant cloud, was wafted tothe Castle of Flowers.

Zephyr, after he had seen Alidor, was less surprised at theconstancy of Young and Handsome; but he did not makehimself visible to the shepherd until he had restored him tothe charming Fairy.

Who could describe the perfect joy of Alidor and Youngand Handsome at seeing each other once more? How lovelyeach appeared, and how fondly was each beloved! Whatthanks did not these fortunate lovers render to the Deity whohad secured their happiness. He left them shortly afterwardsto return to Flora.

Young and Handsome was anxious that all her Courtshould share in her felicity. They celebrated it by a thousandfestivities throughout her empire, despite the vexation of theprinces, her less fortunate lovers, who were the spectators ofthe triumphs of the beautiful shepherd.

In order to have nothing more to fear for Alidor from thewrath of Mordicante, Young and Handsome taught him theFairy Art, and presented him with the gift of continual[Pg 130]youth. Having thus provided for his happiness, she nextconsidered his glory. She gave him the Castle of Flowers, andcaused him to be acknowledged king of that beautiful country,over which his ancestors had formerly reigned. Alidor becamethe greatest monarch in the universe, on the same spot wherehe had been the most charming shepherd. He loaded allhis old friends with favours; and, retaining for ever his charms,as well as Young and Handsome, we are assured that theyloved each other eternally, and that Hymen would notdisturb a passion which formed the happiness of theirexistence.

THE PALACE OF REVENGE.

Once on a time there was a King and Queen of Iceland,who, after twenty years of married life, had a daughter.Her birth gave them the greatest pleasure, as they had solong despaired of having children to succeed to their throne.The young Princess was named Imis; her dawning charmspromised from her infancy all the wonderful beauty whichshone with so much brilliancy when she arrived at a maturerage.

No one in the universe would have been worthy of her hadnot Cupid, who thought it a point of honour to subject to hisempire, some day, so marvellous a person, taken care to causea Prince to be born in the same Court equally charming withthat lovely Princess. He was called Philax, and was the sonof a brother of the King of Iceland. He was two years olderthan the Princess, and they were brought up together withall the freedom natural to childhood and near relationship.The first sensations of their hearts were mutual admirationand affection. They could see nothing so beautiful as themselves,consequently they found no attraction in the worldthat could interfere with the passion each felt for the other,even without yet knowing its name.

The King and Queen saw this dawning affection withpleasure. They loved young Philax. He was a Prince oftheir blood, and no child had ever awakened fairer hopes.Everything seemed to favour the designs of Cupid to renderPrince Philax some day the happiest of men. The Princesswas about twelve years old when the Queen, who was exceedinglyfond of her, desired to have her daughter's fortune told[Pg 132]by a Fairy, whose extraordinary science was at that timemaking a great sensation.

She set out in search of her, taking with her Imis, who, inher distress at parting with Philax, wondered a thousand anda thousand times how anybody could trouble themselves aboutthe future when the present was so agreeable. Philax remainedwith the King, and all the pleasures of the Court could notconsole him for the absence of the Princess.

The Queen arrived at the Fairy's castle. She was magnificentlyreceived; but the Fairy was not at home. Her usualresidence was on the summit of a mountain at some distancefrom the castle, where she lived all alone and absorbed inthat profound study which had rendered her famous throughoutthe world.

As soon as she heard of the Queen's arrival, she returnedto the castle. The Queen presented the Princess to her, toldher her name and the hour of her birth, which the Fairyknew as well as she did, though she had not been present atit. The Fairy of the Mountain knew everything. She promisedthe Queen an answer in two days, and then returned tothe summit of the mountain. On the morning of the thirdday she came back to the castle, bade the Queen descendinto the garden, and gave her some tablets of palm leavesclosely shut, which she was ordered not to open except in thepresence of the King.

The Queen, to satisfy her curiosity in some degree, askedher several questions respecting the fate of her daughter."Great Queen," replied the Fairy of the Mountain, "I cannotprecisely tell you what sort of misfortune threatens thePrincess. I perceive only that love will have a large sharein the events of her life, and that no beauty ever inspiredsuch violent passions as that of Imis will do." It was notnecessary to be a fairy to foresee that the Princess wouldhave admirers. Her eyes already seemed to demand from allhearts the love which the Fairy assured the Queen would beentertained for her. In the meanwhile Imis, much less uneasyabout her future destiny than at being separated from Philax,amused herself by gathering flowers; but thinking only of hislove, and in her impatience to depart, she forgot the bouquetshe had begun to compose, and unconsciously flung awaythe flowers she had amassed at first with delight. She[Pg 133]hastened to rejoin the Queen, who was taking her leave ofthe Fairy of the Mountain. The Fairy embraced Imis, andgazing on her with the admiration she deserved—"Since it isimpossible for me," she exclaimed, after a short silence, whichhad something mysterious in it—"since it is impossible forme, beautiful Princess, to alter in your favour the decrees ofdestiny, I will at least endeavour to enable you to escape themisfortunes it prepares for you." So saying, she gatheredwith her own hands a bunch of lilies of the valley, and addressingthe youthful Imis—"Wear always these flowerswhich I give to you," said she; "they will never fade, and aslong as you have them about your person, they will protectyou from all the ills with which you are threatened by Fate."She then fastened the bouquet on the head-dress of Imis, andthe flowers, obedient to the wishes of the Fairy, were nosooner placed in the hair of the Princess, than they adjustedthemselves, and formed a sort of aigrette, the whiteness ofwhich seemed only to prove that nothing could eclipse thatof the complexion of the fair Imis.

The Queen took her departure, after having thanked theFairy a thousand times, and went back to Iceland, where allthe Court impatiently awaited the return of the Princess.Never did delight sparkle with more brilliancy and beautythan in the eyes of Imis and of her lover. The mysteryinvolved in the plume of lilies of the valley was revealed tothe King alone. It had so agreeable an effect in the beautifulbrown hair of the Princess, that everybody took it simplyfor an ornament which she had herself culled in the gardensof the Fairy.

The Princess said much more to Philax about the grief shefelt at her separation from him than about the misfortuneswhich the Fates had in store for her. Philax was, nevertheless,alarmed at them; but the happiness of being togetherwas present, the evils, as yet, uncertain. They forgot them,and abandoned themselves to the delight of seeing each otheragain.

In the meanwhile, the Queen recounted to the King theevents of her journey, and gave him the Fairy's tablets. TheKing opened and found in them the following words, writtenin letters of gold:—

The King and Queen were much distressed at this oracle,and vainly sought its explanation. They said nothing aboutit to the Princess, in order to spare her an unnecessary sorrow.One day that Philax was gone hunting, a pleasure heindulged in frequently, Imis was walking by herself in alabyrinth of myrtles. She was very melancholy becausePhilax was so long absent, and reproached herself for givingway to an impatience which he did not partake. She wasabsorbed in her thoughts, when she heard a voice, which saidto her, "Why do you distress yourself, beautiful Princess?If Philax is not sensible of the happiness of being beloved byyou, I come to offer you a heart a thousand times more grateful—aheart deeply smitten by your charms, and a fortunesufficiently brilliant to be desired by any one except yourself,to whom the whole world is subject." The Princess wasmuch surprised at hearing this voice. She had imaginedherself alone in the labyrinth, and, as she had not uttered aword, she was still more astonished that this voice had repliedto her thoughts. She looked about her, and saw a little manappear in the air, seated upon a cockchafer. "Fear not,fair Imis," said he to her; "you have no lover more submissivethan I am; and although this is the first time that I haveappeared to you, I have long loved you, and daily gazed uponyou." "You astonish me!" replied the Princess. "What!You have daily beheld me, and you know my thoughts? Ifso, you must be aware that it is useless to love me. Philax,to whom I have given my heart, is too charming ever to ceasebeing its master, and although I am displeased with him, Inever loved him so much as I do at this moment. But tellme who you are, and where you first saw me." "I am Paganthe Enchanter," replied he, "and have power over everybodybut you. I saw you first in the gardens of the Fairy of theMountain. I was hidden in one of the tulips you gathered.I took for a happy omen the chance which had induced youto choose the flower I was concealed in. I flattered myselfthat you would carry me away with you; but you were toomuch occupied with the pleasure of thinking of Philax. You[Pg 135]threw away the flowers as soon as you had gathered them,and left me in the garden the most enamoured of beings.From that moment I have felt that nothing could make mehappy but the hope of being loved by you. Think favourablyof me, fair Imis, if it be possible, and permit me occasionallyto remind you of my affection." With these wordshe disappeared, and the Princess returned to the palace,where the sight of Philax dissipated the alarm she had feltat this adventure. She was so eager to hear him excuse himselffor the length of time he had been hunting, that she hadnearly forgotten to inform him of what had occurred to her;but at last she told him what she had seen in the labyrinthof myrtles.

The young Prince, notwithstanding his courage, was alarmedat the idea of a winged rival, with whom he could not disputethe hand of the Princess upon equal terms. But the plumeof lilies of the valley guaranteed him against the effect ofenchantments, and the affection Imis entertained for himwould not permit him to fear any change in her heart.

The day after the adventure in the labyrinth, the Princess,on awaking, saw fly into her chamber twelve tiny nymphs,seated on honey-bees, and bearing in their hands little goldenbaskets. They approached the bed of Imis, saluted her, andthen went and placed their baskets on a table of white marble,which appeared in the centre of the apartment. As soonas the baskets were set upon it, they enlarged to an ordinarysize. The nymphs having quitted them, again saluted Imis,and one of them, approaching the bed nearer than the rest,let something fall upon it, and then they all flew away.

The Princess, despite the astonishment which so strange asight occasioned, took up what the nymph had dropped besideher. It was an emerald of marvellous beauty. It opened themoment the Princess touched it, and she found it containeda rose leaf, on which she read these verses.

The Princess could not recover from her astonishment.At length she called to her attendants, who were as much[Pg 136]surprised as Imis at the sight of the table and the baskets.The King, the Queen, and Philax hastened to the spot on thenews of this extraordinary event. The Princess, in her relationof it, suppressed nothing except the letter of her lover.She considered she was not bound to reveal that to any onebut Philax. The baskets were carefully examined, and werefound to be filled with jewels of extraordinary beauty, and of sogreat a value as to double the astonishment of the spectators.

The Princess would not touch one of them, and havingfound an instant when nobody was listening, she drew near toPhilax and gave him the emerald and the rose leaf. He readhis rival's letter with much disquietude. Imis, to consolehim, tore the rose leaf to pieces before his face; but ah! howdearly did they pay for that act!

Some days elapsed without the Princess hearing anythingof Pagan. She fancied that her contempt for him wouldextinguish his passion, and Philax flattered himself by indulgingin a like belief. That Prince returned to the chase asusual. He halted alone by the side of a fountain, to refreshhimself. He had about him the emerald which the Princesshad given him, and recollecting with pleasure the little valueshe set on it, he drew it from his pocket to look at it. Butscarcely had he held it a moment in his hand when it slippedthrough his fingers, and, as soon as it touched the ground,changed into a chariot. Two winged monsters issued fromthe fountain and harnessed themselves to it. Philax gazedon them without alarm, for he was incapable of fear, but hecould not avoid feeling some emotion when he found himselftransported into the chariot by an irresistible power, and atthe same moment raised into the air, through which thewinged monsters caused the chariot to fly with a prodigiousrapidity. In the meanwhile night came, and the huntsmen,after searching throughout the wood in vain for Philax,repaired to the Palace, whither they imagined he might havereturned alone; but he was not to be found there, nor hadany one seen him since he had set out with them for the chase.

The King commanded them to go back and renew theirsearch for the Prince. All the Court shared in his Majesty'sanxiety. They returned to the wood, they ran in every directionaround it, and did not retrace their steps to the Palacebefore daybreak, but without having obtained the least intelligence[Pg 137]of the Prince. Imis had passed the night in despairat her lover's absence, of which she could not comprehendthe cause. She had ascended a terrace of the Palace to watchfor the return of the party that had gone in search of Philax,and flattered herself she should see him arrive in their company;but no words can express the excess of her afflictionwhen no Philax appeared, and she was informed that it hadbeen impossible to ascertain what had become of him. Shefainted; they carried her into the Palace, and one of her women,in her haste to undress and put her to bed, took out of thehair of the Princess the plume of lilies of the valley whichpreserved her from the power of enchantments. The instantit was removed a dark cloud filled the apartment, and Imisdisappeared. The King and Queen were distracted at thisloss, and nothing could ever console them.

The Princess, on recovering from her swoon, found herselfin a chamber of various-coloured coral, floored with mother-of-pearl,and surrounded by nymphs, who waited upon her withthe most profound respect. They were very beautiful, andmagnificently and tastefully attired. Imis first asked themwhere she was. "You are in a place where you are adored,"said one of the nymphs to her. "Fear nothing, fair Princess,you will find in it everything you can desire." "Philax ishere, then!" exclaimed the Princess, her eyes sparkling withjoy. "I desire only the happiness of seeing him again.""You cherish too long the recollection of an ungrateful lover,"said Pagan, at the same moment rendering himself visible tothe Princess, "and as that Prince has deserted you, he is nomore worthy your affection. Let resentment and respect foryour own pride combine with the passion I entertain for you.Reign for ever in these regions, lovely Princess; you will findin them immense treasures, and all imaginable delights willattend your steps." Imis replied to Pagan's address withtears alone. He left her, fearing to embitter her grief. Thenymphs remained with her, and used all their endeavours toconsole her. A magnificent repast was served up to her. Sherefused to eat; but at length, on the following morning, herdesire to behold Philax once more made her resolve to live.She took some food, and the nymphs, to dissipate her sorrow,conducted her through various portions of the Palace. It wasbuilt entirely of shining shells, mixed with precious stones of[Pg 138]different colours, which produced the finest effect in the world;all the furniture was of gold, and of such wonderful workmanshipthat you might easily see it could only have come fromthe hands of Fairies.

After they had shown Imis the Palace, the nymphsled her into the gardens, which were of a beauty not tobe described. She found in them a very brilliant car,drawn by six stags, who were driven by a dwarf. She wasrequested to enter the car. Imis complied; the nymphsseated themselves at her feet. They were driven to the seaside,where a nymph informed the Princess that Pagan, whoreigned in this island, had made it by the power of his artthe most beautiful in the universe. The sound of instrumentsinterrupted the narration of the nymph. The sea appearedto be entirely covered with little boats, built of flame-colouredcoral, and filled with everything that could be required tocompose a brilliant aquatic entertainment. In the midst ofthe small craft, there was a barque of much larger size, onwhich the initials of Imis were seen in every part, formedwith pearls. It was drawn by two dolphins. It approachedthe shore. The Princess entered it, accompanied by hernymphs. As soon as she was on board, a superb collationappeared before her, and her ears were regaled at the sametime by exquisite music which proceeded from the boatsaround her. Songs were sung, of which her praise alone wasthe theme. But Imis paid no attention to anything. Sheremounted her car, and returned to the Palace overwhelmedwith sadness. In the evening Pagan again presented himself.He found her more insensible to his love than ever; but hewas not discouraged, and trusted to the effect of his constancy.He had yet to learn that in love the most faithful are notalways the most happy.

Every day he offered the Princess entertainments worthyof exciting the admiration of all the world, but which werelost upon her for whom they were invented. Imis thought ofnothing but the absence of her lover.

That unhappy Prince had been transported in the meanwhile,by the winged monsters, into a forest which belongedto Pagan. It was called the Dismal Forest. As soon as Philaxhad arrived in it, the emerald chariot and the monsters disappeared.[Pg 139]The Prince, surprised by this adventure, summonedup all his courage to his assistance, and it was theonly aid on which he could reckon in that place. He firstexplored several of the roads through the forest. They weredreadful, and the sun never penetrated their gloom. Nohuman being was to be found in them; not an animal evenof any description; it seemed as though the beasts themselveshad a horror of this dreary dwelling.

Philax lived upon the wild fruit he found in it. He passedhis days in the deepest sorrow. The loss of the Princessdistracted him, and sometimes, with his sword, which he hadretained, he occupied himself with carving the name of Imison the trunks of the trees, which were not adapted for sotender a practice; but when we are truly in love we frequentlymake things serviceable to our passion which appearto be least favourable for the purpose.

The Prince continued daily to travel through the forest,and he had been nearly a year on his journey, when one nighthe heard some plaintive voices, but could not distinguish anywords. Alarming as these wailing sounds were at such anhour and in a place where the Prince had never yet met withmortal soul, the desire to be no longer alone, and to find atleast some one as wretched as himself with whom he couldweep over the misfortunes that had befallen them, made himwait with impatience for morning, when he might seek outthe persons whose voices he had heard. He walked towardsthat part of the forest whence he fancied the sounds hadproceeded, but hunted all day in vain; at length, however,towards evening, he discovered, in a spot which was clear oftrees, the ruins of a castle which appeared to have been ofgreat size and magnificence. He entered a court-yard, thewalls of which were of green marble, and seemed still tolerablyperfect. He found in it nothing but trees of prodigious height,standing irregularly in various parts of the enclosure. Headvanced towards a spot where he perceived something elevatedupon a pedestal of black marble. It proved to be aconfused pile of armour and weapons, heaped one upon theother: helmets, shields, and swords of an ancient form, whichcomposed a sort of ill-arranged trophy. He looked for someinscription which might inform him to whom these arms had[Pg 140]formerly appertained. He found one engraved on the pedestal.Time had nearly effaced the characters, and it was withmuch difficulty that he deciphered these words:—

To the Immortal Recollection of the Glory of the Fairy Ceora.

It was here
That on the same day
She triumphed over Cupid
And punished her faithless lovers.

This inscription did not afford Philax all the informationhe desired; he therefore would have continued his searchthrough the forest if night had not overtaken him. Heseated himself at the foot of a cypress, and scarcely had beenthere a moment, before he heard the same voices which hadattracted his attention the previous evening. He was not somuch surprised at this as at perceiving that it was the treesthemselves which uttered these complaints, just as if theyhad been human beings. The Prince arose, drew his sword,and struck with it the cypress which was nearest to him.He was about to repeat the blow, when the tree exclaimed,"Hold! hold! Assault not an unhappy Prince who is nolonger in a state to defend himself!" Philax stayed his hand,and becoming accustomed to this supernatural circumstance,inquired of the cypress by what miracle it was thus a manand a tree at the same time. "I am willing to inform you,"replied the cypress; "and as, during two thousand years,this is the first opportunity Fate has afforded me of relatingmy misfortunes, I will not lose it. All the trees you beholdin this court-yard were princes, renowned in their time forthe rank they held in the world, and for their valour. TheFairy Ceora reigned in this country. She was beautiful, buther science rendered her more famous than her beauty. Shetherefore made use of other charms to subject us to her sway.She had become enamoured of the young Oriza, a prince,whose admirable qualities rendered him worthy of a betterfate. I should premise to you," added the cypress, "it isthe oak which you see beside me." Philax looked at theoak, and heard it breathe a heavy sigh, drawn from it, nodoubt, by the recollection of its misfortune. "To attractthis prince to her Court," continued the cypress, "the Fairycaused a tournament to be proclaimed. We all hastened to[Pg 141]seize this opportunity of acquiring glory. Oriza was one ofthe princes who disputed the prize. It consisted of fairyarmour which would render the wearer invulnerable. Unfortunately,I was the conqueror. Ceora, irritated that Fatehad not favoured her inclinations, resolved to avenge herselfupon us. She enchanted the looking-glasses, with which agallery of her castle was entirely lined. Those who saw herreflected but once in these fatal mirrors, could not resistfeeling for her the most violent passion. It was in this galleryshe received us the day after the tournament. We all sawher in these mirrors, and she appeared to us so beautiful, thatthose amongst us who had hitherto been indifferent to love,ceased to be so from that instant; and those who were inlove with others became as suddenly faithless. We no longerthought of leaving the Fairy's palace: our only anxiety wasto please her. In vain did state affairs demand our presencein our own dominions; nothing seemed of consequence to ussave the hope of being beloved by Ceora. Oriza was the onlyone she favoured, and the passion of the other princes but gavethe Fairy opportunities of sacrificing them to this lover whowas so dear to her, and caused the fame of her beauty to bespread throughout the world. Love appeared for some timeto have softened the cruel nature of Ceora; but at the end offour or five years she displayed her former ferocity. Sherevenged herself on the kings, her neighbours, for the smallestslight by the most horrible murders, and abusing the powerwhich her enchantments gave her over us, she made us theministers of her cruelties. Oriza strove in vain to preventher injustice. She loved him; but she would not obey him.Having returned one day from fighting and subduing a giantwhom I had challenged by her orders, I caused the arms ofthe vanquished to be brought into her presence. She wasalone in the Gallery of Looking-glasses. I laid the giant'sspoils at her feet, and pleaded my passion to her with inconceivableardour, augmented, no doubt, by the power of theenchantment by which I was surrounded. But far fromevincing the least gratitude for the success of my combat, orfor the love I felt for her, Ceora treated me with the utmostcontempt; and, retiring into a boudoir, left me alone in thegallery, in an indescribable state of despair and rage. Iremained there some time, not knowing what resolution to[Pg 142]take; for the enchantments of the Fairy did not permit us tofight with Oriza. Careful of the life of her lover, the cruelCeora excited our jealousy, but took from us the naturaldesire to revenge ourselves on a fortunate rival. At length,after having paced the gallery for some time, I rememberedthat it was in this place I had first fallen in love with theFairy, and exclaimed, 'It is here that I first felt that fatalpassion which now fills me with despair; and you, wretchedmirrors, who have so often represented the unjust Ceora tome, with a beauty which has enslaved my heart and reason,I will punish you for the crime of offering her to my viewwith too great attraction.' At these words, snatching up thegiant's club, which I had brought to present to the Fairy, Idashed the mirrors to pieces. No sooner were they brokenthan I felt even greater hatred for Ceora than I had formerlyfelt love for her. The princes, my rivals, felt at the samemoment their charms broken, and Oriza himself was ashamedof the love which the Fairy had for him. Ceora in vainattempted to retain her lover by her tears; he was insensibleto her grief, and in spite of her cries, we set out all together,determined to fly from the terrible place, but in passingthrough the court-yard, the sky appeared to be on fire; afrightful clap of thunder was heard, and we found it wasimpossible for us to move. The Fairy appeared in the air,riding on a great serpent, and addressing us in a tone of voicewhich betrayed her rage,—'Inconstant princes,' said she, 'Iam about to punish you, by a torture which will never end,for the crime you have committed in breaking my chains,which were too great an honour for you to bear; and as foryou, ungrateful Oriza, I triumph after all in the love you havefelt for me. Content with this victory, I shall visit you withthe same misfortune as your rivals; and I command,' addedshe, 'in memory of this adventure, that when the use ofmirrors shall be known to all the world, the breaking of thesefatal glasses shall always be a certain sign of the infidelity ofa lover.' The Fairy disappeared in the air after having pronouncedthese words. We were changed into trees; but thecruel Ceora, no doubt with the idea of increasing our suffering,left us our reason. Time has destroyed the superb castle,which was the victim of our misfortune; and you are the only[Pg 143]visitor we have seen during the two thousand years that wehave been in this frightful forest."

Philax was about to reply to this speech of the cypresstree, when he was suddenly transported into a beautifulgarden; he there found a lovely nymph, who approachedhim with a gracious air, saying, "If you wish it, Philax, Iwill allow you in three days to see the Princess Imis."

The Prince, transported with joy at so unexpected a proposition,threw himself at her feet to express his gratitude.At that same moment Pagan was in the air, concealed in acloud with the Princess Imis: he had told her a thousandtimes that Philax was unfaithful, but she had always refused,on the word of a jealous lover, to believe it. He now conductedher to this spot, he said, to convince her of the ficklenessof the Prince she so unjustly preferred to him. ThePrincess saw Philax throw himself, with an air of extremedelight, at the feet of the nymph; and was in despair thatshe could no longer deceive herself on a point which shefeared to believe more than anything in the world. Paganhad placed her at a distance from the earth, which preventedher hearing what Philax and the nymph said; and it was byhis orders that the latter had presented herself to him.

Pagan led Imis back to his island, where after havingconvinced her of the infidelity of Philax, he found he hadonly redoubled the grief of that beautiful Princess withoutrendering her at all more favourable to himself.

In despair at finding this pretended infidelity, from whichhe had expected so much success, was useless to him, heresolved to be revenged on the constancy of the lovers: hewas not cruel, like the Fairy Ceora, his ancestress, so hebethought him of a different punishment to that with whichshe had visited her unfortunate lovers. He did not wish todestroy either the Princess, whom he had so tenderly loved,nor even Philax, whom he had already made suffer so much;so, confining his revenge to the destruction of a passion whichhad so opposed his own, he erected in his island a CrystalPalace, and took care to put into it everything that wouldrender life agreeable but the means of leaving it; he shut upin it nymphs and dwarfs to wait on Imis and her lover; and,when everything was prepared for their reception, he transported[Pg 144]them both there. They at first thought themselveson the summit of happiness, and blessed Pagan a thousandtimes for the mildness of his anger. As for Pagan, althoughat first he could not bear to see them together, he expectedthat this spectacle would one day be less painful to him.But in the meanwhile, he departed from the Crystal Palace,after having, with a stroke of his wand, engraved on it thisinscription:—

They say that at the end of some years, Pagan was as muchavenged as he desired to be; and that the beautiful Imisand Philax fulfilled the prediction of the Fairy of theMountain, by wishing as fervently to recover the aigrette oflilies in order to destroy the agreeable enchantment, as theyhad formerly desired to preserve it as a safeguard against theevils which had been foretold would befal them.

THE PRINCE OF LEAVES.

In one of those parts of the world, commonly called Fairyland,on which poets alone have the right to bestow names, thereformerly reigned a King so renowned for his rare qualities, thathe attracted the esteem and admiration of all the Princes ofhis time. He had, many years past, lost his wife, the Queen,who had never brought him a son; but he had ceased todesire one since the birth of a daughter of such marvellousbeauty, that from the moment she was born he lavished allhis affection and tenderness upon her. She was namedRavissante, by a Fairy, a near relative of the Queen, whopredicted that the wit and the charms of the young Princesswould surpass all that had ever before been known or even couldbe expected from her present beauty; but she added to thisagreeable prediction, that the perfect felicity of the Princesswould depend entirely on her heart remaining faithful to itsfirst love. In such a case, who can feel assured of a happydestiny? The King, who desired nothing so much as thehappiness of Ravissante, heartily wished that it had beenattached to any other condition,—but we cannot commandour own fates. He begged the Fairy, a thousand times,to bestow on the young Ravissante the gift of constancy, ashe had seen her give to others the gifts of intelligence andof beauty. But the Fairy, who was sufficiently wise not todeceive him respecting the extent of her power, franklyinformed the King that it did not extend to the qualities ofthe heart. She, however, promised to use her utmost endeavourto impress the young Princess with the sentiments that wouldbe likely to ensure her happiness. Upon the faith of this[Pg 146]promise, the King confided Ravissante to her care from thetime she attained her fifth year, preferring to deprive himselfof the pleasure of seeing her rather than run any risk ofmarring her fortune. The Fairy therefore carried off thelittle Princess, who was very soon consoled for leaving theCourt of her father, by the delight and novelty of passingthrough the air in a brilliant little car.

On the fourth day after her departure the flying car stoppedin the middle of the sea, upon a rock of a prodigious size—itwas one entire shining stone, the colour of which was exactlythat of the sky. The Fairy remarked with pleasure thatthe young Ravissante was enchanted with this colour, andshe drew from it a happy omen for the future, as it was thecolour which signifies fidelity. Shortly after they had landedon it, the Fairy touched the rock with a golden wand which sheheld in her hand. The rock immediately opened, and Ravissantefound herself with the Fairy, in the most beautifulpalace in the world; the walls were of the same material asthe rock, and the same colour prevailed in all the paintingsand furniture, but it was so ingeniously mixed with gold andprecious stones, that far from wearying the eye, it equallypleased in all. The young Ravissante dwelt in this agreeablepalace, with several beautiful maidens, whom the Fairy hadtransported from various countries to attend on and amusethe Princess, and she passed her infancy in the enjoyment ofevery pleasure suited to her age. When she had attained herfourteenth year the Fairy again consulted the stars, in orderto learn precisely when the heart of Ravissante would betouched with a passion which pleases even more than italarms, however formidable it may appear to some; and sheread distinctly in the stars that the fatal time approachedwhen the destiny of the young Princess would be fulfilled.The Fairy had a nephew who was indescribably dear to her:he was of the same age as Ravissante, born on the same dayand at the same hour. She had found, in consulting the starsalso for him, that they promised him the same fate as thePrincess—that is to say, perfect happiness, provided he possessedfidelity which nothing could vanquish. In order tomake him both loving and faithful she had only to let himbehold Ravissante. No one could resist her eyes, and the[Pg 147]Fairy hoped that the attentions of the young Prince wouldone day touch her heart. He was the son of a King,brother of the Fairy; he was amiable; and the young Princessnot only had never had a lover, she had not even seen a mansince she had lived on the rock. The Fairy consequently flatteredherself that the novelty of the pleasure of being tenderlybeloved would perhaps inspire the Princess with a feeling oflove in return. She therefore transported the Prince, whowas named Ariston, to the same rock which served both aspalace and prison for the beautiful Ravissante. He therefound her amusing herself with the young maidens of herCourt, by weaving garlands of flowers in a forest of bluehyacinths, where they were then walking, for the Fairy, inbestowing on the rock the power of producing plants andtrees, had limited the colour of them to that of the rock itself.She had already, some time since, apprised the Princess thatPrince Ariston would soon visit the island, and she had added,in speaking of the Prince, everything that she thought likelyto prejudice her in his favour; but she deceived herself thistime; and on the arrival of Ariston, she observed nothing ofthat emotion or surprise which is the usual presage of a tenderpassion. As for the Prince, his sentiments were in perfectaccordance with the wishes of the Fairy: he became passionatelyin love from the moment he first set eyes on Ravissante;and it was not possible to see her without adoring her,for never were grace and beauty so perfectly united as in theperson of this amiable princess. She had the most exquisitecomplexion, and her dark brown hair added to its dazzlingwhiteness; her mouth had infinite charms, her teeth weremore purely white than pearls; her eyes, the most beautiful inthe world, were deep blue, and they were so brilliant, and atthe same time so touching in their expression, that it washardly possible to sustain their glances without yielding theheart at once to the fatal power which love had bestowed onthem. She was not very tall, but perfectly beautiful, and allher movements were peculiarly graceful. Everything she didand said pleased invariably, and often a smile or a singleword sufficed to prove that the charms of her mind equalledthose of her person.

Such, and a thousand times more amiable than I can paint[Pg 148]her, it had indeed been difficult for Ariston not to have becomedistractedly in love; but the Princess received his attentionswith indifference, and did not appear in the least touched bythem. The Fairy remarked it, and felt a grief which wasonly surpassed by that of the Prince. She had remarked inthe stars that he who was destined to possess Ravissantewould extend his power not only over the earth, but even overthe sea. Therefore her ambition made her wish that hernephew should touch the heart of the Princess as much as hedesired the same effect from his love. She thought, however,that if the Prince were as learned as she was in the magicart, he might perhaps find some mode of rendering himselfmore attractive in the eyes of Ravissante; but the Fairy, whohad never loved, was ignorant that the art of pleasing is notalways to be discovered, although sought for with the utmostardour and eagerness. She taught the Prince, therefore, in ashort time, all those sciences which are known only to thefairies. He had no pleasure in learning them, nor had he anyidea of employing them but with regard to his passion forRavissante. He began to make use of them by giving everyday a new fête to the Princess. She admired the wondersproduced, she deigned even sometimes to praise what appearedthe most gallant in these efforts of the Prince to please her;but after all, she received his devotion and his attentions asthe just homage due to her beauty, and she considered themamply repaid by her condescending to receive them withoutanger.

Ariston began to despair of the success of his passion,but he was too speedily obliged to confess that this very time,which he complained of so justly, and in which he felt sokeenly the hopelessness of his love, had, notwithstanding,been the most happy period of his life. A year after hisarrival on the island he celebrated the return of that memorableday on which he had first beheld Ravissante. In theevening he gave her a fête in the forest of hyacinths. Marvellousmusic was heard in every part of the forest withoutany one being able to discover from whence the sounds proceeded.All that was sung by these invisible musicianstenderly expressed the love of Ariston for the Princess; theyconcluded their admirable concert by these words, which wererepeated several times:—

After the music, there appeared suddenly an elegant collationunder a tent of silver gauze, elegantly looped up withropes of pearls; it was open on the side towards the sea,which bounded the forest in that direction; and was illuminatedby a great number of chandeliers formed of brilliants,which emitted an effulgence nearly equal to that of the sun.It was by this light that the nymphs of the court ofRavissante pointed out to her an inscription at the entranceof the pavilion, written in letters of gold upon a ruby ofimmense magnitude, supported by twelve little cupids, whoflew away as soon as the Princess had heard this inscriptionread, which consisted of these lines:—

The fête continued, and Prince Ariston had at least thepleasure of engrossing the leisure of the Princess, if he couldnot occupy her heart. But he was deprived even of thisgratification by a surprising spectacle which appeared far outat sea, and attracted the curiosity and attention of Ravissanteand of all the court. The object approached, and they distinguishedthat it was an arbour formed of interlaced myrtleand laurel branches, closed on all sides, and propelled withgreat rapidity by an infinite number of winged fish. Thissight was the more novel to Ravissante as she had neverbefore seen anything of the colour of this arbour. The Fairyhaving foreseen that it would cause some misfortune to hernephew, had absolutely banished it from her island. ThePrincess watched for the approach of the strange object withan impatience which appeared to Ariston a bad omen for hislove. She had not long to wait, for the winged fish broughtthe arbour in a few moments to the foot of the rock, and the[Pg 150]attention of the young Princess and of all the Court wasredoubled.

The arbour opened, and out of it came a young man of marvellousbeauty, who appeared about sixteen or seventeen yearsof age. He was clothed in branches of myrtle, curiouslyinterlaced, with a scarf composed of various-coloured roses.This handsome stranger experienced as much astonishment ashe occasioned. The beauty of Ravissante did not leave him atliberty to amuse himself by observing the rest of the splendidscene, the brilliancy of which had attracted him from a distance.He approached the Princess with a grace which shehad never observed but in herself. "I am so surprised,"said he to her, "at all I find on these shores, that I have lostthe power of expressing my astonishment. Is it possible,"continued he, "that such a goddess (for a goddess you surelymust be) has not temples throughout the universe?" "I amnot a goddess," said Ravissante, colouring; "I am an unfortunateprincess banished from the states of the King, myfather, to avoid I know not what misfortune, which theyassure me has been predicted from the moment of my birth.""You appear to me much more formidable," replied thehandsome stranger, "than those stars which may havesome evil influence on your fate, and over what misfortunecould not such perfect beauty triumph! I feel that it canvanquish everything," he added, sighing, "since it has conqueredin a moment a heart which I had always flatteredmyself should remain insensible; but, Madam," continued he,without giving her time to reply, "I must, against my will,withdraw from this charming place, where I see you only,and where I have lost my peace of mind; I will return soon,if Cupid prove favourable to me." After these words, here-entered the arbour, and in a few moments he was lost tosight.

Prince Ariston was so astounded and distressed by thisadventure, that he had not at first the strength to speak; arival had appeared in a manner as wonderful as unexpected;this rival had seemed to him only too charming, and hethought he had observed in the beautiful eyes of the Princess,whilst the stranger addressed her, a languor which he hadoften desired to see, but which till then he had never detected.Agonized by a despair which he dared not betray, he conducted[Pg 151]Ravissante to the Palace, where she passed part of thenight, occupied by the recollection of her agreeable adventure,and made her nymphs relate each circumstance over and overagain, as though she had not been herself present. As forPrince Ariston, he went to consult the Fairy, who, he hoped,might possess some charm to allay the violent grief underwhich he laboured; but she had no antidote for jealousy, andthey do say none has ever been discovered to this day. ThePrince and the Fairy, however, redoubled their enchantmentsto defend the entrance to the rock from this formidablestranger, whom they took for a magician. They surroundedthe island with frightful monsters, who occupied a great spaceon the sea, and who, excited by their own natural ferocity,and by the power of the spell, seemed to assure Ariston andthe Fairy that it would be an impossibility to take fromthem the beautiful Princess whom they so jealously guarded.Ravissante seemed to feel more vividly the power of thecharms of the handsome stranger by the grief which sheexperienced at the obstacles opposed to his return to theisland; and she resolved, at all events, to be revenged onPrince Ariston. She began to hate him, and that alonewas ample vengeance. Ariston was inconsolable at findinghe had provoked the hatred of Ravissante by a passion whichit appeared to him should have produced just the contraryeffect. The Princess mourned in secret the forgetfulness ofthe stranger: it appeared to her that love should have erethis made him keep his promise to return. Sometimes, also,she ceased to desire it, when she remembered the dangers withwhich Ariston and the Fairy had surrounded the approach tothe island. One day that she was occupied in these variousreflections whilst walking alone on the sea-shore—for Aristondared not, as formerly, follow her, and the Princess refusedeven to attend the fêtes with which he was accustomed toentertain her,—she arrived at the same spot which the adventurewith the unknown visitor had rendered so remarkable, andwas struck by the appearance of a tree of extraordinary beautyfloating towards the rock. The colour, which was the same asthat of the myrtle arbour of the stranger, gave her a sensationof joy. The tree approached the rock, and the monstersattempted to defend the entrance, but a little breeze agitatedthe leaves of the tree, and having blown off a few, and driven[Pg 152]them against the monsters, they yielded to these light andharmless weapons, and even ranged themselves with a showof respect in a circle around the tree, which approached the rockwithout further impediment, and opened, disclosing to view thestranger seated on a throne of verdure; he rose precipitately atthe sight of Ravissante, and spoke to her with so much eloquenceand so much love, that after she had in a few words acquaintedhim with her history, she could not conceal from himthat she was touched by his devotion, and rejoiced at his return."But," said she, "is it fair that you should know the sentimentswith which you have inspired me before I am informedof the name even of him who has called them forth?"

"I had no intention of concealing it from you," replied thecharming unknown; "but when near you, one can speak of nothingbut you; however, as you wish to know, I obey you, andbeg to acquaint you that I am called the Prince of Leaves:I am the son of Spring and of a sea nymph, a relation ofAmphitrite, which is the cause of my power extending overthe sea: my empire comprises all parts of the earth whichrecognise the influence of Spring; but I chiefly inhabit ahappy island where the gentle season which my fatherbestows reigns perpetually. There the air is always pure,the fields ever covered with flowers; the sun never scorches,but only approaches sufficiently near to illuminate it; nightis banished, and it is therefore called the Island of Day. Itis inhabited by a people as amiable as the climate is agreeable.It is in this place that I offer you an empire, sweetand calm, and where my heart above all things will acknowledgeyour sovereignty. You must, however, beautifulPrincess, consent to be carried off from this rock, whereyou are retained in veritable bondage: notwithstanding thehonours they pay you with a view to disguise the real stateof the case." Ravissante could not, however, make up hermind to follow the Prince of Leaves into his empire, in spiteof the fear which she had of the power of the Fairy, and thesuggestions of her love; she hoped that her perseverance inrejecting the vows of Ariston, would at length cause him toresolve to conquer his passion, and that the Fairy wouldthen restore her to her father, from whom the Prince ofLeaves might demand her hand.

"But I should at least wish," said she to him, "to be ableto send you word of what happens in this island, and I knownot how that is possible, as everything I do is suspected andwatched." "I will leave with you here," said the Prince,"the subjects of a friend of mine, who is also a prince. Theywill constantly attend on you, and by them you can often sendme intelligence; but remember, beautiful Princess, with whatimpatience I shall wait for it!" After these words, heapproached the tree which had conveyed him, and havingtouched some of the leaves, two butterflies appeared, the onewhite and flame-colour, the other yellow and light-grey—themost beautiful in the world. As Ravissante gazed on them,the Prince of Leaves said, smiling, "I see you are surprised atthe appearance of the confidants I give you; but these butterfliesare not merely what they appear to be; it is a mysterywhich they will explain if you will permit them to talk toyou." As he spoke, Ravissante perceived in the distancesome of her nymphs, who came to seek her in her solitude,and she begged the Prince of Leaves to re-embark; heobeyed, notwithstanding the infinite regret he felt at quittingher, but he did not depart quickly enough to avoid observation;they informed Ariston and the Fairy of his return tothe island, and from that moment, in order to take away fromthe beautiful Ravissante the means, and even the hope ofseeing him again, they erected a tower on the summit of therock formed of the same stone; and in order to render it moreentirely secure, as the guard of living monsters had provedinsufficient, they caused the tower and rock to be invisible toall those who should come to seek her, not daring again totrust to ordinary enchantments. Ravissante was in despairat being immured in so cruel and impregnable a prison.Prince Ariston had not concealed from her that he had renderedit invisible; he had even attempted to make her acceptthis care for her safety as a proof of his tender devotion; butRavissante felt her hatred and contempt for him increasedaily, and he dared no longer enter her presence. The butterflies,however, had not quitted her, and she often regardedthem with pleasure as having come from the Prince ofLeaves. One day that she was still more sad than usual, andmusing, on a terrace at the top of the tower, the flame-colouredbutterfly flew on to one of the vases filled withflowers, which ornamented the balustrade. "Why," said he,[Pg 154]all of a sudden to the Princess, "do you not send me to thePrince of Leaves, he will undoubtedly come to your relief?"Ravissante was at first so astonished at hearing the butterflyspeak, although her lover had prepared her for the novelty,that she was for some minutes unable to answer; however,the name of the Prince of Leaves assisting to dissipate hersurprise, "I was so astonished," said she at length, "to heara butterfly speak like ourselves, that I could not soonerreply to you. I can well believe that you could go toapprise the Prince of Leaves of my misfortune, but what canhe do?—only distress himself uselessly. He cannot find mein a place which the cruelty of my enemies has taken careto render invisible."

"It is less so than you think," replied the yellow butterfly,flying round the Princess in order to join in the conversation:"a little while ago, I surveyed your prison, I flew and even swamround it; it disappears when one is on the water, but whenone is elevated in the air it ceases to be invisible. No doubtthe Fairy did not consider that road so easy as to require thesame defence as that by the sea. I was about to give youthis hint," continued the butterfly, "when my brother brokethe silence which we have hitherto preserved." This agreeablepiece of news restored hope to the Princess. "Is it possible,"said she, "that Ariston can have neglected any precautionwhich could gratify his cruelty and his love? Nodoubt his power, like that of the Fairy, which is unboundedover earth and sea, does not extend to the air." This wasprecisely the reason which had prevented the Prince andthe Fairy from rendering the tower and the rock invisiblefrom the sky. "But," added Ravissante, after some minutes'reflection, "can the Prince of Leaves have any power in theair?" "No, Madam," replied the flame-coloured butterfly,"he can do nothing, and your prison would be invisibleto him though he be a demi-god, as it would be to a mortal;but—" "The Prince will then be as miserable as myself,"interrupted the sorrowful Ravissante, bursting into a flood oftears, which added to her beauty, and which affected extremelythe two butterflies; "and I feel I shall be more distressed athis sorrows than at my own! What ought I, then, to do?"continued she, sighing. "Send me off at once," replied theflame-coloured butterfly, briskly; "I will go and apprise the[Pg 155]Prince of Leaves of your misfortunes, and he will come tothe rescue: although his power does not extend to the air, hehas a prince amongst his friends who can do anything in it,and of whom he can dispose as of himself—but my brothercan inform you of all this during my absence. Adieu, beautifulPrincess," continued the butterfly, flying over thebalustrade; "cease to weep, and count on my diligence, Iwill fly as rapidly as your wishes." After these words,the butterfly was lost in the air; and the Princess felt thatcharming and lively sensation of joy which the hope of soonbeholding a beloved one inspires. She returned to herapartment, and the yellow butterfly followed her; she wasextremely impatient to know from what prince her lover hopedfor assistance; to end her doubts, she begged the yellow butterflyto tell her all that could contribute to augment or flatterher hopes. She placed him on a little basket of flowers,which she carried to a table near her, and the butterfly,who considered it an honour to please her, commenced hisrecital.

"Near the Island of Day, where the Prince of Leavesreigns, there is another, smaller but equally agreeable; theground there is always covered with flowers, and they affirmthat it is a boon granted to our country by Flora, to immortalizethe memory of the happy days when she came there to findZephyr: for they contend that it was on our island that theyused to meet, when their love was still new and secret. Itis called the "Island of Butterflies." The inhabitants arenot of the form that you see me under. They are littlewinged men, very pretty, very gallant, very amorous, and sovolatile that they hardly love the same thing for even oneday. Whilst the golden age reigned on the earth, Cupid,who at that time flattered himself that the hearts of allmankind would be ever fond and faithful, feared that by thefacility with which we flew about the world, we might teachmortals the agreeable art of changing in love, which this godcalled an error capable of utterly destroying the happiness ofhis empire. In order to interdict all communication betweenus and the rest of the universe, he came to our island, touchedthe ground with one of his arrows, and rising again upon abrilliant cloud which had borne him thither, 'If again,' saidhe, to the inhabitants of the island, 'you wish to traverse the[Pg 156]air, like the gods, I have taken sure means of vengeance; youcan no longer, by your dangerous society, trouble the happinessof my empire.' After these words he disappeared. Thethreats of Cupid did not, however, take from the Butterfliesthe desire for change, nor even for flying, if it was only forthe pleasure of occasionally quitting the earth. Some ofthem mounted into the air, and found that they had thesame facility as they possessed before Cupid had forbiddenthem to do so; but as soon as they passed the limits of theIsland they were changed into little insects, such as you nowbehold me, all of different colours, avenging Cupid havingintended to mark by this variety how much they were givento inconstancy. Surprised at their metamorphosis, theyreturned to our island, and as soon as they touched theground they were restored to their original form. Sincethat fatal time the vengeance of Cupid has always continuedamongst us; when we quit the earth, nothing of our nature,as men, remains, except our mind and the liberty of speakinglike them; but we have never made use of it out of ourisland, not choosing to make this act of vengeance celebratedby publishing it ourselves to the universe, or to alarm thosewho, like us, are inclined to inconstancy. We have, however,the pleasure of seeing, in our travels through theworld, that fate has revenged us on Cupid without our assistance;for Inconstancy reigns with equal power to his own inthe whole extent of his empire. Some centuries after thischange took place in the realm of the butterflies, the Sun,that seemed to take pleasure in making it bring forth flowers,was so enchanted with his handiwork, that he fell in lovewith a rose of extraordinary beauty; he was tenderly belovedby her, and she sacrificed to him all the care bestowed on herby the zephyrs. At the end of some time the rose became ofa different form to the rest; the Sun immediately causedothers to blow, resembling her, in order that she might beless remarked in this quantity of flowers, which then appeareda new kind of plant. It has since been called 'the rose of ahundred leaves.' At length, from the Sun and this rosesprung a demi-god, whom the Sun destined to reign for ever inour island. Until then we had had no sovereign, but the sonof a god who favoured so constantly our earth was receivedas our ruler with extreme joy; they called him the Prince of[Pg 157]the Butterflies. It is this Prince, beautiful Princess, whocan assist you in the air, and whom the adventure I am aboutto relate has rendered such a fast friend of the Prince ofLeaves.

"In a country far removed from that of the butterfliesthere reigns a Fairy, who dwells in a very dark cavern: theycall her the Fairy of the Grotto. She is of an immense size;her complexion is a mixture of blue, green, and yellow. Herface is almost as formidable as her power, and she is sodreaded by mortals that there is not one bold enough toapproach the country which she inhabits. One day thePrince of the Butterflies, travelling for his pleasure in theneighbourhood of his empire, perceived the Fairy, and surprisedat this rencontre he followed her for some time to seewhat would become of so fearful a monster. She did notremark that she was observed, for the Prince, although theoffspring of the Sun, had not been able to obtain from fatethe liberty of travelling under any other form than thatwhich we all took on leaving the kingdom, because he wasborn since the time when Cupid had made us feel his vengeance.However, he was not inconstant, like all his subjects,and Cupid, by way of showing him a little favour on thataccount, had permitted him, when he changed his form, tobe of one colour only, and that colour should be the onewhich signifies Fidelity. Under this form he followed theFairy as far as he pleased, and he saw her enter her dismalabode. Impelled by curiosity, he flew in after her; butwhat a sight awaited him at the bottom of this cavern!He there saw a young lady, more beautiful and more brilliantthan the day, reclining on a bed of turf, and who appearedin extreme grief. From time to time she dried the tearswhich fell from her lovely eyes; her distress and the languorof her appearance added to her charms. The Prince of theButterflies remained so entranced by this spectacle, that heforgot the form under which he appeared, and only rememberedthat he was desperately in love, and that he was burningto say so. He was roused from this sweet reverie by theawful voice of the Fairy, who spoke to the young lady withfrightful severity. This filled his heart with sorrow and anger,as well as with despair, at not daring to express either one or theother. The Fairy, who by a natural restlessness could not[Pg 158]remain long in the same place, went out of the cavern; thePrince then approached the young person with whom hewas so charmed; he flew round her, and wishing to enjoythe only liberty which his form permitted, he alighted onher hair, which was the fairest in the world, and at lengthupon her cheek. He was dying to tell her how muchhe was touched with her beauty and her grief, but by whatmeans could he convince her that he was son of the Sun,without being able to appear before her in his own form; andhow could he inform her of the vengeance of Cupid, and theinconstancy so natural to the inhabitants of the island, atthe very time that he wished to persuade her that he wouldnever cease to love her? He remained several days in thecavern, or in the forest with which it was surrounded; hecould not resolve to quit this beauty that he so adored, andalthough he dared not speak to her, he saw her, and that wasenough to make him prefer this hideous abode to the agreeablescenes where he had the pleasure of reigning, and of beingacknowledged the most beautiful Prince in the world.

"During the time he remained with this young creature healways saw the Fairy treat her with incredible inhumanity, andhe learnt from their conversation that this beautiful person wasthe Princess of the Linnets, whom the Fairy, being a relative,had carried off at a tender age, in order more easily to usurpher kingdom, which was a little island situated near to thatof the Butterflies. He had heard of the Princess having beencarried away, and that no one knew what had become of her.This country was called the Land of the Linnets, on accountof the great quantity of those little birds that was foundthere. The Prince of the Butterflies pitied sincerely thisunfortunate Princess, and, in the hope of being able to deliverher, he determined at length to tear himself away from her.He flew to the Island of Day without resting for a moment; hethere found the Prince of Leaves, with whom he was unitedin the most tender bond of friendship, and who was about topass a part of the year in the Island of Butterflies. He relatedhis adventure to the Prince, and after discussing every meansby which it would be possible to set the young Princess atliberty, the Prince of Leaves resolved to go himself into theforest of the Fairy, to inform the Princess of the Linnets ofthe violent love which the Prince of the Butterflies felt for[Pg 159]her, and the reason which would always prevent that unfortunatesovereign from appearing before her under his properform, unless she consented to be transported to the Island ofButterflies. But the Prince of Leaves appeared to his friendtoo formidable a rival to be entrusted with the commission;for he feared, with reason, that the Princess might be moretouched by the charms of so perfect a prince than by therecital of the love entertained for her by another princewhom she had never seen nor even heard speak. He deploredthe cruelty of his destiny, and sought some other mode ofdeclaring his love to the Princess, but without success.

"None but a demi-god could approach the dwelling of theFairy without feeling immediately the direful effect of herfury. He embarked, therefore, with the Prince of Leaves,agitated by a jealous fear. It appeared to him that thisPrince could not preserve for a single moment, on beholdingthe beautiful Princess, the insensibility on which he had alwayspiqued himself.

"Cupid, touched at the sad state to which he was reduced,wished at least to re-assure him on this point, and at thesame time triumph over the insensible heart of the Prince ofLeaves. It was by you, beautiful Princess," continued theButterfly, "that the God expected to gain this victory, andyou alone are worthy of it.

"It was on the same day that the two princes embarkedthat they saw from afar, upon this rock, an illumination sobrilliant, that the Prince of Leaves, impelled by his destinymore than by curiosity, ordered the winged fish which conductedthe arbour of myrtle in which he travelled, to approachthe spot from which the bright light emanated. You knowthe remainder of this adventure. The Prince of Leaves foundyou in the forest of hyacinths, and left at your feet theliberty which he had held so dear, and which, till thatmoment, he had always preserved. Hurried away by theimpatience of the Prince of the Butterflies, who had sufferednothing but regret at the delay, he tore himself, with infinitepain, from a spot where his heart and his wishes would havemade him desire to remain for ever. They continued theirvoyage, and the Prince of the Butterflies was so delighted tosee that the Prince of Leaves was so deeply in love, and sofar from being likely to become his rival, that he did not[Pg 160]doubt of its being a happy omen, and that he might counton a successful issue to his enterprise.

"They arrived in the forest of the Fairy of the Grotto; theyentered her dreary abode, and Cupid, who had resolved tofavour them, caused them to find the Princess of the Linnetsalone and asleep. There was no time to be lost—the Princeof Leaves carried her off in the myrtle arbour, whilst thePrince of the Butterflies followed.

"The Fairy returned at this moment; she uttered the mosthorrible shrieks at the sight of this abduction; she thoughtshe could prevent it by her art, and revenge herself on thosewho had thus dared to rescue the Princess of the Linnets.But her enchantments were powerless over the Prince ofLeaves, who soon was far away from the dismal shore. Inthe meanwhile the Princess awoke, and was agreeably surprisedat finding herself where she was, and at the presenceof the Prince of Leaves. But it was an agreeable surprise,which increased when that Prince conversed with her, andinformed her of the effect of her beauty, and that she wouldhenceforth, being delivered from the tyranny of the Fairy,reign in her own empire, and in one also even finer thanher own. The Prince of the Butterflies then spoke of his lovewith so much vivacity and tenderness, that the Princess feltexcessive curiosity to see him in his true form, of which sheconfessed to have formed a very exalted idea from the timeshe heard his voice. They continued to float on, and aftersome days arrived at the Island of Butterflies, when the Princehastened to land, in order to appear at length in his ownperson to the Princess. The Princess of Linnets then sentto inform her subjects in her own island of her adventures:they flocked to see her, and it was in their presence thatshe accepted the heart and empire of the happy Prince of theButterflies. The Prince of Leaves, however, left her immediatelythat he had safely conducted her to that island, inorder to return hither, beautiful Princess, where his anxietyand his ardent love made him impatient to be."

Ravissante listened with extreme attention to the Butterfly,when she saw Prince Ariston enter her chamber with suchfury in his countenance, that she dreaded its effects. "Fatethreatens me," he cried, on entering; "and as it is withsome great misfortune, it must, no doubt, be that of losing[Pg 161]you; none other would affect my heart, or be worthy of beingso predicted. See, Madam," he continued, addressing Ravissante,"the colour which the walls of this tower are assuming—itis a certain sign of approaching misfortune!"

As the misfortunes of Ariston were a happiness to Ravissante,she looked without distress at that which he pointedout to her notice, and perceived, indeed, that the blue stoneswere losing their original colour, and beginning to turn green.She was delighted to see this, as she augured from it thecertain approach of the Prince of Leaves. The joy whichthe unhappy Ariston remarked in her eyes redoubled hisdespair. What did he not then say to Ravissante? Andrendered sincere by the excess of his grief, he told her thathis love was so great as not to allow of his ceasing to adoreher, although he was sure of being miserable all his life."I cannot doubt it," said he to the Princess, "for the Fatesforetold to me as to you—that I should always be miserableif I were not always faithful to the first impressions lovemade on my heart. And by what means could I ever obeythis cruel mandate? After one has seen you, however hemay have loved before, he must forget everything—even thepreservation of his own happiness in loving and seeking toplease you. A young princess of the Court of the King, myfather, once appeared to me worthy of my regard. I thoughtfully that I should be sighing to return to her after remaininghere for a short time; but the first sight of you subvertedall my previous plans. My reason and my heart were equallyinclined for the change, and I thought nothing impossible tothe tender love with which you inspired me. I flattered myselfeven that it might overcome fate; but your austerity,which never relaxed, has taught me that I was deceived, andthat there remains for me no other hope but that of dyingspeedily for your sake."

The Prince Ariston finished speaking these words, whichmade Ravissante even think him worthy of some pity, whenthey saw in the air a throne of foliage, supported by animmense number of butterflies. One amongst them, whichwas entirely blue, and by whose colour Ravissante recognisedthe son of the Sun, flew to her, and said, "Come, beautifulPrincess, to-day you shall resume your liberty, and make themost amiable Prince in the world happy."

The butterflies placed the throne near Ravissante; sheseated herself on it, and they bore her away. Ariston,distracted at the loss of the Princess, in a paroxysm ofdespair, flung himself into the sea. The Fairy immediatelyabandoned the rock which this suicide had rendered so fataland melancholy; and to mark her fury, she shivered both itand the tower into a thousand pieces by a clap of thunder, andthe fragments were carried by the wind and waves to differentsea-coasts. It is of this species of stone that they nowmake rings, which they call turquoise. Those which are stillcalled "de la Vieille Roche" are made of the remains of thisshattered rock, and the others are only stones which resemblethem. The remembrance of the misfortune predicted toPrince Ariston by the change of colour in the walls of thetower has descended to our time. They say still that theserings become green when any misfortune is about to happento the wearers, and that these misfortunes are generally connectedwith love affairs.

Whilst the Fairy gave vent to her grief by the destructionof the island, the Prince of the Butterflies, satisfied at havingrendered to the Prince of Leaves a similar service to thathe had received from him, conducted the beautiful Ravissante,flying before her, to a boat of rushes, ornamentedwith garlands of flowers, in which the Prince of Leavesawaited her with all the impatience which the violenceof his love inspired. It is impossible to convey an ideaof the pleasure he felt at the arrival of the Princess;never were joy and love so apparent as in the heart andlanguage of this Prince. He sailed immediately to the Islandof Day. The Prince of the Butterflies flew off to rejoin theamiable Princess of Linnets as speedily as possible. Ravissantesent two butterflies to the King, her father, to inform him ofher good fortune; the good King thanked the Fates, and setout as soon as he could for the Island of Day, where the Princeof Leaves and Ravissante reigned with all imaginable felicity,and were always happy, because they never ceased to be fondand faithful.

THE FORTUNATE PUNISHMENT.

There was once upon a time a King, who fell desperately inlove with a Princess of his Court. As soon as he loved herhe told her so. Kings are more privileged than commonlovers. The Princess was not offended at a love whichmight place her on the throne, and the King found her asvirtuous as she was charming. He married her: the weddingwas incredibly magnificent; and what was even more remarkable,he became a husband without ceasing to be a lover.The felicity of this love-match was only disturbed by the factof their having no children to succeed to their happiness andto their kingdom. The King, in order to obtain at least thecomfort of hope on this point, resolved to consult a fairy,whom he believed to be particularly friendly. She was calledFormidable, although she had not always been so to the King.It is said even that in the old collections of the time in thatcountry are to be found ballads which tell a great deal aboutthem. So bold have poets been in all ages! For the Fairywas very much respected, and appeared so stern that it wasalmost impossible to imagine she could ever have felt thepower of love; but where are the hearts that escape? TheKing, who had always been very gallant, and who had a greatdeal of discernment, was well aware that appearances are oftenvery deceptive. He had first met with Formidable in a woodwhere he had been hunting; she appeared to his eyes undera form so graceful, and with so charming an air, that theKing did not doubt for a moment her desire to please: it isseldom such charms are displayed without that intention. TheKing fell in love with her; the Fairy felt more pleasure in being[Pg 164]loved than in always inspiring terror. This affection lastedseveral years; but one day when she reckoned on the heart ofher lover as on a property it was impossible for her to lose,she let the King see her in her real form: she was no longeryoung or handsome. She repented immediately when she perceivedby the altered expression of the King's face that shehad been too confident of her power, and discovered that,however tender hearts may be, they cannot excite or retainlove if they are not united with an agreeable person. TheKing was ashamed at finding he had been in love with only animaginary beauty; he ceased to love the Fairy, and thenceforthonly treated her with attention and respect. Formidable,with a pride that was natural to her, assumed so well theappearance of being contented with the esteem of the King,that she persuaded him she was one of his best friends.She even went to his wedding, in company with all the otherfairies of the country, who were invited, in order not to giveany one reason to fancy from her refusal that she had anydislike to the marriage.

The King, therefore, counting on the friendship of his oldmistress, went to visit her in her residence, which was apalace of flame-coloured marble in the midst of a vastforest. The approach to it was by an avenue of immenselength, bordered on both sides by a hundred flame-colouredlions. Formidable liked only this colour, and she had thereforeby her magic art caused all the animals born in the forestto be of the same hue. At the end of the avenue was a largesquare, wherein a troop of Moors, clothed in flame-colour andgold, magnificently armed, kept perpetual guard.

The King traversed the forest alone; he knew the wayperfectly well; he even passed through the avenue of lionswithout danger, for he threw them, as he entered, someranunculuses, which the Fairy had formerly given him to usewhen passing those terrible beasts. As soon as the King hadthrown them those beautiful flowers, they became gentle andquiet. He at length reached the Moorish guard, who at firstbent their bows at him, but the King threw them somepomegranate blossoms, which he had received from the Fairywith the ranunculuses, and the Moors shot their arrowsinto the air, and drew themselves up in line to allow him topass. He entered the palace of Formidable: she was in a[Pg 165]saloon, seated on a throne of rubies, in the midst of twelveMoorish women, clothed in flame-coloured gauze and gold.The Fairy's dress was of the same fashion and colour, but socovered with precious stones that it shone like the sun; yetit did not make her appear any the more beautiful. TheKing looked and listened for a few minutes before he enteredthe saloon. Near the Fairy was a quantity of books on atable of red marble: he saw that she took one and began toinstruct the slaves in those secrets which render fairies sopowerful; but Formidable taught them none but such aswould be inimical to the happiness and comfort of mankind;she took good care to prevent their learning anything thatwould contribute to human felicity. The King felt he hatedthe Fairy; and entering the apartment, interrupted the fatallesson, and surprised Formidable by his appearance; butrecovering herself immediately, she dismissed her Moors, andregarding the King with an air of pride and anger,—"Whatseek you here, inconstant Prince?" she exclaimed. "Whereforedo you come to disturb by your odious presence therepose I endeavour to obtain in this seclusion?" The Kingwas quite surprised by so unexpected a mode of address;and the Fairy, opening one of the books, continued: "I seeclearly what you want. Yes, you shall have a daughter bythis Princess whom you have so unjustly preferred to me, butdo not hope to be happy: it is time for me to be avenged.The daughter that shall be born to you ere long shall be asmuch hated by all the world as I formerly loved you!" TheKing did everything in his power to soften the anger of theFairy; but it was useless; hatred had succeeded to love, andnothing but love could soften the Fairy's heart; for pity andgenerosity were sentiments quite unknown to her. Shehaughtily commanded the King to leave the palace, andopening a cage, a flame-coloured parrot flew out. "Followthis bird," said she to the King, "and bless my clemency fornot delivering you to the fury of my lions and guards."

The bird flew off, and the King followed, and was conductedby a road hitherto unknown to him, and much shorter than theone he had come by, into his own kingdom. The Queen, who onhis return remarked his extreme sadness, begged to know thereason so importunately, that the King at length told her ofthe cruel prediction of the Fairy, but without informing her of[Pg 166]all that had occurred between them in former times, in ordernot to add to the troubles of his beautiful wife. This youngPrincess knew that one fairy could not positively preventanything predicted by another of her own class, but that shemight mitigate the punishment which that other had inflicted.

"I shall go," said the Queen, "in search of Lumineuse,Sovereign of the Happy Empire; she is a celebrated fairywho delights in protecting the unfortunate. She is a relationof mine; she has ever favoured me, and she even predictedthe good fortune to which love would lead me." The Kingquite approved of the expedition of the Queen, and hopedmuch from it. Her equipage being ready, she set off to seekLumineuse. The Fairy bore this name because her beautywas so dazzling that it was hardly possible to endure thebrilliancy of it, and the grandeur of her soul quite equalledher extreme loveliness. The Queen arrived in a vast plain,and perceived, at a great distance, a large tower; but althoughit was in sight, it was very long before she could approach it,owing to the many windings in the road. It was built of whitemarble, and had no doors, but arched windows of crystal; abeautiful river, of which the waves appeared of liquid silver,bathed the foot of the tower, and wound nine times around it.The Queen, with all her Court, arrived on the bank of theriver, at the point where it began its first circle round thedwelling of the Fairy. The Queen crossed it on a bridge ofwhite poppies, which the power of Lumineuse had renderedas safe and as durable as if it had been built of brass. Butalthough it was only made of flowers, it was nevertheless tobe feared, for it had the power of putting people to sleep forseven years who attempted to pass it contrary to the wish ofthe Fairy. The Queen perceived on the other side of thebridge, six young men, magnificently attired, sleeping on bedsof moss, under tents of foliage. These were princes enamouredof the Fairy: and as she never would hear love spoken of, shehad not allowed them to pass any farther. The Queen, afterhaving crossed the bridge, found herself in the first spot whichthe river left free; it was occupied by a charming labyrinth oflaurestinus and jasmine; there were none but white, for thatwas the colour Lumineuse preferred. After having admired thislovely maze, and easily threaded its paths, which were only difficultfor those the Fairy did not wish should enter her agreeable[Pg 167]dwelling, the Queen again crossed the river by a bridge of whiteanemones; it took at this place its second turn, and the spacewhich it left before it made its third circle was occupied bya forest of acacias always in full bloom; the roads through itwere charming, and so overshadowed that the rays of thesun never penetrated; a number of white doves whose plumagemight have put the snow to shame were seen in alldirections, and the trees were covered with countless whitecanary-birds, that made a delicious concert. Lumineuse, witha touch of her wand, had taught them the most beautiful andcharming songs in the world. They left this lovely forest bya bridge of tube-roses, and they then entered a fair plain,wooded with trees laden with such fine and delicious fruit,that the least of them would have put to shame the famousgardens of the Hesperides. Every evening the Queen foundthe most beautiful tents in the world prepared for her, anda magnificent repast was served as soon as she arrived, withouther seeing any of the skilful and active officers whoprepared it. The Fairy, who had learnt by her books ofthe arrival of the Queen, took care that her journey shouldnot be in the least degree fatiguing to her. The Queen,leaving this marvellous spot, passed the river again, by abridge of white pinks, and entered the park of the Fairy. Itwas as beautiful as all the rest. The Fairy sometimes cameto hunt there; it was filled with an infinite number of whitestags and does, with other animals of the same colour; a packof white greyhounds were scattered over the park, and lyingon the turf with the deer and white rabbits, and other animalsusually wild, but they were not so in this place, the art of theFairy had tamed them; and when the dogs chased some beastfor the amusement of Lumineuse, it appeared as if they understoodit was only in play, for while they hunted it in the beststyle, they never did the animal any harm. In this place,the river made its fifth circuit round the dwelling of theFairy. The Queen, in quitting the park, crossed the wateron a bridge of white jasmine, and found herself in a charminghamlet. All the little cottages were built of alabaster.The inhabitants of this pleasant place were subjects ofthe Fairy, and tended her flocks; their garments were ofsilver gauze; they were crowned with chaplets of flowers; andtheir crooks were brilliantly studded with precious stones.[Pg 168]All the sheep were of surprising whiteness; all the shepherdesseswere young and handsome; and Lumineuse lovedthe colour of white too well to have forgotten to bestow onthem a complexion so beautiful that even the sun itselfseemed to have only helped to render it more dazzling. Allthe shepherds were amiable, and the sole fault that could befound with this agreeable country was that there was not asingle brunette to be seen there. The shepherdesses came toreceive the Queen, and presented her with porcelain vases, filledwith the most beautiful flowers in the world. The Queen andall her Court were charmed with their agreeable journey, anddrew from it a happy presage of obtaining what she desiredof the Fairy.

As she was about to leave the hamlet, a young shepherdessadvanced towards the Queen, and presented her with a littlewhite greyhound on a cushion of white velvet, embroideredwith silver and pearls: it was hardly possible to distinguishthe dog from the cushion, the colour was so exactly the same."The Fairy Lumineuse, Sovereign of the Happy Empire," saidthe young shepherdess to the Queen, "has commanded me topresent you, in her name, with 'Blanc-blanc,' which is the nameof this little greyhound; she has the honour of being belovedby Lumineuse, whose art has made a marvel of her, and who hascommanded her to conduct you to the tower. You will havenothing to do, Princess, but to let her go, and follow."

The Queen received the little dog with much pleasure, andwas charmed at the attentions shown her by the Fairy. Shecaressed Blanc-blanc, who, after having returned her endearmentswith much intelligence and grace, jumped lightly tothe ground, and began to frisk before the Queen, who followedher with all her Court. They arrived at the bank of theriver, which there made its sixth turn, and were surprised tofind no bridge by which to cross it. The Fairy did not wishto be troubled by the shepherds in her retreat, so there wasnever a bridge at that point, except when she desired herselfto pass or to receive any of her friends. The Queen was ponderingon this adventure, when she heard Blanc-blanc barkthree times; immediately a light breeze agitated the treeson the banks of the river, and shook from them such agreat quantity of orange-flowers into the water, that theyformed a bridge of themselves, and the Queen crossed the[Pg 169]river by it. She rewarded Blanc-blanc by caresses, and foundherself in an avenue of myrtles and orange-trees, whichhaving traversed without any feeling of fatigue, although itwas an immense length, she found herself again on the bankof the river, which made its seventh turn at that spot.She saw no bridge, but the adventure of the morning re-assuredher. Blanc-blanc struck the ground three timeswith her little paw, and in a moment there appeared a bridgeof white hyacinths. The Queen crossed it, and entered ameadow enamelled with flowers. Her beautiful tents werealready pitched in it. She rested a short time, and thenresumed her journey, till she again found herself on the bankof the river. There was again no means of crossing it; butBlanc-blanc advanced and drank a little of the beautifulstream, whereupon a bridge of white roses appeared, and theQueen was thereby enabled to enter the garden of the Fairy.It was so filled with wonderful flowers, extraordinary fountains,and statues of superior beauty, that it is impossible to givean exact description of it. If the Queen had not felt theutmost impatience to avert the evils with which the cruelFormidable menaced her, she would have lingered some timein this charming place. All the Court left it with regret;but they were obliged to follow Blanc-blanc, who conductedthe Queen to the spot where the river made its last circuitround the dwelling of Lumineuse. The Queen then saw thePalace of the Fairy quite near to her. Nothing but the riverdivided her from it. She gazed on it with pleasure as thegoal of her journey, and read this inscription, written on thetower in letters of gold:—

This inscription had been composed in honour of Lumineuseby the most celebrated fairies of her time. They hadwished to leave to posterity the expression of their friendshipand esteem for her. Whilst the Queen thus amused herselfon the banks of the river, Blanc-blanc swam across the stream,and diving brought up a shell of mother-of-pearl, which sheagain let fall into the water. At this signal six beautiful[Pg 170]nymphs, in brilliant attire, opened a large crystal window, anda staircase of pearls issued from it and slowly approached theQueen. Blanc-blanc ran up it quickly, till the arrival at thewindow of the Fairy, and entered the tower: the Queen followed,but as she ascended, the steps of the pretty staircasewhich she had mounted disappeared behind her, and preventedany one else from following her. She entered thebeautiful tower of Lumineuse, and the window was immediatelyclosed.

All the suite of the Queen were in despair when they lostsight of her, and found they were unable to follow, for theyloved her most sincerely; their lamentations were heard evenin the place where Lumineuse conversed with the Queen, andin order to re-assure these unfortunates, the Fairy sent one ofher nymphs to conduct them to the hamlet, where they couldawait the return of the Queen. The staircase of pearlsre-appeared and revived their hopes; the nymph descended,and the Queen from the window commanded them to followand obey the messenger. The Queen remained with theFairy, who entertained her with prodigious magnificence,and with a charm of manner which won all hearts. TheQueen stayed with her for three days, which were not sufficient,however, for the inspection of all the marvels of thetower of Lumineuse; it would have taken centuries to seeand admire everything which the Fairy had to show. Thefourth day Lumineuse, after having laden the Queen withpresents as elegant as they were magnificent, said to her,"Beautiful Princess, I am sorry not to be able to repair themisfortune with which Formidable threatens you; but thatis the fault of destiny, which allows us to bestow good giftson those whom we favour, but forbids us to undo or avertthe evils inflicted by other fairies. However, to consoleyou for the misfortune that has been predicted for you, Ipromise that before a year be over, you shall have a daughterso beautiful that all those who behold her shall be enchantedwith her, and I will take care," added the Fairy, "to cause aPrince to be born who shall be worthy of her hand."

So favourable a prophecy made the Queen forget for a timethe hatred of Formidable, and the misfortune she hadthreatened her with. Lumineuse did not tell the Queen thereason of Formidable being her enemy. Fairies, even when[Pg 171]they quarrel amongst themselves, keep jealously secret everythingwhich would render them contemptible in the eyes ofmortals, and 'tis said they are the only women who have thegenerosity not to speak ill of one another. After a thousandthanks on the part of the Queen, Lumineuse ordered twelveof her nymphs to take charge of the presents, and to conductthe Queen to the hamlet, she herself accompanying her as faras the staircase of pearls, which appeared as soon as theyopened the window. When the Queen and nymphs were atthe foot of the stairs they saw a silver car drawn by sixwhite hinds: their harness was covered with diamonds; ayoung child, lovely as the day, drove the car, and the nymphsfollowed on white horses which might have vied in beautywith those of the sun. In this elegant equipage the Queenarrived at the hamlet; she there found all her Court, whowere rejoiced to see her again; the nymphs then took leaveof the Queen, and presented her with the twelve beautifulanimals enchanted by the Fairy, so that they were nevertired, informing her that Lumineuse begged she would offerthem in her name to the King. The Queen, overwhelmedby the kindness of the Fairy, returned to her kingdom; theKing met and received her at the frontier; he was so charmedat her return, and the agreeable news which she announcedon the part of Lumineuse, that he ordered public rejoicings,the renown of which reached the ear of Formidable, andthereby redoubled her hate and anger against the King.

Soon after the return of the Queen she found she was aboutto become a mother, and felt assured that the beautifulPrincess who was to charm all hearts would be ere long presentedto the King by her, for Lumineuse had promised herbirth should take place before the end of the year, andFormidable had not prescribed the time when her vengeanceshould be accomplished; but she had no idea of postponingit long. The Queen gave birth to two princesses, and did notdoubt for a moment which was the daughter promised to herby Lumineuse, from the eagerness she felt to embrace the onewhich first saw the light. She found her quite worthy ofthe praises of the Fairy; nothing in the world could be sobeautiful; the King and all who were present hastened toadmire the first-born little Princess, and they entirely forgotthe other; but the Queen, judging by the general neglect,[Pg 172]that the prediction of Formidable was also accomplished, gaveorders several times that the same care should be taken ofher as of the eldest.

The waiting-women obeyed with a repugnance which theycould not overcome, and for which the King and Queen daredscarcely blame them, as they felt the same themselves. Lumineusearrived with all speed, upon a cloud, and named thebeautiful Princess Aimée, significant of the destiny whichshe had promised her. The King paid Lumineuse all therespect she deserved. She promised the Queen always toprotect Aimée, but she bestowed on her no gift, for she hadalready given her all in her power. As for the other Princess,it was in vain that the King gave her the name of one ofhis provinces; insensibly every one accustomed themselvesto call her Naimée, in cruel contradistinction to her sisterAimée. When the two Princesses had attained the age oftwelve years, Formidable desired them to be sent away fromthe Court, in order, as she said, to diminish the love and thehate which they inspired. Lumineuse let Formidable haveher way; she was sure that nothing would prevent the beautifulAimée from reigning in the kingdom of her father, andin the hearts of his subjects. She had endowed her withsuch charms that no one could see her and have any doubtabout it. The King, in the hope of appeasing the hatred ofFormidable, which extended to all his family, resolved toobey her. He therefore sent the two young Princesses,with a youthful and agreeable Court, to a marvellous castlewhich he possessed in a remote part of his empire: it wascalled the Castle of Portraits, and was a place worthy ofthe learned fairy who had built it four thousand years before.The gardens and all the promenades surrounding it werelovely, but the most remarkable thing was the gallery, ofimmense length, which contained portraits of all the princesand princesses of the blood royal of that and all the neighbouringcountries. As soon as they attained their fifteenthyear their portraits were placed here, painted with an artwhich could be but feebly imitated by any but a fairy. Thiscustom was to be observed until the time when the mostbeautiful princess in all the world should enter the castle.

This gallery was divided into two vast and magnificentapartments: the two Princesses occupied them; they had[Pg 173]the same masters, the same education; they taught nothingto the charming Aimée which was not also taught to hersister; but Formidable came and instilled lessons into thelatter which spoilt all the rest, while Lumineuse, on her side,rendered Aimée, by her instructions, worthy of the admirationof the whole universe. After the Princesses had beenin this castle, excluded from the Court for three years, theyheard one day a strange noise, which was followed by thesound of charming music; they looked about everywhere tofind from whence the noise and the concert proceeded, whenthey perceived three portraits occupying three places whicha moment before had been vacant. The first represented alady being crowned by two Cupids with flowers, one of whomregarded the beautiful portrait with all the attention itmerited, and seemed to have forgotten to let fly an arrow atit which was fixed in his bent bow; the other held a littlestreamer, on which were these verses:—

It was not necessary to announce this as the portrait of thebeautiful Aimée; one saw in it all her features depicted withthat charming grace which attracted every heart; she had anexquisitely fair complexion, the most beautiful colour in theworld, a round face, lovely light hair, blue eyes, which shonewith so much brightness that those who had the pleasure ofseeing them thought it useless that Lumineuse should havebestowed on Aimée a gift which she was sure of possessingfrom her own personal beauty: her mouth was charming, herteeth as white as her skin, and Venus seemed to have givenher the power of smiling like herself. It was this divineportrait which occupied the end of the gallery. The secondwas that of Naimée: she was fair, and did not want beauty;but notwithstanding, like the original, the portrait failed toplease. These words were inscribed beneath it in letters ofgold:—

These two portraits occupied all the attention of the twoPrincesses and of their juvenile Court, when Aimée, who wasnot proud of her own personal charms, and leaving to theothers the task of admiring them, turned her eyes towardsthe third portrait, which had appeared at the same timewith her own. She found it well worth looking at. Itwas that of a young Prince, a thousand times handsomerthan Cupid himself; he had more the air of a god than amortal; his black hair fell in large curls on his shoulders,and his eyes bespoke as much intelligence as his persondisplayed manly beauty. These words were written underneaththe portrait:—"This is the Prince of the PleasantIsland." Its beauty surprised everybody, but it affected thelovely Aimée particularly—her young heart experienced anunknown emotion; and Naimée even, at the sight of thishandsome portrait, found she was not exempt from a passionwhich she could not herself inspire. The adventure itself didnot so much astonish any one, for they were accustomed tosee wonderful things in that country. The King and Queencame to the Castle to visit the Princesses, and had a greatmany copies made of their portraits, which they sent to allthe neighbouring kingdoms. But Aimée, as soon as she wasalone, carried away by an involuntary impulse, returned tothe gallery of portraits, where that of the Prince of thePleasant Island engrossed all her attention, and was everyway worthy of it.

Naimée, who had nothing in common with her sister, savean equal admiration of the portrait of the Prince, also passednearly all her time in the gallery. This growing passion soincreased the hatred of Naimée for her sister, that not beingable herself to injure her, she incessantly implored the fairyFormidable to punish her for possessing superior charms. Thecruel Fairy never neglected an opportunity of doing harm; so,following her own inclination, while yielding to the solicitationsof Naimée, she went in search of the amiable Princess,who was walking on the bank of the river which flowed atthe foot of the Castle of Portraits: "Go!" said Formidableto her, touching her with an ebony wand which she carriedin her hand,—"Go! Follow continually the winding of thisriver, until the day when thou shalt meet a person who hates[Pg 175]thee more than I do, and until that hour thou shalt not stopto rest in any place in the world!" The Princess, at thisterrible order, began to weep. Such tears! In all theuniverse no heart but that of Formidable could be foundincapable of being softened by them. Lumineuse hastenedto the assistance of the beautiful and unhappy Aimée. "Becomforted," said she; "the journey to which Formidable hascondemned thee shall terminate in a delightful adventure,and during it thou shalt have nothing but pleasure." Aimée,after this favourable prediction, departed with one singleregret, which was that she should see no more the beautifulportrait of the Prince of the Pleasant Island; but she darednot express her sorrow to the Fairy. She therefore set out onher journey, and everything appeared sensible of her charms.None but the gentlest airs breathed in the places throughwhich she passed. Everywhere she found nymphs ready towait on her with the utmost respect; the meadows were coveredwith flowers at her approach; and when the sun became toopowerful, the trees increased their foliage to protect her fromits beams.

While the beautiful Princess made so pleasant a journey,Lumineuse did not merely limit her exertions to neutralizingthe evil designs of Formidable; she sought Naimée, and strikingher with an ivory wand—"Begone!" said she. "Followin thy turn the banks of the river, and never shalt thou restuntil thou shalt find a person who loves thee as much asthou deservest to be hated!" Naimée departed, and no oneregretted her absence.

Even Formidable, who was always well pleased when shecaused pain, thought no more of Naimée, and did not condescendto protect her any longer. The two Princesses thuscontinued their journey, Naimée with all the fatigue possible,the most beautiful flowers changing into thorns in her path;and the lovely Princess, with all the pleasures which Lumineusehad led her to hope for,—indeed, she found them stillgreater than she had expected.

At the close of a beautiful day, at the hour when the sunsank to rest in the arms of Thetis, Aimée seated herself onthe bank of the river. Immediately an infinite number offlowers, springing up around her, formed a sort of couch, the[Pg 176]charms of which she would have admired for a much longertime had she not perceived an object on the river which preventedher from thinking of anything else; it was a littleboat made of amethyst, ornamented with a thousand streamersof the same colour, inscribed with cyphers and gallant devices.Twelve young men, clothed in light garments of grey andsilver, crowned with garlands of amaranths, rowed with somuch diligence, that the boat was very soon sufficiently closeto the shore to allow Aimée to remark its various beauties.It was with a feeling of agreeable surprise that she perceivedin every part of it her name and her initials. A moment after,the Princess recognised her portrait upon a little altar of topaz,raised in the centre of the boat; and beneath the portrait sheread these words.

After the first emotion of surprise and admiration, she fearedto see the stranger land who appeared to be so very gallant."Everything informs me of the love of an unknown admirer,"said Aimée to herself; "but I feel that the Prince of thePleasant Island is alone worthy to inspire me with that sentimentwhich I too plainly perceive is entertained for me byanother. Fatal portrait!" she exclaimed; "why did destinypresent it to my view at a time when, so far from defendingmyself from its influence, I was even ignorant that it waspossible to love anything more tenderly than flowers."

This reflection was followed by many sighs, and she wouldhave remained longer buried in her sweet reverie, if theagreeable sound of divers instruments had not roused herfrom it. She looked towards the boat from whence thesepleasing sounds proceeded. A man, whose face she could notsee, clothed in a robe of that same magnificent colour whichwas displayed in his entire equipage, appeared to be entirelyoccupied in the contemplation of her portrait, whilst sixbeautiful nymphs formed a charming concert, and accompaniedthese words, which were sung by him who did not take hiseyes off the picture of the Princess. The air was Duboulai's:—[10]

The sweetness of the music detained the beautiful Aiméeon the bank of the river. When it was finished, the strangerturned his face towards her, and enabled her to recognise,with as much confusion as pleasure, the agreeable features ofthe Prince of the Pleasant Island. What a surprise, whatjoy to see this charming Prince, and to find he thought ofnothing but her! One must know how to love as they didin the days of the Fairies, to understand all that the youngPrincess felt.

The Prince of the Pleasant Island was equally astonished.He hastened to land on the fortunate shore which presentedto his view the divine Aimée. She had not the heart to flyfrom so perfect a prince, though she upbraided fate a thousandtimes for her own weakness. On such occasions fate generallybears the blame.

It is impossible to express what the young lovers said toeach other. Often, indeed, they understood each other withoutspeaking. Lumineuse, who had conducted to this placeboth the pretty boat and the steps of Aimée, appeared all atonce to re-assure the timid Princess, who had at length madeup her mind to avoid so charming and dangerous a Prince.She told them that they were destined to love each other,and to be for ever united. "But," added the Fairy, "beforethis happy time arrives, you must finish the journey commandedby Formidable."

It is impossible to disobey the Fairies; so the beautifulAimée and the Prince were satisfied with the pleasure of[Pg 178]being together, and felt that anything which did not separatethem was only too delightful. They continued, therefore,their route, sometimes in the pretty boat, sometimes wanderingon foot through a vast, but beautiful wilderness, whichthe river fertilized with its waters. It was in this tranquilseclusion that the Prince of the Pleasant Island completely losthis peace of mind. He informed the beautiful Princess of allhe had felt for her since the happy day when her divineportrait had been brought to his Court, and that one morningas he was walking on the banks of the river, and dreaming ofher, Lumineuse had appeared, and, showing him the amethystboat, commanded him to embark in it, promising him successin his voyage and a favourable issue to his love. Whilst thePrince and the beautiful Aimée obeyed the orders of Formidable,their affection increased each day. They became sohappy, that they dreaded arriving at the end of their journey,for fear of being occupied with anything else but their love.Naimée, meanwhile, also continued her painful progress.

The course of the river which the two Princesses followedconducted them insensibly to the Pleasant Island, and theyarrived there exactly at the same moment. Lumineuse didnot fail to be present also. She informed Aimée that therevenge of Formidable was accomplished, because, in meetingher sister, she had found the only person in the world whocould hate her. "And the journey of Naimée is also finished,then," said the beautiful Princess, "for nothing has beenable to diminish my regard for her." She then begged theFairy to mitigate, if possible, the sad fate of her sister; butthis favour was useless to Naimée. The moment she sawthe Prince of the Pleasant Island, whom she recognisedeasily as the original of the exquisite portrait which hadtouched her heart, and heard him tell Lumineuse that thetime of his marriage with Aimée approached, she threwherself into that river, the course of which she had followedfor twelve months with so much pain, yet without havingresorted to self-destruction; but the woes of love affect usmore deeply than any other misfortunes.

Lumineuse, who saw the Princess plunge into the water,changed her into a little animal, which evinces still, by itsmanner of walking, the contrariness of the unhappy Naimée.Her fate followed her even after death, for she was not[Pg 179]regretted. It cost Aimée, however, a few tears; but whattroubles could not be consoled by the Prince of the PleasantIsland? She was so engrossed by his affection, that shecared but little for the fêtes which they gave to celebrate herarrival in the kingdom, and the Prince himself took but atrifling share in them. When one is really in love, there isno true pleasure but that of being loved in return.

The King and Queen, apprised by Lumineuse of what hadoccurred, hastened to rejoin their amiable daughter; and intheir presence the generous Fairy declared that the lovelyAimée had had the honour of putting an end to the adventureof the Castle of Portraits, because nothing had ever appearedso beautiful as herself in all the world.

The love of the Prince of the Pleasant Island was tooviolent to endure delay, so he begged the King and Queen toconsent to the fulfilment of his happiness. Lumineuse herselfhonoured with her presence a day so fair and so muchdesired. The nuptials were celebrated with all the magnificencewhich might be expected from fairies and kings; buthappy as was the day, I will not attempt a description of it,for, however agreeable to the lovers themselves, a wedding isalmost always a dull affair to the general company.

MADEMOISELLE DE LA FORCE.

FAIRER THAN A FAIRY.

There was once upon a time, in Europe, a King, who havingalready several children by a princess whom he had married,took it into his head to travel from one end of his kingdomto the other. He passed his time in visiting one provinceafter another very pleasantly; but while he was staying in abeautiful castle at the extremity of his dominions, the Queen,his wife, was brought to bed there of a daughter, who appearedso exceedingly lovely at the moment of her birth, that thecourtiers, either on account of the child's beauty, or to ingratiatethemselves with the parents, named her "Fairer than aFairy;" and it will be seen how well she merited so illustriousa title. The Queen had scarcely recovered, when she wasobliged to follow the King, her husband, who had departedin haste to defend a distant province which his enemies hadinvaded.

Little Fairer than a Fairy was left behind with hergoverness and the ladies who attended on her; they broughther up with the utmost care, and as her father was involvedin a long and cruel war, she had plenty of time during hisabsence to increase in stature and beauty. That beauty renderedher famous in all the surrounding countries; nothingelse was spoken of, and at twelve years old she might moreeasily be taken for a divinity than for a mortal. One of herbrothers came to see her during a truce, and conceived themost perfect affection for her.

Meanwhile, however, the fame of her beauty and the nameshe bore so irritated the fairies against her, that there wasnothing they did not think of to revenge themselves on her,[Pg 184]for the presumption implied by such a title, and to destroy abeauty of which they were so jealous.

The Queen of the Fairies was not one of those good fairieswho are the protectors of virtue, and who have no pleasurebut in doing good. Many centuries having elapsed since shehad attained royalty by her profound learning and art, hergreat age had caused her to dwindle in stature, and she wasnow only called by the nickname of Nabote. Naboteaccordingly summoned a council, and made known to themher resolution to avenge, not only the beauties of her owncourt, but those of the entire world; that she had determinedto go and see for herself, and carry off this paragon whose reputationwas so injurious to their charms. It was no soonersaid than done. She set out, and, clothed in a very plain garb,transported herself to the castle which contained this marvellouscreature. She soon made herself at home in it, andinduced by her cunning the ladies of the Princess to receiveher amongst them. But Nabote was struck with astonishmentwhen, after having carefully examined the castle, shediscovered by means of her art that it had been constructedby a great magician, and that he had endowed it with avirtue by the power of which no one could leave its walls orthe surrounding pleasure-grounds but of their own free will,and that it was not possible to use any sort of enchantmentagainst those persons who inhabited it. This secret wasnot unknown to the governess of Fairer than a Fairy, who,well aware of the invaluable treasure committed to her charge,still felt no alarm on her account, knowing that no one in theworld could take from her this young princess, so long as sheshould not go outside the castle or the gardens. She hadexpressly forbidden her to do so, and Fairer, who had alreadya large share of discretion, had never failed in taking thisprecaution. A thousand lovers had made fruitless efforts tocarry her off; but knowing herself secure within those limits,she did not fear their violence.

Nabote did not require much time to insinuate herself intoher good graces; she taught her to do beautiful kinds of work,and rendered her lessons agreeable by recounting pleasantstories. She neglected nothing which could divert her, andnaturally pleased her so much, that at length one was neverseen without the other.

Amidst all her attentions, however, Nabote was not lessoccupied with her schemes of revenge; she sought for anopportunity of inducing Fairer than a Fairy, by some cunningpretence, only to put her foot over the threshold of one ofthe castle gates. She was always prepared to pounce on andfly away with her. One day that she had led her into thegarden, and the young maidens of her Court, having gatheredsome flowers, had crowned with them the beautiful head ofFairer than a Fairy, Nabote opened a little door which ledinto the fields, and passing out at it, played an hundred antics,which caused the Princess and the young folks who surroundedher to laugh heartily. All at once the wicked Nabote pretendedto be taken ill, and the next minute she fell down, asif swooning away. Some of the young maidens ran to assisther, and Fairer flew also to her side. But hardly had theunhappy child passed the fatal gate than Nabote sprang up,seized her with a powerful arm, and making a circle with herwand, a thick black fog arose, which dispersing again almostimmediately, the ground was seen to open and two molesemerged, with wings formed of rose-leaves, drawing an ebonycar, and Nabote placing herself in it with Fairer than a Fairy,it ascended into the air, and cleaving it with incredible velocity,disappeared entirely from the sight of the young maidens, whoby their cries and tears soon announced to all the castle theloss they had sustained.

Fairer than a Fairy only recovered from her first astonishmentto fall into another still more fearful; the rapidity withwhich the car passed through the air had so bewildered herthat she almost lost consciousness; at length, reviving a little,she cast down her eyes. What was her alarm to find nothingbeneath her but the vast extent of the shoreless ocean. Sheuttered a piercing cry, turned round, and seeing near her herdear Nabote, she embraced her tenderly and held her close inher arms as one naturally would to re-assure oneself. But theFairy repulsed her rudely:—"Off! audacious child," said she."Behold in me your mortal foe. I am the Queen of theFairies, and you are about to pay to me the penalty of yourinsolence in assuming the proud name which you bear."

Fairer, trembling at these words more than if a thunderbolthad fallen at her feet, felt greater alarm at them than atthe dreadful road she was travelling. At length, however, the[Pg 186]car alighted in the midst of the magnificent court-yard ofthe most superb palace that ever was seen. The sight of sobeautiful a palace somewhat re-assured the timid Princess,especially when she descended from the car, and she saw anhundred young beauties, who came with much deference topay their respects to the Fairy. So charming a residence didnot appear to announce misfortune to her. She had also oneconsolation which does not fail to flatter one in similar situations:she remarked that all those beautiful persons werestruck with admiration on beholding her, and she heard aconfused murmur of praise and envy which gratified her marvellously.

But how speedily was this little feeling of vanity extinguished!Nabote imperiously commanded them to stripFairer of her beautiful clothes, thinking thereby to take fromher a portion of her charms. They pulled them off, accordingly,but only to increase the fury of Nabote, for whatbeauties were then disclosed to view, and to what shame didthey put all the fairies in the world! They re-clothed her inold shabby garments. But in this state, one would havesaid her natural and simple loveliness was determined toshow how independent it was of the assistance of the mostcostly ornaments; never did she appear more charming!Nabote then ordered them to conduct her to the place whichshe had prepared for her, and to set her her task. Two fairiestook her and made her pass through the most beautiful andsumptuous apartments that could possibly be seen. Fairernoticed them, in spite of her misery, and said to herself, "Whatevertorments they may prepare for me, my heart tells me Ishall not always be miserable in this beautiful palace."

They made her descend a large staircase of black marble,which had more than a thousand steps: she thought she wasgoing into the bowels of the earth, or rather, that they wereconducting her into the infernal regions. At length theyentered a small cabinet, wainscoted with ebony, where theytold her she would have to sleep on a little straw, and thatthere was an ounce of bread with a cup of water for her supper.From thence they made her pass into a great gallery, thewalls of which were entirely composed of black marble, andwhich had no light but that afforded by five lamps of jet,which threw a sombre glare over the place, more alarming[Pg 187]than cheering. These gloomy walls were hung with cobwebsfrom top to bottom, and such was their peculiarity, that themore they were swept away the more they multiplied. Thetwo fairies told the Princess that this gallery must be sweptclean by break of day, or that she would be made to sufferthe most frightful torments, and after placing a ladder, andgiving her a broom of rushes, they bade her set to work, andleft her.

Fairer than a Fairy sighed, and not knowing the peculiarityof those cobwebs, courageously resolved, notwithstandingthe great length of the gallery, to execute the taskimposed on her. She took her broom, and mounted theladder nimbly, but, O Heavens! what was her surprise when,as she endeavoured to sweep the marble and clear off thecobwebs, she found they increased in proportion to her exertions!She fatigued herself by persevering for some time,but perceiving sorrowfully, at length, that it was all in vain,she threw down her broom, descended the ladder, and seatingherself on the last step of it, began to weep bitterly, and toforesee the extent of her misfortune. Her sobs came atlength so fast that she could no longer support herself, when,raising her head a little, her eyes were dazzled by a brilliantlight. The gallery was in an instant illuminated from endto end, and she saw kneeling before her a youth so beautifuland charming, that at the first glance she took him for Cupid,but she remembered that Love is always painted naked, andthis handsome youth was dressed in a suit of clothes coveredwith jewels. She was not sure, also, that all the light sheperceived did not proceed from his eyes, so beautiful andbrilliant did they appear to her. This young man continuedto gaze upon her, still kneeling. She felt inclined to kneeltoo. "Who art thou?" she exclaimed, in amazement. "Artthou a God? Art thou Love?" "I am not a God," hereplied, "but I have more love in me than is to be found inheaven or earth beside. I am Phratis, son of the Queen ofthe Fairies, who loves you and will aid you." Then, takingup the broom which she had thrown down, he touched allthe cobwebs, which immediately turned to cloth-of-gold ofmarvellous workmanship, the lamps becoming bright andshining; Phratis then, giving a golden key to the Princess,said, "In the principal panel of your cell you will find a lock;[Pg 188]open it gently. Adieu, I must retire for fear of being suspected:go to rest; you will find all that is necessary for yourrepose." Then placing one knee on the ground, he respectfullykissed her hand and disappeared.

Fairer, more surprised at this adventure than at anythingelse which had happened to her during the day, re-enteredher little apartment, and looked about for the lock ofwhich he had spoken, when, on approaching the wainscot,she heard the most gentle voice in the world apparently deploringsome misfortune, and she imagined it must proceedfrom some wretched being persecuted as she was. She listenedattentively. "Alas! what shall I do?" said the voice."They bid me change this bushel of acorns into orientalpearls!" Fairer than a Fairy, less astonished than she wouldhave been two hours before, struck two or three times on thepanel, and said pretty loudly, "If they impose hard tasks inthis place, miracles are at the same time performed here—therefore,hope! But tell me, I pray, who you are, and Iwill tell you who I am." "It is more agreeable to me tosatisfy your curiosity than to continue my employment,"replied the other person. "I am the daughter of a King;they say I was born charming, but the fairies did not assistat my birth, and you know they are cruel to those whomthey have not taken under their protection directly theycome into the world." "Ah! I know it too well," repliedFairer; "I am handsome, like yourself, the daughter of aKing, and unfortunate, because I am agreeable without theassistance of their gifts." "We are, then, companions in misfortune,"returned the other. "But are you in love?" "Notfar from it," said Fairer, in a low voice; "but continue yourstory," said she aloud, "and do not question me more." "Iwas considered," continued the other, "the most charmingcreature that had ever existed, and everybody loved me andwished to possess me: they called me Désirs; my will waslaw, and I was treasured in all hearts. A young prince, themost enthusiastic of my adorers, abandoned everything forme. My encouragement of his hopes transported him withdelight. We were about to be united for ever, when thefairies, jealous at beholding me the object of universal admiration,and detesting the sight of attractions which they hadnot bestowed, carried me off one day in the midst of my[Pg 189]triumphs, and consigned me to this horrid place. They havethreatened that they will strangle me to-morrow morning ifI have not performed a preposterous task which they haveimposed upon me. Now, tell me quickly, who are you?""I have told you all," replied Fairer, "but my name. Theycall me Fairer than a Fairy." "You must, then, be verybeautiful," replied the Princess Désirs; "I should like excessivelyto see you." "I am quite as anxious to see you,"replied Fairer. "Is there a door hereabouts, for I have alittle key which perhaps may be of use to you." Lookingnarrowly round, she discovered one which she was able toopen, and pushing it, the two Princesses met face to face, andwere equally surprised at the marvellous beauty of each other.

After embracing affectionately, and saying many civilthings to one another, Fairer began to laugh at seeing thePrincess Désirs continually rubbing her acorns with a littlewhite stone, as she had been ordered to do. She told her ofthe task which they had imposed upon her, and how miraculouslyshe had been assisted by a charming unknown being!"But who can it be?" said the Princess Désirs. "I think itis a man," replied Fairer. "A man!" cried Désirs. "Youblush—you love him!" "No, not yet," replied Fairer; "buthe has told me he loves me; and if he loves me as he says, heshall assist you." Hardly had she uttered these words, whenthe bushel measure began to shake, and agitating the acorns,as the oak on which they had grown might have done, theywere instantly changed into the most beautiful pear-shapedpearls of the first water. It was one of these which Cleopatradissolved in wine at the costly banquet she made for MarkAntony.

The two Princesses were delighted at the exchange,and Fairer than a Fairy, who began to be accustomed towonders, leading Désirs by the hand, returned into her ownchamber, and finding the panel containing the lock of whichthe stranger had spoken, she opened it with her golden key,and entered an apartment, the magnificence of which bothsurprised and affected her, as she saw in everything it containedthe attention of her lover. It was strewn with themost beautiful flowers, and exhaled a divine perfume. At oneend of this charming room there was a table covered with allthat could gratify the most refined taste, and two fountains[Pg 190]of liqueurs which flowed into basins of porphyry. The youngPrincesses seated themselves in two ivory chairs, enrichedwith emeralds; they ate with a good appetite, and when theyhad supped, the table disappeared, and in its place arose adelicious bath, into which they stepped together. At a fewpaces from them they observed a superb toilet-table, and largebaskets of gold wire full of linen of such exquisite purity thatit made them long to make use of it. A bed of singularform and extraordinary richness, occupied the further end ofthis marvellous chamber, which was lined with orange-treesin golden boxes studded with rubies, while rows of corneliancolumns sustained the sumptuous roof, divided only by immensecrystal mirrors which reached from the ground to the ceiling.Several consoles, of rare materials, supported vases of preciousstones, filled with all sorts of flowers.

The Princess Désirs admired the good fortune of her companion,and, turning to her, observed, "Your lover is indeedgallant; he can do much, and he will do everything for you;your happiness is extraordinary." A clock striking midnightrepeated at each stroke the name of Phratis. Fairer than aFairy coloured, and threw herself on the couch. She trustedto repose, but her sleep was troubled by the image of Phratis.

The next morning there was great astonishment in theCourt of the Fairies at seeing the gallery so richly decorated,and the bushel-measure full of beautiful pearls. They hadhoped to punish the young Princesses: their cruelty was disappointed.They found each alone in her little chamber.After consulting together again, in order to devise some taskswhich could not possibly be accomplished, they told Désirs togo to the sea-shore and write on the sand, with express ordersto take care that what she wrote there could never be effaced.And they commanded Fairer to go to the foot of MountAdventurous, to fly to the top, and bring them a vase full ofthe water of immortality. For this purpose they gave her aquantity of feathers and wax, in hopes that, by making wingsfor herself, she might perish like another Icarus. Désirs andFairer looked at each other on hearing these dreadful commands,and, embracing tenderly, they separated, as if taking aneternal farewell. The fairies conducted one to the sea-shoreand the other to the foot of Mount Adventurous.

When Fairer was left by herself she took the feathers and[Pg 191]wax, and made some vain attempts to form wings with them.After having worked for some time most ineffectually, herthoughts reverted to Phratis. "If you loved me," said she,"you would come to my assistance." Hardly had she finishedthe last word when she saw him stand before her, looking athousand times more beautiful than on the preceding night.The full light of day was an advantage to him. "Do youdoubt my affection?" said he. "Is anything difficult to himwho loves you?" He then requested her to take off someportion of her dress, and having kissed her hand as a recompense,he transformed himself suddenly to an eagle. She wasrather sorry to see so charming a person thus metamorphosed,but, placing himself at her feet, he extended his wings, andmade her easily comprehend his design. Reclining upon him,she encircled his proud neck with her beautiful arms, and herose with her gently into the air. It would be difficult to saywhich was the most gratified—she, at escaping death in theexecution of the order given her, or he, at being permitted tobear such a precious burden.

He carried her gently to the summit of the mountain,where she heard an harmonious concert warbled by a thousandbirds that came to render homage to the divine bird whichbore her. The top of this mountain was a flowery plain,surrounded by fine cedars, in the midst of which was a littlestream, whose silvery waves rolled over golden sands strewnwith brilliant diamonds. Fairer than a Fairy knelt down,and first of all took some of this precious water in her hand,and drank it. After this she filled her vase, and, turningtowards her eagle, said, "Ah, how I wish that Désirs hadsome of this water!" Scarcely had she spoken these wordsthan the Eagle flew down, took one of the slippers of Fairer,and returning with it, filled it with water, and carried it tothe sea-shore, where the Princess Désirs was occupied in fruitlessattempts to write indelibly on the sand.

The Eagle returned to Fairer, and resumed his beautifulburden. "Alas!" said she, "what is Désirs doing?Take me to her." He obeyed. They found her still writing,and as fast as she wrote, a wave came and effaced what shehad written. "What cruelty," said the Princess to Fairer,"to command what it is impossible to accomplish! I imagine,from the strange mode of your conveyance, that you have[Pg 192]succeeded." Fairer alighted, and, moved by the misfortuneof her companion, she turned towards her lover, and thusaddressed him, "Give me proof of your omnipotence." "Orrather of my love," interrupted the Prince, resuming hisproper form. Désirs, observing the beauty and grace of hisperson, cast on him a look of surprise and delight. Fairercoloured, and by a movement over which she had no control,placed herself before him so as to hide him from her companion."Do as you are told," continued she, with a charmingair of uneasiness. Phratis knew his happiness, andwishing to terminate as speedily as possible her trouble,"Read," said he, and disappeared swifter than a flash oflightning.

At the same instant a wave broke at the feet of Fairer,and in retiring left behind a brazen tablet, as firmly fixed inthe sand as if it had been there from all eternity, and wouldremain immovable to the end of the world. As she lookedat it, she perceived letters forming on it, deeply engraved,which composed these lines:—

"I understand," cried Désirs: "he who loves you, mustalways love! How well your charming swain expresses hisfeelings." She then embraced Fairer than a Fairy, who soon,in her arms, recovered from the confusion occasioned by thelittle feeling of jealousy she had experienced, and confessed itto her friend, who accused her of it; and both, confirmed intheir friendship, abandoned themselves to the pleasure of anagreeable and affectionate conversation.

Queen Nabote sent messengers to the foot of the mountainto find what was become of Fairer than a Fairy. They foundthe scattered feathers, and a part of her clothes, and consequentlybelieved she had been dashed to pieces, as theydesired.

Full of this idea, the fairies ran to the sea-shore; they exclaimedat the sight of the brazen tablet, and were overwhelmedat perceiving the two Princesses calmly seated in[Pg 193]conversation on a jutting piece of rock. They called to them.Fairer presented her vase full of the water of immortality,and laughed in secret with Désirs at the fury of the fairies.

The Queen was not to be jested with. She knew that apower as great as her own must have assisted them, and herrage increased to such a pitch, that without hesitating aninstant, she determined on effecting their ruin by a final andmost cruel trial.

Désirs was condemned to go on the morrow to the Fair ofTime, to fetch the Rouge of Youth, and Fairer than a Fairyto proceed to the Wood of Wonders, and capture the Hindwith Silver Feet.

The Princess Désirs was conducted to a vast plain, at theend of which was an immense building, divided into galleriesfull of shops so superb that no comparison could be found forthem but in the recollections of the magnificent entertainmentsat Marly.[11] These shops were kept by young and agreeablefairies, assisted by their favoured lovers.

As soon as Désirs appeared, her charms fascinated everybody.She took possession of all hearts. In the first shopsshe entered she excited much commiseration by asking forthe Rouge of Youth. None would tell her where to find it,because, when it was not a fairy who came in search of it, itwas a sure sign of torment to the person who was chargedwith this dangerous commission. The good fairies toldDésirs to return, and to inquire no further for what shesought. She was so beautiful that they ran before herwherever she went, in order to gaze at her. Her ill-luck,however, led her to the shop of a wicked fairy. Hardly hadshe asked for the Rouge of Youth, on the part of the Queenof the Fairies, than, darting a terrible glance at her, she toldher that she had it, and that she would give it her thenext morning, and ordered her to enter a room and waittill it was prepared for her. They led her into a dark andpestilential place, where she could not see her hand beforeher. She was overcome with terror. "Ah!" she exclaimed,"charming lover of Fairer than a Fairy, haste to my rescue,or I am lost!"

But he was deaf to her appeal, or unable to act as he haddone in other places. Désirs tormented herself half thenight and slept the remainder, when she was awakened by agood-looking girl, who brought her a little food, telling herthat it was sent her by the favourite of the Fairy, her mistress,who was resolved to assist her, and that it would be fortunatefor her if such were the case, because the Fairy had sent foran evil spirit, who, by breathing on her face, would make herhideous, and in that frightful state she would be ignominiouslysent back to the Queen of the Fairies, who, with all her Court,would triumph in her misfortunes.

The Princess Désirs felt frightened to death at this threatof losing in a moment all her beauty, and wished rather to dieoutright. Her agony was horrible; she groped about her darkprison in vain hope of discovering some mode of escape, whensome one took her by the arm, and she felt in her heart a sensationof pleasure. She was gently led towards a spot where shebegan to perceive a little light, and when her eyes became accustomedto it, she was struck by the appearance of what was toher the most charming object in the world, for she recognisedthat dear Prince who loved her so truly, and from whom theyhad separated her on the eve of her wedding. Her transport,her delight, was extreme. "Is it you?" she exclaimed a hundredtimes. At length, when fully persuaded of the fact, andforgetting all her own troubles—"But are you the favouriteof this wretched Fairy?" she continued. "Is it with this finetitle that I again behold you." "Undoubtedly," replied he;"and we shall owe to it the end of our troubles, and the certaintyof our happiness."

He then recounted to her how, in despair at her beingcarried off, he had gone to seek a wise old man, who hadinformed him where she was, and assured him that hewould never recover her but in the Kingdom of the Fairies;that he had furnished him with the means of finding it,but that he had been arrested in his pursuit of her by thiscruel Fairy, who had fallen in love with him; that, followingthe advice of the sage, he had dissembled, and byhis docility had obtained such an influence over her, that hehad the care of all her treasure, and was the minister of allher power; that she had just departed on a journey of sixthousand leagues; that she would not return for twelve days;and that, therefore, they should lose no time in escaping;[Pg 195]that he was going into his cabinet to fetch a part of thegem of the ring of Gyges [12]; that she should put it on, andthereby becoming invisible, she could pass anywhere: as forhimself, he could show himself as he pleased. "Do notforget," said she, "the Rouge of Youth; I wish to put someon, and to give some to one of my companions."

The Prince smiled. "Whither shall we go?" continuedshe. "To the Queen of the Fairies," he replied. "No, thatwill never do," she exclaimed; "we shall perish there!""The sage who counselled me," pursued he, "told me to leadyou back to the place from whence you came last, if I wishedto be assured of happiness: he has never yet deceived me inanything whatever." "Well, then, so be it," said Désirs;"we will go there."

The Prince brought her a valuable box, in which was theRouge of Youth; and with the hope of making herself appearmore beautiful still in the eyes of her lover, she rubbed somehastily all over her face, forgetting that she was invisible bymeans of the gem which he had given her. She took him bythe arm. They traversed in this manner the whole of theFair, and were soon close to the palace of the Queen. Therethe Prince resumed the gem of Gyges. The beautiful Désirsbecame visible, and he became invisible, to the great regretof the Princess, whom he took by the arm in his turn, andpresented her before Nabote and her Court. All thefairies looked at each other in excessive astonishment atseeing Désirs return with the Rouge of Youth, and the Queen,frowning awfully, desired them to guard her strictly. "Ourarts are vain," said she. "We must put her to death, withouttrying any more experiments."

The sentence was pronounced. Désirs trembled with fear;her lover re-assured her as much as he could.

But we must return to Fairer than a Fairy. They hadconducted her to the Wood of Wonders, and here is thereason why they had condemned her to chase the Silver-footedHind:—

Once upon a time there had been a Queen of the Fairieswho had succeeded in due course to that grand title; she wasbeautiful, good, and wise. She had had several lovers, whoseaffections and attentions had, however, been lost upon her.Entirely occupied in protecting virtue, she found no amusementin listening to the sighs of her adorers. There was onewhom her coldness rendered the most unhappy, because heloved her better than any of the others.

One day, seeing that he could not move her to pity him, heprotested, in his despair, that he would kill himself. She wasnot affected even at this threat, considering it merely as oneof those extravagances in which lovers sometimes indulge,but which never have any serious result. However, sometime after, he really did throw himself into the sea.

A sage, who had brought up this young man, complainedto the supreme authorities, and the insensible Fairy was condemnedto do penance for her severity in the form of a hind,for the term of one hundred years, unless an accomplishedbeauty could be found, who, by venturing to hunt her for tendays in the Wood of Wonders, could take her and restore herto her original shape. Forty years had already elapsed sinceshe had been first transformed.

At the commencement of her penance several beauties hadrisked the trial of this fine adventure, from which so muchhonour was to be derived. Each hoped to be the fortunatehuntress; but as they lost themselves in the pursuit, and atthe end of ten days were no more heard of, this ardour beganto cool, and for some time past no beauty had voluntarilyoffered herself; those who had recently undertaken the taskbeing condemned to it by the Fairies, in order to ensure theirdestruction. It was, thus, to get rid of Fairer that they ledher to the Wood of Wonders. They gave her a small portionof food, for form's sake, and placed in her hand a silken cord,with a running noose to catch the deer. That was all heroutfit for the chase. She deposited what they gave her atthe foot of a tree, and when she found herself alone she casta look round this vast forest, in the profound silence andsolitude of which she saw nothing but despair.

She was anxious to remain at the skirt of the forest, andnot to enter it too far, so in order to know the spot again,she placed a mark at the point from which she started. But,alas! how did she deceive herself! Every one lost themselves[Pg 197]in this forest, without being able to issue from it. In one ofthe paths she caught sight of the Silver-footed Hind walkingslowly. She approached it, with her silken cord in her hand,thinking to take it; but the deer, feeling itself pursued,started off at full speed, stopping from time to time, andturning its head towards Fairer. They were in sight of eachother all day without being any nearer. At last night separatedthem.

The poor huntress was very tired and very hungry, but sheno longer knew where to find the little provision she had hadgiven her, and there was nothing but the hard ground for herto repose upon. She lay down, therefore, very sadly, under atree; she could not sleep for a long time—she was frightened;the least thing alarmed her: a leaf shaken by the wind madeher tremble. In this miserable state she turned her thoughtson her lover, and called him several times; but finding him failher in her great distress, she exclaimed, with tears in hereyes, "Phratis! Phratis! you have abandoned me!" Shewas just dropping asleep, when she felt a movement beneathher, and it seemed to her as though she was in the best bedin the world. She slept soundly for a considerable time,without any interruption. She was awoke in the morning bythe song of a thousand nightingales, and, turning her beautifuleyes around, she found she was raised two feet from the earth,the turf having sprung up under her lovely form, and thusmade a delicious couch. A large orange-tree threw its branchesover her like a tent, and she was covered with flowers. Byher side were two turtle-doves, who announced to her, by theirlove for each other, what she might hope for with Phratis.The ground was entirely covered with strawberries and allsorts of excellent fruits; she ate of them, and found herself aswell satisfied and as much strengthened by them as thoughthey had been the richest and best kind of meats. A streamwhich flowed close by served to allay her thirst. "Oh, yetender cares of my lover," cried she, when she had refreshedherself, "how much I needed you! I murmur no longer.Give me less, dearest, and let me see you!"

She would have continued in this strain had she not perceived,stretched close to her, the Silver-footed Hind, quietlygazing at her. She thought this time she must catch it:with one hand she held out to it a bunch of grass, and with[Pg 198]the other grasped the cord; but the deer bounded lightlyaway, and when it had gone a short distance, it stopped, andlooked back at her. It kept up this game all day. Anothernight came, and passed like the one before it. She awokeunder similar circumstances, and four days and nights elapsedin the like manner. At length, on the fifth morning, Fairerthan a Fairy, on opening her eyes, thought she saw a lightmore brilliant than that of day, when she perceived, in thoseof her lover, seated near her, all the affection with which shehad inspired him. He fervently kissed one of her feet; hispresence and this respectful action gratified her greatly."You are there, then," said she. "If I have not beheld youall these days, I have, at all events, received the proofs of yourgoodness." "Say of my love, Fairer than a Fairy," repliedhe. "My mother suspects that it is I who assist you: shehas placed me in confinement. I have escaped a moment, bymeans of a fairy of my acquaintance. Adieu! I came onlyto encourage you. You shall see me this evening, and iffortune smiles, to-morrow we shall be happy." He departed,and she hunted again all day. When night came, she perceivednear her a little light, which sufficed to show her herlover. "Here is my illuminated wand," said he: "place itbefore you, and go without fear wherever it will lead you.Where it stops you will perceive a great heap of dry leaves;set fire to it, enter the place; you will see and you will findthe skin of a beast; burn it. The stars, our friends, will dothe rest. Adieu!"

Fairer than a Fairy would have desired far more ampleinstructions; but seeing there was no remedy, she placed thewand before her, which showed her the way. She followed itnearly two hours, very much vexed at doing nothing else. Itstopped at last, and there, truly enough, she perceived a largeheap of dried leaves, to which she did not fail to set fire.The light was soon so great that she could see a very highmountain, in which she observed an opening half hid bybrambles. She separated them with her wand, and entered adark hole; but soon after she found herself in a vast saloon,of admirable architecture, and lighted with numberless lamps.But what struck her with the greatest astonishment was thesight of the skins of several wild and terrible beasts, hung ongolden hooks, which at first she mistook for the beasts themselves.[Pg 199]She turned away her eyes with horror, and they werearrested in the centre of the saloon by the sight of a beautifulpalm-tree, upon one of the branches of which was suspendedthe skin of the Hind with the silver feet. Fairer than a Fairywas enchanted at seeing it, and taking it down with the aidof her wand, she carried it quickly to the fire which she hadlighted at the entrance of the cavern. It was consumed in amoment, and re-entering joyfully the saloon, she penetratedinto several magnificent apartments. She stopped in one,where she saw several small couches placed upon Persiancarpets, and one more beautiful than the rest under a canopyof cloth-of-gold. But she had not much time to contemplatearrangements which appeared to her singular, for she heardhearty peals of laughter and several persons in loud conversation.Fairer than a Fairy turned her steps in the directionfrom which the sounds proceeded, and entered a wonderfulplace, where she found fifteen young ladies of celestialbeauty.

She did not surprise them less than she was surprised herself:the extreme loveliness of her appearance took away theirbreath, and a deep silence succeeded to cries of admiration.But one of these beautiful persons, more beautiful than allthe rest, advanced, with a smiling air, towards our charmingPrincess. "You are my deliverer," said she, addressing her;"I cannot doubt it; no one can enter here who is not clothedin the skin of one of the beasts which you saw at the entranceof the cavern; that has been the fate of all these beautiful personswhom you see with me. After ten days of useless pursuitof me, they were changed into so many animals during the day;but at night we resume our human forms: and you, charmingPrincess, if you had not delivered me, would have beenchanged into a white rabbit." "A white rabbit!" exclaimedFairer. "Ah, Madam, it is indeed better that I shouldpreserve my ordinary form, and that so wonderful a person asyou should be no longer a deer." "You have restored us allto liberty," replied the Fairy; "let us now pass the rest ofthe night as joyously as may be, and to-morrow we will goto the Palace, and fill all the Court with astonishment."

It is impossible to express the joy which resounded in thischarming spot, and the delight which all these young personsfelt at the sweet sensation of finding themselves once more in[Pg 200]the land of the living, so to speak—they were all still of thesame age as when they commenced their unfortunate chase inthe Wood of Wonders, and the eldest was not yet twenty.

The Fairy desired to take three or four hours' repose. Shemade Fairer lie down beside her, and relate her adventures.She did so with so touching a voice, her discourse was sounaffected and so full of truth, that she engaged the Fairywithout reserve to assist her love and render her happy. Shedid not forget to speak to her of Désirs, and the Fairy wasimmediately interested in her favour.

They went to sleep, after a long conversation, which theyhad agreeably interrupted, from time to time, by the interchangeof affectionate caresses.

The next day they all set out for the Palace, wishingpleasantly to surprise the fairies. They quitted, withoutregret, the Wood of Wonders, and quickly arrived at thePalace. As they approached the inner court, they heard athousand melodious sounds, which composed an excellentconcert. "Here is a fête going on," said the Fairy; "wehave arrivedà propos;" and advancing, they found the courtfilled with an incredible number of people. The Fairy causedthe gate to be opened, and entered with her train. The firstpersons who recognised her, uttered the loudest exclamationsof delight, and the cause of this great joy was quickly madeknown to the multitude. But on advancing, the Fairy wasstruck by a strange spectacle. She saw a young girl morelovely than the Graces, and with the form of Venus, bound to astake near a pile of wood, where apparently she was about tobe burnt to death.

Fairer than a Fairy uttered a loud cry, as she recognisedDésirs; but she was much astonished when, at the samemoment, she lost sight of her, and a young man appearedin her place, so handsome and so well made that one mightnever be tired of looking at him. At this sight Fairer uttereda still louder cry, and running towards him, without any regardto appearances, she flung herself on his neck, exclaiming athousand times, "It is my brother! it is my brother." It washer brother, who was also the fortunate lover of Princess Désirs,and who, fearing they would put her to death, had given herthe Gem of Gyges to rescue her from the cruelty of QueenNabote, and by so doing, became himself visible.

The brother and sister lavished a hundred caresses on eachother; the invisible Désirs added hers, and her voice washeard, although she was not to be seen, whilst the fairies, inunparalleled astonishment, expressed in every variety ofmanner their rapture at again beholding their virtuous Queen.The good fairies came and threw themselves at her feet, kissingher hand and her garments. Some wept, some were unableto speak; each testified her joy according to her peculiar character.The bad fairies, the partisans of Nabote, also pretendedto be delighted, and policy gave an air of sincerity totheir hypocritical demonstrations. Nabote herself, in despairat this return, controlled herself with an art of which shealone was capable. She offered at once to resign her powerto the rightful sovereign, who, with a grave and majestic air,demanded of her why the young girl whom she had seenbound to the stake merited such a punishment, and sincewhen they had been accustomed to celebrate a cruel executionby fêtes and sports. Nabote excused herself very lamely, andthe Queen listened impatiently when the lover of Désirs spokethus: "They punish this Princess," said he, "because she istoo amiable; they torment for the same reason the Princessmy sister. They were both born as handsome as you nowbehold them." He then begged his lady-love to cover up theGem of Gyges, and she immediately appeared again. Désirscharmed all who saw her. "They are beautiful," pursued he;"they possess a thousand virtues which they do not derivefrom the fairies; that is why they are roused up to persecutethem. What injustice, to tyrannize over all those whosecharms do not emanate from yourselves." The Prince paused:the Queen turned towards the assembly with an agreeableair. "I demand," said she, "that these three persons shallbe given up to me; they shall enjoy the most happy fate thatcan fall to the lot of mortals. I owe much to Fairer than aFairy, and she shall be rewarded for the service she has doneme by uninterrupted felicity. You shall continue to reign,Madam," added she, turning to Nabote: "this empire is sufficientlylarge for you and me. Go to the Beautiful Islands,which belong to you. Leave me your son; I will share mypower with him, and I will marry him to Fairer than a Fairy;this union will reconcile us to one another."

Nabote was enraged at all these decisions of the Queen,[Pg 202]but it was of no use to complain, she was not the strongest.She had but to obey. She was about to do so with a badgrace, when the beautiful Phratis arrived, followed by agallant train of youths who composed his Court; he came topay his homage to the Queen, and manifest his joy at herreturn. But in passing, he cast a look at Fairer than aFairy, and made her comprehend by his passionate glancesthat she was the first object of his devotion.

The Queen embraced him, and presented him to Fairer,begging him to accept her at her hands. There is no need tosay he obeyed joyfully, exclaiming with transport,

The two marriages were celebrated on the same day. Bothcouples were so happy, that 'tis said they are the only pairswho have ever really gained the golden Vine,[13] and that thosewho have been since named as having done so are purelyfabulous personages.

Thus innocence triumphs over the misfortunes with whichit is assailed. Envy and jealousy only serve to increase itslustre; and often the justice of Heaven renders its possessorshappier for the trials they have undergone. There is a Providencewhich watches over the conduct of mortals, anddelights in rewarding the worthy, even in this world.

THE GOOD WOMAN.

There was once upon a time a Good Woman, who was kind,candid, and courageous. She had experienced all the vicissitudeswhich can agitate human existence.

She had resided at Court, and had endured all the stormsto which it is so subject:—treasons, perfidies, infidelities, lossof wealth, loss of friends. So that, disgusted with dwellingin a place in which dissimulation and hypocrisy have establishedtheir empire, and weary of an intercourse whereinhearts never appear as they really are, she resolved to quither own country and go to a distance, where she could forgetthe world, and where the world would hear no more of her.

When she believed herself far enough off, she built a smallhouse in an extremely agreeable situation. All she could thendo was to buy a little flock of sheep, which furnished her withfood and clothing.

She had hardly made trial of this mode of life before shefound herself perfectly happy. "There is, then, some state ofexistence in which one may enjoy content," said she; "andthe choice I have made leaves me nothing to desire." Shepassed each day in plying her distaff and tending her flock.She would sometimes have liked a little society, but she fearedthe danger of it. She was insensibly becoming accustomed tothe life she led, when one day, as she was endeavouring tocollect her little flock, it began to scatter itself over the countryand fly from her. In fact, it fled so fast that in a very shorttime she could scarcely see one of her sheep. "Am I adevouring wolf?" cried she: "what means this wonder?"She called to a favourite ewe, but it appeared not to know her[Pg 204]voice. She ran after it, exclaiming, "I will not care forlosing all the rest of the flock if thou dost but remain tome!" But the ungrateful creature continued its flight, anddisappeared with the rest.

The Good Woman was deeply distressed at the loss shehad sustained. "I have now nothing left," cried she; "maybeI shall not find even my garden; or my little cottage will beno longer in its place." She returned slowly, for she was verytired with the race she had had. She lived upon fruit andvegetables for some time after exhausting a small stock ofcheese.

She began to see the end of all this. "Fortune," said she,"thou hast in vain sought to persecute me even in this remotespot; thou canst not prevent me from being ready to beholdthe gates of death without alarm, and after so much troubleI shall descend with tranquillity into those peaceful shades."

She had nothing more to spin, she had nothing more toeat: leaning on her distaff, she bent her steps towards a littlewood, and looking round for a place to rest in, she was astonishedat seeing run towards her three little children, morebeautiful than the fairest day. She was delighted to see suchcharming company. They loaded her with a hundred caresses,and as she seated herself on the ground, in order to receivethem more conveniently, one threw its little arms round herneck, the other encircled her waist from behind, and the thirdcalled her "mother." She waited a long time, to see if someone would not come to fetch them, believing that those whohad led them thither would not fail to return for them. Allthe day passed without her seeing any one.

She resolved to take them to her own home, and thoughtHeaven had sent her this little flock instead of the one shehad lost. It was composed of two girls, who were only twoor three years old, and a little boy of five. Each had a littleribbon round its neck, to which was attached a small jewel.One was a golden cherry enamelled with crimson, and engravedwith the name of "Lirette." She thought that thismust be the name of the little girl who wore it, and sheresolved to call her by it. The other was a medlar, on whichwas written "Mirtis;" and the little boy had an almond ofgreen enamel, around which was written "Finfin." TheGood Woman felt perfectly satisfied that these were their names.

The little girls had some jewels in their head-dresses, andmore than enough to put the Good Woman in easy circumstances.She had very soon bought another flock, and surroundedherself with everything necessary for the maintenanceof her interesting family. She made their winter clothingof the bark of trees, and in the summer they had white cottondresses of the finest bleaching.

Young as they were, they tended their flock. And thistime the flock was faithful, and was more docile and obedientto them than towards the large dogs which guarded them;and these dogs were also gentle, and attached to the children.They grew visibly, and passed their days most innocently;they loved the Good Woman, and were all three excessivelyfond of each other. They occupied themselves in tendingtheir sheep, fishing with a line, spreading nets to catch birds,working in a little garden of their own, and employed theirdelicate hands in cultivating flowers.

There was one rose-tree, which the young Lirette wasespecially fond of; she watered it often, and took the greatestcare of it; she thought nothing so beautiful as a rose, andloved it above all other flowers. She had a fancy one day toopen a bud, and try to find its heart, when in so doing shepricked her finger with a thorn. The pain was sharp, andshe began to cry; the beautiful Finfin, who very seldomleft her, approached, and began to cry too, at seeing her suffer.He took her little finger, pressed it, and squeezed the bloodgently from it.

The Good Woman, who saw their alarm at this accident,approached, and learning the cause of it, "Why so inquisitive"said she; "why destroy the flower you loved so much?""I wanted its heart," replied Lirette. "Such desires arealways fatal," replied the Good Woman. "But, mother,"pursued Lirette, "why has this flower, which is so beautiful,and which pleases me so much, thorns?" "To show you,"said the Good Woman, "that we must distrust the greaterpart of those things which please our eyes, and that themost agreeable objects hide snares which may be to us mostdeadly." "How?" replied Lirette. "Must one not then loveeverything which is pleasant?" "No, certainly," said theGood Woman, "and you must take good care not to do so.""But I love my brother with all my heart," replied she; "he[Pg 206]is so handsome and so charming." "You may love yourbrother," replied her mother; "but if he were not yourbrother you ought not to love him."

Lirette shook her head, and thought this rule very hard.Finfin meanwhile was still occupied with her finger; hesqueezed on the wound the juice of the rose-leaves, andwrapped it in them. The Good Woman asked him why hedid that? "Because I think," said he, "that the remedymay be found in the same thing which has caused the evil."The Good Woman smiled at this reason. "My dear child,"replied she, "not in this case." "I thought it was in allcases," said he; "for sometimes, when Lirette looks at me,she troubles me greatly; I feel quite agitated; and themoment after those same looks cause me a pleasure which Icannot express to you. When she scolds me sometimes, I amvery wretched; but let her speak at length one gentle word tome, I am all joy again."

The Good Woman wondered what these children wouldthink of next; she did not know their relation to each other, andshe dreaded their loving each other too much. She would havegiven anything to learn if they were brother and sister; herignorance on this point caused her great anxiety, but theirextreme youth re-assured her. Finfin was already full ofattention to the little Lirette; he loved her much better thanMirtis. He had at one time given her some young partridges,the prettiest in the world, which he had caught. She rearedone, which became a fine bird, with very beautiful plumage;Lirette loved it excessively, and gave it to Finfin. It followedhim everywhere, and he taught it a thousand diverting tricks.He had one day taken it with him when going to tend hisflock; on returning home he could not find his partridge; hesought for it everywhere, and distressed himself greatly atits loss. Mirtis tried to console him, but without success."Sister," he replied, "I am in despair. Lirette will be angry;all you say to me does not diminish my grief." "Well,brother," said she, "we will get up very early to-morrow andgo in search of another; I cannot bear to see you so miserable."Lirette arrived as she said this, and having learnt the causeof Finfin's sorrow, she began to smile. "My dear brother,"said she to him, "we will find another partridge; it is nothingbut the state in which I see you that gives me pain." These[Pg 207]words sufficed to restore serenity and calm to the heart andcountenance of Finfin.

"Why," said he to himself, "could Mirtis not restore myspirits, with all her kindness, while Lirette has done it witha single little word? Two is one too many—Lirette is enoughfor me." On the other hand, Mirtis saw plainly that herbrother made a difference between her and Lirette. "Weare not enough here, being three," said she. "I ought tohave another brother, who would love me as much as Finfindoes my sister."

Lirette was now twelve years old, Mirtis thirteen, andFinfin fifteen, when one evening, after supper, they were allseated in front of the cottage with the Good Woman, whoinstructed them in a hundred agreeable things. The youthfulFinfin, seeing Lirette playing with the jewel on her neck,asked his dear mamma what it was for? She replied thatshe had found one on each of them when they fell into herhands. Lirette then said, "If mine would but do as I tell it,I should be glad." "And what would you have it do?"asked Finfin. "You will see," said she; and then taking theend of the ribbon, "Little cherry," she continued, "I shouldlike to have a beautiful house of roses."

At the same moment they heard a slight noise behindthem. Mirtis turned round first, and uttered a loud cry;she had cause; for instead of the cottage of the Good Woman,there appeared one of the most charming that could possiblybe seen. It was not lofty, but the roof was formed of roses thatwould bloom in winter as well as in summer. They enteredit, and found the most agreeable apartments, furnished magnificently.In the midst of each room was a rose-treein full flower, in a precious vase; and in the first whichthey entered, they found the partridge Finfin had lost,which flew on to his shoulder and gave him an hundredcaresses.

"Is it only to wish?" said Mirtis; and taking the ribbonof her jewel in her hand, "Little medlar," she continued,"give us a garden more beautiful than our own." Hardlyhad she finished speaking, when a garden was presented totheir view of extraordinary beauty, and in which everythingthat could be imagined to delight the senses appeared in thehighest perfection.

The young folks began immediately to run through the[Pg 208]beautiful alleys, amongst the flower-beds and round about thefountains.

"Do you wish something, brother," said Lirette. "ButI have nothing to wish for," said he; "except to be lovedby you as much as you are loved by me." "Oh," repliedshe, "my heart can satisfy you on that point. That doesnot depend on your almond." "Well, then," said Finfin,"almond, little almond, I wish that a great forest shouldrise near here, in which the King's son shall come to hunt,and that he shall fall in love with Mirtis."

"What have I done to you," replied the beautiful girl."I do not wish to leave the innocent life which we lead.""You are right, my child," said the Good Woman, "and Iadmire the wisdom of your sentiments; besides which, theysay that this King is a cruel usurper, who has put to deaththe rightful sovereign and all his family: perhaps the sonmay be no better than his father."

The Good Woman, however, was quite astonished at thestrange wishes of these wonderful children, and knew not whatto think of them. When night was come, she retired into thehouse of roses, and in the morning she found that there was alarge forest close to the house. It formed a fine huntingground for our young shepherds. Finfin often hunted downin it deer, harts, and roebucks.

He gave a fawn whiter than snow to the lovely Lirette; itfollowed her as the partridge followed Finfin; and when theywere separated for a short period, they wrote to each other,and sent their notes by these messengers. It was the prettiestthing in the world.

The little family lived thus tranquilly, occupied with differentemployments, according to the seasons. They alwaysattended to their flocks, but in the summer their occupationswere most pleasant. They hunted much in the winter; theyhad bows and arrows, and sometimes went such long distancesthat they returned, with slow steps and almost frozen,to the house of roses.

The Good Woman would receive them by a large fire; she didnot know which to begin to warm first. "Lirette, my daughterLirette," she would say, "place your little feet here." Andtaking Mirtis in her arms,—"Mirtis, my child," continuedshe, "give me your beautiful hands to warm; and you my[Pg 209]son, Finfin, come nearer." Then, placing them all three on asofa, she would pay them every attention in the most charmingand gentle manner.

Thus they passed their days in peace and happiness. TheGood Woman wondered at the sympathy between Finfin andLirette, for Mirtis was as beautiful, and had no less amiablequalities; but certainly Finfin did not love her as ferventlyas the other. "If they are brother and sister, as I believe,"said the Good Woman, "by their matchless beauty, whatshall I do? They are so similar in everything, that they mustassuredly be of the same blood. If it be so, this affection isvery dangerous; if not, I might render it legitimate by lettingthem marry; and they both love me so much, that their unionwould ensure joy and peace to my declining days."

In her uncertainty, she had forbidden Lirette, who was fastadvancing to womanhood, to be ever alone with Finfin, and forbetter security she had ordered Mirtis to be always with them.Lirette obeyed her with perfect submission, and Mirtis didalso as she had commanded her. The Good Woman had heardspeak of a clever fairy, and resolved to go in search of her,and endeavour to enlighten herself respecting the fate of thesechildren.

One day, when Lirette was slightly indisposed, and Mirtisand Finfin were out hunting, the Good Woman thought ita convenient opportunity to go in search of Madam Tu-tu,for such was the name of the fairy. She left Lirette, therefore,at the House of Roses; but she had not got far on herway before she met Lirette's fawn, which was going towardsthe forest, and at the same time she saw Finfin's partridgecoming from it. They joined each other close to her. Itwas not without astonishment that she saw round the neckof each a little ribbon, with a paper attached. She called thepartridge, which flew to her, and taking the paper from it, sheread these lines:—

"What words!" cried the Good Woman,—"what phrases!Simple friendship does not express itself with so much warmth."Then stopping the fawn, which came to lick her hand, sheunfastened the paper from its neck, opened it, and found in itthese words:—

"Just as they did when I was in the world," continued theGood Woman; "who could have taught Lirette so much inthis desert? What can I do to cut betimes the root of sopernicious an evil?" "Eh, Madam, what are you so anxiousabout?" said the partridge; "let them alone—those whoconduct them know better than you."

The Good Woman remained speechless: she knew well thatthe partridge spoke by means of supernatural art. The notesfell from her hands in her fright; the fawn and the partridgepicked them up: the one ran and the other flew; and thepartridge called so often "Tu-tu," that the Good Womanthought it must be that powerful fairy who had caused it tospeak. She recovered herself a little after this reflection, butnot feeling equal to the journey she had undertaken, sheretraced her steps to the House of Roses.

Meanwhile Finfin and Mirtis had hunted the livelong day,and, being tired, they had placed their game on the ground,and sat down to rest under a tree, where they fell asleep.

The King's son also hunted that day in the forest. He missedhis suite, and came to the place where our young shepherd andshepherdess were reposing. He contemplated them for sometime with wonder. Finfin had made a pillow of his game-bag,and the head of Mirtis reclined on the breast of Finfin.

The Prince thought Mirtis so beautiful, that he precipitatelydismounted from his horse to examine her featureswith more attention. He judged, by their scrips and thesimplicity of their apparel, that they were only someshepherd's children. He sighed from grief, having alreadysighed from love, and this love, even, was followed in aninstant by jealousy. The position in which he found theseyoung people made him believe that such familiarity couldonly result from the affection which united them.

In this uneasy state of mind, not being able to toleratetheir prolonged repose, he touched the handsome Finfin withhis spear. He started up, and, seeing a man before him, hepassed his hand over the face of Mirtis, and awoke her, callingher "sister," a name which dissipated in a moment the alarmof the young Prince.

Mirtis rose up, quite astonished; she had never seen anyone but Finfin. The young Prince was the same age asherself. He was superbly attired, and had a face full ofcharming expression.

He began saying many sweet things to her. She listenedto him with a pleasure which she had never before experienced,and she responded to them in a simple manner, fullof grace. Finfin saw that it was getting late, and the fawnhaving arrived with Lirette's letter, he told his sister it wastime to go home. "Come, brother," said she to the youngPrince, giving him her hand, "come with us into the Houseof Roses." For as she believed Finfin to be her brother, shethought that every one who was handsome, like him, must beher brother also.

The young Prince did not require much pressing to followher. Finfin threw on the back of his fawn the game hehad shot, and the handsome Prince carried the bow and thegame-bag of Mirtis.

In this order they arrived at the House of Roses.Lirette came out to meet them. She gave the Prince asmiling reception, and turning towards Mirtis, "I am delighted,"said she, "that you have had such good sport."

They went all together to seek the Good Woman, towhom the Prince made known his high birth. She paiddue attention to so illustrious a guest, and gave him ahandsome apartment. He remained two or three dayswith her, and this was long enough to complete hisconquest by Mirtis, according to Finfin's request to hislittle almond.

Meanwhile, the suite of the Prince had been much surprisedat his absence. They had found his horse, and theybelieved that some frightful accident had befallen him. Theysought him everywhere, and the wicked King, who was hisfather, was in a great fury at their not being able to find him.The Queen, his mother, who was very amiable, and sister of[Pg 212]the King whom her husband had cruelly murdered, was in aninconceivable state of grief at the loss of her son.

In her extreme distress, she sent secretly in search ofMadam Tu-tu, who was an old friend of hers, but whom shehad not seen for some time, because the King hated her,and had done her much injury with a person she dearlyloved. Madam Tu-tu arrived, without being perceived, inthe cabinet of the Queen. After they had embraced eachother affectionately—for there is not much difference betweena Queen and a Fairy, they having almost equal power,—theFairy Tu-tu told her that she would very soon see her son.She begged her not to make herself uneasy, and not to be atall distressed at anything that might happen—that either shewas very much deceived, or she could promise her a delightwhich was quite unexpected by her, and that she would beone day the happiest of creatures.

The King's people made so many inquiries for the Prince,and sought him with so much care, that at length they foundhim at the House of Roses.

They led him back to the King, who scolded him brutally,as though he were not the most beautiful youth in theworld. He remained very sad at the Court of his father,and thinking of his beautiful Mirtis. At length his griefwas so visible on his countenance, that he was obliged to takehis mother into his confidence, who consoled him extremely."If you will mount your beautiful palfrey," said he, "andcome to the House of Roses, you will be charmed with whatyou will see." The Queen consented willingly, and took herson with her, who was enchanted at seeing his dear mistressagain.

The Queen was astonished at the great beauty of Mirtis,and also at that of Lirette and Finfin. She embraced themwith as much tenderness as if they had been all her own children,and conceived an immense friendship from that momentfor the Good Woman. She admired the house, the garden,and all the curiosities she saw there. When she returned,the King desired her to give an account of her journey; shedid so naturally, and he took a great fancy to go also and seethe wonders which she described. His son asked permissionto accompany him; he consented with a sullen air, for henever did anything with a good grace. As soon as he saw[Pg 213]the House of Roses he coveted it; he paid not the least attentionto the charming inhabitants of this beautiful place, and,by way of commencing to take possession of their property,he said that he would sleep there that evening.

The Good Woman was very much vexed at such a resolution.She heard an uproar, and saw a disorder in herhousehold, which frightened her. "What has become,"cried she, "of the happy tranquillity which I once enjoyedhere! The least breath of fortune destroys all the calm oflife!"

She gave the King an excellent bed, and withdrew into acorner of the dwelling with her little family. The wickedKing went to bed, but found it impossible to go to sleep, andopening his eyes, he saw at the foot of his couch a little oldwoman, who was not half a yard high, and about as broad;she had great spectacles, which covered all her face, and shemade frightful grimaces at him. The base are generallycowards. He was in a terrible fright, and felt at the sametime a thousand points of needles pricking him all over. Inthis tormenting state of body and mind, he was kept awakethe entire night, and made a great noise about it. The Kingstormed and swore in language which was not at all consistentwith his dignity. "Sleep, sleep, sire," said the partridge, "orlet us sleep: if the condition of royalty is so full of anxiety,I prefer being a partridge to being king." The King wasmore than ever alarmed at these words; he commanded themto seize the partridge, which roosted in a porcelain vase; butshe flew away at this order, beating his face with her wings.He still saw the same vision, and felt the same prickings; hewas dreadfully frightened, and his anger became more furious."Ah!" said he, "it is a spell of this sorceress, whom theycall the Good Woman. I will rid myself of her and all herrace by putting them to death!"

He got up, not being able to rest in bed; and as soon asday broke, he commanded his guards to seize all the innocentlittle family, and fling them into dungeons. He had themdragged before him, that he might witness their despair.Those charming faces, bedewed with tears, touched him not;on the contrary, he felt a malignant joy at the sight. Hisson, whose tender heart was rent by so sad a spectacle, couldnot turn his eyes upon Mirtis without an agony which[Pg 214]nothing could exceed. A true lover, on such occasions, suffersmore than the person beloved.

They seized these poor innocents, and were leading themaway, when the young Finfin, who had no arms with whichto oppose these barbarians, took the ribbon on a sudden fromhis neck. "Little almond," cried he, "I wish that we wereout of the power of the King!" "And with his greatestenemies, my dear cherry!" continued Lirette. "And that wemight take away with us the handsome Prince, my medlar!"added Mirtis. They had hardly uttered these words whenthey found themselves with the Prince, the partridge, and thefawn, all together in a car, which rising with them in theair, they soon lost sight of the King and the House of Roses.

Mirtis had no sooner expressed her wish than she repentedof it. She knew well that she had inconsiderately allowed herselfto be carried away by an impulse of which she was not themistress; therefore, during all the journey, she kept her eyescast down, and felt much abashed. The Good Woman gaveher a severe glance. "My daughter," said she, "you havenot done well to separate the Prince from his father; howeverunjust he may be, he ought not to leave him." "Ah, Madam,"replied the Prince, "do not complain that I have the happinessof following you. I respect the King, my father; butI should have left him a hundred times had it not been forthe virtue, the kindness, and tenderness of the Queen, mymother, which have always detained me."

As he finished these words, they found themselves in frontof a beautiful palace, where they alighted and were receivedby Madam Tu-tu. She was the most lovely person in theworld—young, lively, and gay. She paid them a hundredcompliments, and confessed to them that it was she who hadgiven them all the pleasures which they had enjoyed in theirlives, and had also bestowed on them the cherry, the almond,and the medlar, the virtues of which were at an end, as theyhad now arrived in her dominions. Then, addressing thePrince in private, she told him that she had heard speak athousand times of the annoyance he had met with from hisfather; but, in order that he should not attribute to her anyevil that might hereafter befal the King, she frankly admittedshe had played him some tricks, but that was the full extentof her vengeance.

After that, she assured them that they would be all veryhappy with her; that they should have flocks to keep, crooks,bows, arrows, and fishing-rods, in order that they mightamuse themselves in a hundred different ways. She gavethem shepherds' dresses of the most elegant description,including the Prince with the others,—their names anddevices being on their crooks; and that very evening the youngPrince exchanged crooks with the charming Mirtis.

The next day Madame Tu-tu led them to the most delightfulpromenade in the world, and showed them the best pasturagefor their sheep, and a fine country for the chase.

"You can go," said she, "on this side as far as thatbeautiful river, but never to the opposite shore; and youmay hunt in this wood; but beware," said she, "of passing agreat oak, which is in the midst of the forest; it is veryremarkable, for it has roots and trunk of iron. If you gobeyond it, misfortunes may happen to you, from which Icannot protect you; and, besides that, I should not perhapsbe in a position to assist you promptly, for a fairy has plentyof occupation."

The young shepherds assured her that they would doexactly as she prescribed; and all four, leading their flocksinto the meadows, left Madam Tu-tu alone with the GoodWoman. She remarked some anxiety in her manner. "Whatis the matter, madam?" said the Fairy; "what cloud has comeover your mind?" "I will not deny," said the Good Woman,"that I am uneasy at leaving them all thus together. Ihave for some time perceived with sorrow that Finfin andLirette love each other more than is desirable, and here, toadd to my trouble, another attachment springs up: thePrince and Mirtis do not dislike each other, and I fear toleave their youth exposed to the wandering of their hearts."

"You have brought up these two young girls so well,"replied Madam Tu-tu, "that you need fear nothing: I willanswer for their discretion; I will enlighten you as to theirdestiny."

She then informed her that Finfin was the son of thewicked King, and brother of the young Prince; that Mirtisand Lirette were sisters, and daughters of the deceased King,who had been murdered, and who was the brother of theQueen, whom the cruel usurper had married,—so that these[Pg 216]four young persons were near relations; that the wickedKing had ascended the throne after having committed ahundred atrocities, which he wished to crown by the murderof the two Princesses; that the Queen did all she could toprevent him, and not being able to succeed, she had calledher (the Fairy) to her assistance; that she then told theQueen she would save them, but that she could only do so bytaking with them her eldest son; that she undertook topromise she should see them again some day in happiness;that on those conditions, the Queen had consented to a separation,which appeared at first very hard; that she had carriedthem all three off, and that she had confided them to the careof the Good Woman as the person most worthy of such an office.

After this the Fairy begged her to be at ease, assuring herthat the union of these young Princes would restore peace tothe kingdom, wherein Finfin would reign with Lirette. TheGood Woman listened to this discourse with great interest;but not without letting fall some tears. Madam Tu-tu wassurprised at this emotion, and asked the cause. "Alas!"said she, "I fear they will lose their innocence by this grandeurto which they will be elevated, and that so brilliant a fortunewill corrupt their virtue."

"No," replied the Fairy, "do not fear so great a misfortune;the principles you have instilled into them are too excellent.It is possible to be a king and yet an honest man. You knowthat there is one in the universe who is the model of perfectmonarchs.[14] Therefore set your mind at rest; I shall be withyou as much as possible, and I hope you will not be melancholyhere."

The Good Woman believed her, and after a short timefelt perfectly satisfied. The young shepherds were so happyalso that they desired nothing but the continuance of theiragreeable mode of life. Their pleasures, although tranquil,were not without interest: they saw each other every day,and the days only appeared to them too short.

The bad King learnt that they were with Madam Tu-tu,but all his power could not take them away from her. Heknew by what magic spells she protected them; he saw clearlythat he could only get the better of them by stratagem; hehad not been able to inhabit the House of Roses in consequenceof the continual tricks played on him by Madam Tu-tu; hehated her more than ever, as well as the Good Woman; andhis hatred now extended also to his son.

He employed all kinds of artifice in order to get into hispower some one of the four young shepherds, but his art didnot extend to the dominions of Madam Tu-tu. One unluckyday (there are some which we cannot avoid), these amiableshepherds had bent their steps in the direction of the fataloak, when the beautiful Lirette perceived upon a tree, abouttwenty paces distant, a bird of such rare plumage, that shelet fly an arrow at it on the impulse of the moment, andseeing the bird fall dead, ran to pick it up. All this was doneinstantaneously, and without reflection; but the poor Lirettefound, to her cost, that she was caught herself. It was impossiblefor her to return; she desired, but had no power todo so. She discovered her error, and all she could do wasto extend her arms for pity to her brothers and sisters.Mirtis began to cry, and Finfin, without hesitation, ran toher. "I will perish with you," he cried, and in a momenthad joined her.

Mirtis wished to follow them, but the young Prince detainedher. "Let us go and apprise Madame Tu-tu of this," said he;"that is the best assistance we can render them." At thesame moment they saw the people of the wicked King seizethem, and all they could do was to cry adieu to each other.

The King had caused this beautiful bird to be placed thereby his hunters, to serve as a snare for the shepherds: he fullyexpected what had come to pass. They led Lirette andFinfin before the cruel monarch, who abused them terribly,and had them confined in a dark and strong prison: it wasthen they began to lament that their little cherry and almondhad lost their virtue. The fawn and the partridge soughtfor them, but the fawn not being able to see them, shedsome tears of grief, and finding the King had given ordersthat she should be taken and burnt alive, she saved herselfby running fast to Mirtis. The partridge was more fortunate,for she saw them every day through the grating of theirprison: happily for them, the King had not thought ofseparating them. When one loves, it is a pleasure to suffertogether.

The partridge flew back every day, and came to tell the[Pg 218]news to Madame Tu-tu, the Good Woman, and Mirtis.Mirtis was very unhappy, and without the handsome Princeshe would have been inconsolable. She resolved to write tothese poor captives by the faithful partridge, and hung alittle bottle of ink to her neck, with some paper, and put apen in her beak. The good partridge, thus loaded, presentedherself at the bars of the prison, and it was a great delightto our young shepherds to see her again. Finfin put out hishand and took from her all she brought him, after whichthey began to read as follows:[15]

This letter had a powerful effect on the minds of Liretteand Finfin. They were filled with joy, and wrote immediatelythis reply:—

Finfin having attached this note to the neck of the partridge,she flew away with it very quickly. The young shepherdsreceived great consolation from it, but the Good Womancould not be comforted from the moment she had been separatedfrom those so dear to her, and whom she knew to bein so much peril. "How quickly my happiness has vanished,"said she to Madame Tu-tu; "I seem to have been born onlyto be continually agitated. I thought I had taken the onlymeans for ensuring my repose; how purblind are mortals!""And do you not know," replied the Fairy, "that there isno state of existence in this world in which one can livealways happily." "I do," replied the Good Woman, mournfully;"and if one cannot find happiness in one's self, it isseldom found elsewhere. But, Madam, consider the fate ofmy children, I beg of you!" "They have not rememberedthe orders I gave them," replied Madame Tu-tu; "but let usthink of a remedy."

Madame Tu-tu entered her library with the Good Woman.She read nearly all the night, and having at length takendown and opened a large book, which she had frequentlypassed over, although its sides were covered with plates ofgold, she appeared plunged, on a sudden, into a state ofexcessive sadness. After some time, and just as day wasbreaking, the Good Woman observing a few tears fall on theleaves of the book, took the liberty to ask the cause of theFairy's sorrow. "I grieve," said she, "at the irrevocabledecree of Fate, which I have learned from these pages, andwhich I shudder and tremble to acquaint you with." "Arethey dead?" cried the Good Woman. "No," pursuedMadame Tu-tu; "but nothing can save them, unless you orI go and present ourselves to the King, and satisfy his vengeance.I confess the truth to you, Madam," continued theFairy, "that I do not feel sufficient affection for them, norenough courage, to go thus and expose myself to his fury,and I question, also, if any one could be found capable ofsuch a sacrifice." "Pardon me, Madam," replied the GoodWoman, with great firmness; "I will go seek this King; nosacrifice is too great for me that will save my children. Iwill pour out for them, with all my heart, every drop ofblood which I have in my veins."

Madam Tu-tu could not sufficiently admire so grand aresolution; she promised to assist her in every way in herpower; but that she found herself limited in this instance, inconsequence of the fault which they had committed. TheGood Woman took leave of her, and would not acquaint Mirtis[Pg 220]or the Prince with her design, for fear of affecting them andweakening her own determination. She set out with thepartridge flying by her side; and as they passed the iron oak,the partridge snatched with her beak a little moss fromits trunk, and placed it in the hands of the Good Woman."When you are in the greatest peril which can befall you,"said she to her, "throw this moss at the feet of the King."The Good Woman treasured up these words, and hardly hadshe advanced some steps when she was seized by some ofthe wicked King's soldiers, whom he always kept in readinesson the outskirts of the domain of Madam Tu-tu. They ledher before him. "I have thee at last, wicked creature!" saidhe; "I will put thee to death by the most cruel torture!""I came but for that purpose," replied she, "and thou maystexercise thy cruelty as thou wilt on me, only spare my children,who are so young and incapable of having offended thee.I offer thee my life for theirs." All who heard these wordswere filled with pity at her magnanimity; the King alone wasunmoved. The Queen, who was present, shed a torrent oftears. The King was so indignant with her that he wouldhave killed her, if her attendants had not placed themselvesbetween them. She fled, uttering piercing cries.

The barbarous King caused the Good Woman to be shutup, ordering them to feed her well, in order to render approachingdeath more frightful to her. He commanded them to filla pit with snakes, vipers, and serpents, promising himself thepleasure of precipitating the Good Woman into it. What a horriblemode of execution! It makes one shudder to think of it!

The officers of this unjust Prince obeyed him with regret;and when they had fulfilled this frightful order, the Kingcame to the spot. They were about to bind the Good Woman,when she begged them not to do so, assuring them that shehad sufficient courage to meet death with her hands free; and,feeling she had no time to lose, she approached the King, andthrew the moss at his feet. He was at that moment close tothe frightful gulf, and stepping forward to inspect it againwith pleasure, his feet slipped on the moss, and he fell in.Hardly had he reached the bottom of the pit, when thesanguinary reptiles darted upon him, and stung him to death,and the Good Woman, at the same instant, found herself incompany with her dear partridge in the House of Roses.

Whilst these things were happening, Finfin and Lirettewere almost dead with misery in their fearful prison; theirinnocent affection alone kept them alive. They were sayingvery sad and very affecting things to each other, when theyperceived on a sudden the doors of their dungeon open andadmit Mirtis, the handsome Prince, and Madam Tu-tu, whothrew themselves on their necks, and who, though speakingall at once, failed not, in the midst of this joyful confusion,to announce the death of the King. "He was your father,Finfin, as well as that of the Prince," said Madam Tu-tu;"but he was unnatural and tyrannical, and would a hundredtimes have put the Queen, your dear mother, to death. Letus go to seek her." They did so. Her amiable nature madeher feel some regret at the death of the King, her husband.Finfin and the Prince also paid all decent respect to hismemory. Finfin was acknowledged King, and Mirtis andLirette Princesses. They went all together to the House ofRoses, to see the generous Good Woman, who thought sheshould die of joy in embracing them. They all acknowledgedthat they owed their lives to her, and more than their lives,as they were indebted to her for their happiness also.

From that moment they considered themselves perfectlyhappy. The marriages were celebrated with great pomp.King Finfin espoused the Princess Lirette, and Mirtis thePrince. When these splendid nuptials were over, the GoodWoman asked permission to retire to the House of Roses.They were very unwilling to consent to this, but yielded toher sincere wish. The widowed Queen also desired to passthe rest of her life with the Good Woman, and the partridgeand the fawn did likewise. They were quite disgusted withthe world, and found tranquillity in that charming retreat.Madam Tu-tu often went to visit them, as did the King andQueen, the Prince and Princess.

Happy those who can imitate the actions of the GoodWoman. Such grandeur of soul must ever meet due reward.Little do they fear being wrecked on the shoals of Fortune,who can give up all with so much courage. Discretion, Sense,Virtue—what may not mortals owe to you, their truest friendsin need.

MADAME DE VILLENEUVE.

THE STORY
OF
THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.

In a country very far from this is to be seen a great citywherein trade flourishes abundantly. It numbered amongstits citizens a merchant, who succeeded in all his speculations,and upon whom Fortune, responding to his wishes, had alwaysshowered her fairest favours. But if he had immense wealth,he had also a great many children, his family consisting ofsix boys and six girls. None of them were settled in life:the boys were too young to think of it; the girls, too proudof their fortunes, upon which they had every reason to count,could not easily determine upon the choice they should make.Their vanity was flattered by the attentions of the handsomestyoung gentlemen. But a reverse of fortune whichthey did not at all expect, came to trouble their felicity.Their house took fire; the splendid furniture with which itwas filled, the account books, the notes, gold, silver, and allthe valuable stores which formed the merchant's principalwealth, were enveloped in this fatal conflagration, which wasso violent that very few of the things could be saved. Thisfirst misfortune was but the forerunner of others. The father,with whom hitherto everything had prospered, lost at thesame time, either by shipwreck or by pirates, all the ships hehad at sea; his correspondents made him a bankrupt, his foreignagents were treacherous; in short, from the greatest opulence,he suddenly fell into the most abject poverty. He hadnothing left but a small country house, situated in a lonelyplace, more than a hundred leagues from the city in which heusually resided. Impelled to seek a place of refuge from[Pg 226]noise and tumult, he took his family to this retired spot, whowere in despair at such a revolution. The daughters of thisunfortunate merchant were especially horrified at the prospectof the life they should have to lead in this dull solitude. Forsome time they flattered themselves that, when their father'sintention became known, their lovers, who had hitherto suedin vain, would be only too happy to find they were inclinedto listen to them. They imagined that the many admirersof each would be all striving to obtain the preference. Theythought if they wished only for a husband they wouldobtain one; but they did not remain very long in such adelightful illusion. They had lost their greatest attractionswhen, like a flash of lightning, their father's splendid fortunehad disappeared, and their time for choosing had departedwith it. Their crowd of admirers vanished at the moment oftheir downfall; their beauty was not sufficiently powerful toretain one of them. Their friends were not more generousthan their lovers. From the hour they became poor, everyone, without exception, ceased to know them. Some wereeven cruel enough to impute their misfortunes to their ownacts. Those whom the father had most obliged were hismost vehement calumniators: they reported that all hiscalamities were brought on by his own bad conduct, his prodigality,and the foolish extravagance of himself and hischildren.

This wretched family, therefore, could not do better thandepart from a city wherein everybody took a pleasure ininsulting them in their misfortunes. Having no resourcewhatever, they shut themselves up in their country house,situated in the middle of an almost impenetrable forest,and which might well be considered the saddest abode in theworld. What misery they had to endure in this frightfulsolitude! They were forced to do the hardest work. Notbeing able to have any one to wait upon them, this unfortunatemerchant's sons were compelled to divide the servant'sduties amongst them, as well as to exert themselves in everyway that people must do who have to earn their livelihoodin the country. The daughters, on their part, had sufficientemployment. Like the poor peasant girls, they found themselvesobliged to employ their delicate hands in all the laboursof a rural life. Wearing nothing but woollen dresses, having[Pg 227]nothing to gratify their vanity, existing upon what the landcould give them, limited to common necessaries, but stillretaining a refined and dainty taste, these girls incessantlyregretted the city and its attractions. The recollection evenof their younger days passed so rapidly in a round of mirthand pleasure was their greatest torment. The youngestgirl, however, displayed greater perseverance and firmness intheir common misfortune. She bore her lot cheerfully, andwith a strength of mind much beyond her years: not butwhat, at first, she was truly melancholy. Alas! who wouldnot have felt such misfortunes. But, after deploring herfather's ruin, could she do better than resume her formergaiety, make up her mind to the position she was placed in,and forget a world which she and her family had found soungrateful, and the friendship of which she was so fully persuadedwas not to be relied upon in the time of adversity?

Anxious to console herself and her brothers, by her amiabledisposition and sprightliness, there was nothing she did notdo to amuse them. The merchant had spared no cost in hereducation, nor in that of her sisters. At this sad period shederived all the advantage from it she desired. As she could playexceedingly well upon various instruments, and sing to themcharmingly, she asked her sisters to follow her example, buther cheerfulness and patience only made them more miserable.These girls, who were so inconsolable in their ill fortune,thought their youngest sister showed a poor and mean spirit,and even silliness, to be so merry in the state it had pleasedProvidence to reduce them to. "How happy she is," saidthe eldest; "she was intended for such coarse occupations.With such low notions, what would she have done in theworld?" Such remarks were unjust. This young personwas much more fitted to shine in society than either of them.She was a perfectly beautiful young creature, her good temperrendered her adorable. A generous and tender heart wasvisible in all her words and actions. Quite as much alive tothe reverses that had just overwhelmed her family as either ofher sisters, by a strength of mind which is not common inher sex, she concealed her sorrow, and rose superior to hermisfortunes. So much firmness was considered to be insensibility.But one can easily appeal from a judgment pronouncedby jealousy.

Every intelligent person, who saw her in her true light,was eager to give her the preference over her sisters. In themidst of her greatest splendour, although distinguished byher merit, she was so handsome that she was called "TheBeauty." Known by this name only, what more was requiredto increase the jealousy and hatred of her sisters? Her charms,and the general esteem in which she was held, might haveinduced her to hope for a much more advantageous establishmentthan her sisters; but feeling only for her father's misfortunes,far from retarding his departure from a city inwhich she had enjoyed so much pleasure, she did all she couldto expedite it. This young girl was as contented in theirsolitude as she had been in the midst of the world. Toamuse herself in her hours of relaxation, she would dress herhair with flowers, and, like the shepherdesses of former times,forgetting in a rural life all that had most gratified her inthe height of opulence, every day brought to her some newinnocent pleasure.

Two years had already passed, and the family began tobe accustomed to a country life, when a hope of returningprosperity arrived to discompose their tranquillity. Thefather received news that one of his vessels, that he thoughtwas lost, had safely arrived in port, richly laden. His informantsadded, they feared the factors would take advantageof his absence, and sell the cargo at a low price, andby this fraud make a great profit at his expense. Heimparted these tidings to his children, who did not doubtfor an instant but that they should soon be enabled to returnfrom exile. The girls, much more impatient than the boys,thinking it was unnecessary to wait for more certain proof,were anxious to set out instantly, and to leave everythingbehind them. But the father, who was more prudent, beggedthem to moderate their delight. However important he wasto his family at a time when the labours of the field couldnot be interrupted without great loss, he determined to leavehis sons to get in the harvest, and that he would set out uponthis long journey. His daughters, with the exception of theyoungest, expected they would soon be restored to theirformer opulence. They fancied that, even if their father'sproperty would not be considerable enough to settle them inthe great metropolis, their native place, he would at least[Pg 229]have sufficient for them to live in a less expensive city. Theytrusted they should find good society there, attract admirers,and profit by the first offer that might be made to them.Scarcely remembering the troubles they had undergone forthe last two years, believing themselves to be already, as bya miracle, removed from poverty into the lap of plenty, theyventured (for retirement had not cured them of the taste forluxury and display) to overwhelm their father with foolishcommissions. They requested him to make purchases ofjewelry, attire, and head-dresses. Each endeavoured tooutvie the other in her demands, so that the sum total oftheir father's supposed fortune would not have been sufficientto satisfy them.

Beauty, who was not the slave of ambition, and whoalways acted with prudence, saw directly that if he executedher sisters' commissions, it would be useless for her to askfor anything. But the father, astonished at her silence,said, interrupting his insatiable daughters, "Well, Beauty,dost thou not desire anything? What shall I bring thee?what dost thou wish for? Speak freely." "My dear papa,"replied the amiable girl, embracing him affectionately, "Iwish for one thing more precious than all the ornaments mysisters have asked you for; I have limited my desires to it,and shall be only too happy if they can be fulfilled. It is thegratification of seeing you return in perfect health." Thisanswer was so unmistakeably disinterested, that it coveredthe others with shame and confusion. They were so angry,that one of them, answering for the rest, said with bitterness,"This child gives herself great airs, and fancies that she willdistinguish herself by these affected heroics. Surely nothingcan be more ridiculous." But the father, touched by herexpressions, could not help showing his delight at them;appreciating, too, the feeling which induced her to ask nothingfor herself, he begged she would choose something; and toallay the ill-will that his other daughters had towards her,he observed to her that such indifference to dress was notnatural at her age—that there was a time for everything."Very well, my dear father," said she, "since you desire meto make some request, I beg you will bring me a rose; I lovethat flower passionately, and since I have lived in this desertI have not had the pleasure of seeing one." This was to[Pg 230]obey her father, and at the same time to avoid putting himto any expense for her.

At length the day arrived, that this good old man wascompelled to leave his family. He travelled as fast as hecould to the great city to which the prospect of a newfortune recalled him. But he did not meet with the benefitshe had hoped for. His vessel had certainly arrived; but hispartners, believing him to be dead, had taken possessionof it, and all the cargo had been disposed of. Thus, insteadof entering into the full and peaceable possession of thatwhich belonged to him, he was compelled to encounter allsorts of chicanery in the pursuit of his rights. He overcamethem, but after more than six months of trouble and expense,he was not any richer than he was before. His debtors hadbecome insolvent, and he could hardly defray his own costs.Thus terminated this dream of riches.

To add to his disagreeables, he was obliged, on the score ofeconomy, to start on his homeward journey at the most inconvenienttime, and in the most frightful weather. Exposedon the road to the piercing blasts, he thought he should diewith fatigue; but when he found himself within a few milesof his house (which he did not reckon upon leaving for suchfalse hopes, and which Beauty had shown her sense in mistrusting)his strength returned to him. It would be somehours before he could cross the forest; it was late, but hewished to continue his journey. He was benighted, sufferingfrom intense cold, buried, one might say, in the snow, withhis horse; not knowing which way to bend his steps, hethought his last hour had come: no hut in his road,although the forest was filled with them. A tree, hollowedby age, was the best shelter he could find, and only too happywas he to hide himself in it. This tree protecting him fromthe cold, was the means of saving his life; and the horse, alittle distance from his master, perceiving another hollow tree,was led by instinct to take shelter in that.

The night, in such a situation, appeared to him to be never-ending;furthermore, he was famished, frightened at the roaringof the wild beasts, that were constantly passing by him.Could he be at peace for an instant? His trouble and anxietydid not end with the night. He had no sooner the pleasureof seeing daylight than his distress was greater. The ground[Pg 231]appeared so extraordinarily covered with snow, no road couldhe find—no track was to be seen. It was only after greatfatigue and frequent falls, that he succeeded in discoveringsomething like a path upon which he could keep his footing.

Proceeding without knowing in which direction, chance ledhim into the avenue of a beautiful castle, which the snowseemed to have respected. It consisted of four rows of orange-trees,laden with flowers and fruit. Statues were seen hereand there, regardless of order or symmetry—some were inthe middle of the road, others among the trees—all after thestrangest fashion; they were of the size of life, and had thecolour of human beings, in different attitudes, and in variousdresses, the greatest number representing warriors. Arrivingat the first court-yard, he perceived a great many morestatues. He was suffering so much from cold that he couldnot stop to examine them. An agate staircase, with balustersof chased gold, first presented itself to his sight: hepassed through several magnificently furnished rooms; agentle warmth which he breathed in them renovated him.He needed food; but to whom could he apply? This largeand magnificent edifice appeared to be inhabited only bystatues. A profound silence reigned throughout it; neverthelessit had not the air of an old palace that had been deserted.The halls, the rooms, the galleries were all open; no livingthing appeared to be in this charming place.

Weary of wandering over this vast dwelling, he stopped in asaloon, wherein was a large fire. Presuming that it was preparedfor some one, who would not be long in appearing, he drewnear the fireplace to warm himself; but no one came. Seatedon a sofa near the fire, a sweet sleep closed his eyelids, andleft him no longer in a condition to observe the entrance ofany one. Fatigue induced him to sleep; hunger awoke him;he had been suffering from it for the last twenty-four hours.The exercise that he had taken ever since he had been in thispalace increased his appetite. When he awoke and openedhis eyes, he was astonished to see a table elegantly laid. Alight repast would not have satisfied him; but the viands,magnificently dressed, invited him to eat of everything.

His first care was to utter in a loud voice his thanks to thosefrom whom he had received so much kindness, and he thenresolved to wait quietly till it pleased his host to make himself[Pg 232]known to him. As fatigue caused him to sleep before hisrepast, so did the food produce the same effect, and his reposewas longer and more powerful; in fact, this second time heslept for at least four hours. Upon awaking, in the place ofthe first table he saw another of porphyry, upon which somekind hand had set out a collation consisting of cakes, preservedfruits, and liqueurs. This was likewise for his use. Profiting,therefore, by the kindness shown him, he partook of everythingthat suited his appetite, his taste, and his fancy.

Finding at length no one to speak to, or to inform himwhether this palace was inhabited by a man or by a God,fear began to take possession of him, for he was naturallytimid. He resolved, therefore, to repass through all theapartments, and overwhelm with thanks the Genius to whomhe was indebted for so much kindness, and in the most respectfulmanner solicit him to appear. All his attentions were useless:no appearance of servants, no result by which he couldascertain that the palace was inhabited. Thinking seriouslyof what he should do, he began to fancy, for what reason hecould not imagine, that some good spirit had made thismansion a present to him, with all the riches that it contained.This idea seemed like inspiration, and withoutfurther delay, making a new inspection of it, he took possessionof all the treasures he could find. More than this, hesettled in his own mind what share of it he should allow toeach of his children, and selected the apartments which wouldparticularly suit them, enjoying the delight beforehand whichhis journey would afford them. He entered the garden, where,in spite of the severity of the winter, the rarest flowers wereexhaling the most delicious perfume in the mildest and purestair. Birds of all kinds blending their songs with the confusednoise of the waters, made an agreeable harmony.

The old man, in ecstasies at such wonders, said to himself,"My daughters will not, I think, find it very difficult toaccustom themselves to this delicious abode. I cannot believethat they will regret, or that they will prefer the city to thismansion. Let me set out directly," cried he, in a transportof joy rather uncommon for him; "I shall increase myhappiness in witnessing theirs: I will take possession atonce."

Upon entering this charming castle he had taken care,[Pg 233]notwithstanding he was nearly perished, to unbridle his horseand let him wend his way to a stable which he had observedin the fore-court. An alley, ornamented by palisades, formedby rose-bushes in full bloom, led to it. He had never seensuch lovely roses. Their perfume reminded him that he hadpromised to give Beauty a rose. He picked one, and wasabout to gather enough to make half-a-dozen bouquets, whena most frightful noise made him turn round. He was terriblyalarmed upon perceiving at his side a horrible beast,which, with an air of fury, laid upon his neck a kind of trunk,resembling an elephant's, and said, with a terrific voice, "Whogave thee permission to gather my roses? Is it not enoughthat I kindly allowed thee to remain in my palace. Insteadof feeling grateful, rash man, I find thee stealing my flowers!Thy insolence shall not remain unpunished." The good man,already too much overpowered by the unexpected appearanceof this monster, thought he should die of fright at thesewords, and quickly throwing away the fatal rose. "Ah! myLord," said he, prostrating himself before him, "have mercyon me! I am not ungrateful! Penetrated by all your kindness,I did not imagine that so slight a liberty could possiblyhave offended you." The monster very angrily replied,"Hold thy tongue, thou foolish talker. I care not for thyflattery, nor for the titles thou bestowest on me. I am not'my Lord;' I am The Beast; and thou shalt not escape thedeath thou deservest."

The merchant, dismayed at so cruel a sentence, and thinkingthat submission was the only means to preserve his life,said, in a truly affecting manner, that the rose he had daredto take was for one of his daughters, called Beauty. Then,whether he hoped to escape from death, or to induce hisenemy to feel for him, he related to him all his misfortunes;he told him the object of his journey, and did not omit todwell on the little present he was bound to give Beauty;adding, that was the only thing she had asked for, while theriches of a king would hardly have sufficed to satisfy thewishes of his other daughters; and so came to the opportunitywhich had offered itself to satisfy the modest desire of Beauty,and his belief that he could have done so without any unpleasantconsequences; asking pardon, moreover, for his involuntaryfault. The Beast considered for a moment, then,[Pg 234]speaking in a milder tone, he said to him, "I will pardonthee, but upon condition that thou wilt give me one of thydaughters—I require some one to repair this fault." "JustHeaven!" replied the merchant; "how can I keep my word?Could I be so inhuman as to save my own life at the expenseof one of my children's; under what pretext could I bringher here?" "There must be no pretext," interrupted theBeast. "I expect that whichever daughter you bring hereshe will come willingly, or I will not have either of them.Go; see if there be not one amongst them sufficiently courageous,and loving thee enough, to sacrifice herself to save thylife. Thou appearest to be an honest man. Give me thyword of honour to return in a month. If thou canst decideto bring one of them back with thee, she will remain hereand thou wilt return home. If thou canst not do so, promiseme to return hither alone, after bidding them farewellfor ever, for thou wilt belong to me. Do not fancy," continuedthe Monster, grinding his teeth, "that by merelyagreeing to my proposition thou wilt be saved. I warn thee,if thou thinkest so to escape me, I will seek for thee, anddestroy thee and thy race, although a hundred thousand menappear to defend thee."

The good man, although quite convinced that he should notvainly put to the proof the devotion of his daughters,accepted, nevertheless, the Monster's proposition. He promisedto return to him at the time named, and give himselfup to his sad fate, without rendering it necessary for theBeast to seek for him. After this assurance he thoughthimself at liberty to retire and take leave of the Beast, whosepresence was most distressing to him. The respite was butbrief, yet he feared he might revoke it. He expressed hisanxiety to depart; but the Beast told him he should not doso till the following day. "Thou wilt find," said he, "a horseready at break of day. He will carry thee home quickly.Adieu—go to supper, and await my orders."

The poor man, more dead than alive, returned to the saloonin which he had feasted so heartily. Before a large fire hissupper, already laid, invited him to sit and enjoy it. Thedelicacy and richness of the dishes had no longer, however,any temptation for him. Overwhelmed by his grief, he wouldnot have seated himself at the table, but that he feared that[Pg 235]the Beast was concealed somewhere, and observing him,and that he would excite his anger by any slight of hisbounty. To avoid further disaster, he made a momentarytruce with his grief, and, as well as his afflicted heart wouldpermit, he tasted, in turn, the various dishes. At the endof the repast a great noise was heard in the adjoining apartment,and he did not doubt that it was his formidable host.As he could not manage to avoid his presence, he tried torecover from the alarm which this sudden noise had causedhim. At the same moment, the Beast, who appeared, askedhim abruptly if he had made a good supper. The good manreplied, in a modest and timid tone, that he had, thanks tohis attention, eaten heartily. "Promise me," replied theMonster, "to remember your word to me, and to keep it as aman of honour, in bringing me one of your daughters."

The old man, who was not much entertained with thisconversation, swore to him that he would fulfil what he hadpromised, and return in a month alone or with one of hisdaughters, if he should find one who loved him sufficientlyto follow him on the conditions he must propose to her."I warn thee again," said the Beast, "to take care not todeceive her as to the sacrifice which thou must exact fromher, or the danger she will incur. Paint to her my face suchas it is. Let her know what she is about to do: above all, lether be firm in her resolution. There will be no time forreflection when thou shalt have brought her hither. Theremust be no drawing back: thou wilt be equally lost, withoutobtaining for her the liberty to return." The merchant, whowas overcome at this discourse, reiterated his promise to conformto all that was prescribed to him. The Monster, satisfiedwith his answer, ordered him to retire to rest, and not torise till he should see the sun, and hear a golden bell.

"Thou wilt breakfast before setting out," said he again;"and thou mayest take a rose with thee for Beauty. Thehorse which shall bear thee will be ready in the court-yard.I reckon on seeing thee again in a month, if thou art anhonest man. If thou failest in thy word, I shall pay thee avisit." The good man, for fear of prolonging a conversationalready too painful to him, made a profound reverence to theBeast, who told him again not to be anxious respecting theroad by which he should return; as at the time appointed the[Pg 236]same horse which he would mount the next morning wouldbe found at his gate, and would suffice for his daughter andhimself.

However little disposition the old man felt for sleep, hedared not disobey the orders he had received. Obliged to liedown, he did not rise till the sun began to illumine thechamber. His breakfast was soon despatched, and he thendescended into the garden to gather the rose which the Beasthad ordered him to take to Beauty. How many tears thisflower caused him to shed. But the fear of drawing onhimself new disasters made him constrain his feelings, andhe went, without further delay, in search of the horse whichhad been promised him. He found on the saddle a light butwarm cloak. As soon as the horse felt him on his back, heset off with incredible speed. The merchant, who in amoment lost sight of this fatal palace, experienced as great asensation of joy as he had on the previous evening felt inperceiving it, with this difference, that the delight of leavingit was embittered by the cruel necessity of returning to it.

"To what have I pledged myself?" said he, whilst hiscourser carried him with a velocity and a lightness which isonly known in fairy land. "Would it not be better that Ishould become at once the victim of this monster who thirstsfor the blood of my family? By a promise I have made, asunnatural as it is indiscreet, I have prolonged my life. Is itpossible that I could think of extending my days at theexpense of those of my daughters? Can I have the barbarityto lead one to him, to see him, no doubt, devour herbefore my eyes?" But all at once, interrupting himself, hecried, "Miserable wretch that I am, what have I to fear?If I could find it in my heart to silence the voice of nature,would it depend on me to commit this cowardly act? Shemust know her fate and consent to it. I see no chance thatshe will be inclined to sacrifice herself for an inhuman father,and I ought not to make such a proposition to her. It isunjust. But even if the affection which they all entertainfor me should induce one to devote herself, would not a singleglance at the Beast destroy her constancy, and I could notcomplain. Ah! too imperious Beast," exclaimed he, "thou hastdone this expressly! By putting an impossible condition tothe means thou offerest me to escape thy fury, and obtain thepardon of a trifling fault, thou hast added insult to injury!But," continued he, "I cannot bear to think of it. I hesitateno longer; and I would rather expose myself without turningaway from thy rage, than attempt a useless mode of escape,which my paternal love trembles to employ. Let me retrace,"said he, "the road to this frightful palace, and without deigningto purchase so dearly the remnant of a life which cannever be but miserable—without waiting for the month whichis accorded me to expire,—return and terminate this day mymiserable existence!"

At these words he endeavoured to retrace his steps, but hefound it impossible to turn the bridle of his horse. Allowinghimself, therefore, against his will, to be carried forward, heresolved at least to propose nothing to his daughters. Alreadyhe saw his house in the distance, and strengthening himselfmore and more in his resolution, "I will not speak to them,"he said, "of the danger which threatens me: I shall havethe pleasure of embracing them once more; I shall give themmy last advice; I will beg them to live on good terms withtheir brothers, whom I shall also implore not to abandonthem."

In the midst of this reverie, he reached his door. Hisown horse, which had found its way home the previous evening,had alarmed his family. His sons, dispersed in the forest,had sought him in every direction; and his daughters, in theirimpatience to hear some tidings of him, were at the door, inorder to obtain the earliest intelligence. As he was mountedon a magnificent steed, and wrapt in a rich cloak, they couldnot recognise him, but took him at first for a messenger sentby him, and the rose which they perceived attached to thepummel of the saddle made them perfectly easy on hisaccount.

When this afflicted father, however, approached nearer,they recognised him, and thought only of evincing their satisfactionat seeing him return in good health. But the sadnessdepicted in his face, and his eyes filled with tears, which hevainly endeavoured to restrain, changed their joy into anxiety.All hastened to inquire the cause of his trouble. He madeno reply but by saying to Beauty, as he presented her withthe rose, "There is what thou hast demanded of me, butthou wilt pay dearly for it, as well as the others." "I was[Pg 238]certain," exclaimed the eldest, "and I was saying, this verymoment, that she would be the only one whose commissionyou would execute. At this time of the year, a rose musthave cost more than you would have had to pay for us allfive together; and, judging from appearances, the rose willbe faded before the day is ended: never mind, however, youwere determined to gratify the fortunate Beauty at any price.""It is true," replied the father, mournfully, "that this rosehas cost me dear, and more dear than all the ornaments whichyou wished for would have done. It is not in money, however;and would to Heaven that I might have purchased itwith all I am yet worth in the world."

These words excited the curiosity of his children, and dispelledthe resolution which he had taken not to reveal hisadventure. He informed them of the ill-success of his journey,the trouble which he had undergone in running after a chimericalfortune, and all that had taken place in the palace ofthe Monster. After this explanation, despair took the place ofhope and of joy.

The daughters seeing all their projects annihilated by thisthunderbolt, uttered fearful cries; the brothers, more courageous,said resolutely that they would not suffer their fatherto return to this frightful castle; that they were bold enoughto deliver the earth from this horrible Beast, even supposinghe should have the temerity to come in search of him. Thegood man, although moved at their affliction, forbad them tocommit violence, telling them, that as he had given his word,he would kill himself rather than fail to keep it.

Notwithstanding this, they sought for expedients to savehis life; the young men, full of courage and filial affection,proposed that one of them should go and offer himself as avictim to the wrath of the Beast; but the monster had saidpositively and explicitly that he would have one of thedaughters, and not one of the sons. The brave brothersgrieved that their good intentions could not be acted upon,then did what they could to inspire their sisters with thesame sentiments. But their jealousy of Beauty was sufficientto raise an invincible obstacle to such heroic action.

"It is not just," said they, "that we should perish in sofrightful a manner for a fault of which we are not guilty. Itwould be to render us victims to Beauty, to whom they[Pg 239]would be very glad to sacrifice us; but duty does not requiresuch a sacrifice. Here is the fruit of the moderation andperpetual preaching of this unhappy girl! Why did she notask, like us, for a good stock of clothes and jewels. If wehave not had them, it has at all events cost nothing forasking, and we have no cause to reproach ourselves for havingexposed the life of our father by indiscreet demands. If, byan affected disinterestedness, she had not sought to distinguishherself, as she is in all things more favoured than we, hewould have, no doubt, found enough money to content her.But she must needs, by her singular caprice, bring on us allthis misfortune. It is she who has caused it, and they wishus to pay the penalty. We will not be her dupe. She hasbrought it on herself, and she must find the remedy."

Beauty, whose grief had almost deprived her of consciousness,suppressing her sobs and sighs, said to her sisters, "Iam the cause of this misfortune; it is I alone who mustrepair it. I confess it would be unjust to allow you to sufferfor my fault. Alas! it was, notwithstanding, an innocent wish.Could I foresee that the desire to have a rose when we were inthe middle of summer would be punished so cruelly? The faultis committed, however; whether I am innocent or guilty, it isjust that I should expiate it. It cannot be imputed to anyone else. I will risk my life," pursued she, in a firm tone, "torelease my father from his fatal engagement. I will go tofind the Beast; too happy in being able to die in order topreserve the life of him from whom I received mine, and tosilence your murmurs. Do not fear that anything can turnme from my purpose; but I pray you during this month todo me the favour to spare me your reproaches."

So much firmness in a girl of her age surprised them allmuch; and the brothers, who loved her tenderly, were movedat her resolution. They paid her infinite attention, and felt theloss they were about to sustain. But it was requisite to savethe life of a father; this pious motive closed their mouths;and well persuaded that it was a thing decided on, far fromthinking of combating so generous a purpose, they contentedthemselves by shedding tears, and giving their sister all thepraise which her noble resolution merited, all the more fromher being only sixteen years of age, and having the right toregret a life which she was about to sacrifice in so cruel a[Pg 240]manner. The father alone would not consent to the designof his youngest daughter; but the others reproached himinsolently with the charge that Beauty alone was cared forby him, in spite of the misfortune which she had caused, andthat he was sorry that it was not one of the elders who shouldpay for her imprudence.

This unjust language forced him to desist; besides, Beautyassured him that if he would not accept the exchange, shewould make it in spite of him, for she would go alone to seekthe Beast, and so perish without saving him. "How do weknow," said she, forcing herself to assume more tranquillitythan she really felt; "perhaps the dreadful fate which appearsto await me conceals another as happy as this seemsterrible?"

Her sisters, hearing her speak thus, smiled maliciously atthe wild idea; they were enchanted at the delusion in whichthey believed her to be indulging. But the old man, conqueredby all her reasons, and remembering an ancient prediction,by which he had learnt that this daughter shouldsave his life, and that she should be a source of happiness toall her family, ceased to oppose the will of Beauty. Insensiblythey began to speak of their departure as a thing almostindifferent. It was she who gave the tone to the conversation,and in their presence she appeared to consider it as ahappy event; it was only, however, to console her fatherand brothers, and not to alarm them more than necessary.Although discontented with the conduct of her sisters towardsher, who appeared even impatient to see her depart, andthought the month passed too slowly, she had the generosityto divide all her little property and the jewels which she hadat her own disposal amongst them.

They received with pleasure this new proof of her generosity,but without abating their hatred of her. An extreme joy tookpossession of their hearts when they heard the horse neighwhich was sent to carry away a sister whose amiability theirjealous natures would not allow them to perceive. The fatherand the sons alone were so afflicted that they could not containthemselves at this fatal moment. They proposed tostrangle the horse. Beauty, however, preserving all her tranquillity,showed them again on this occasion the absurdity ofsuch a design, and the impossibility of executing it. After[Pg 241]having taken leave of her brothers, she embraced her hard-heartedsisters, taking such a tender farewell of them that shedrew from them some tears, and they believed, for the spaceof a few minutes, that they were almost as much afflicted astheir brothers.

During these brief, yet lingering leave-takings, the goodman, hurried by his daughter, had mounted his horse. Sheplaced herself behind him with as much alacrity as thoughshe were going to make an agreeable journey. The animalrather flew than walked. But this extreme speed did notinconvenience her in the least; the paces of this singular horsewere so gentle that Beauty felt no more shaken by him thanshe would have been by the breath of a zephyr.

In vain, during the journey, did her father offer a hundredtimes to allow her to dismount, and to go himself alone to findthe Beast. "Consider, my dear child," said he; "there is stilltime. This Monster is more terrible than thou canst imagine.However firm thy resolution may be, I cannot but fear it willfail on beholding him; then it will be too late; thou wilt belost, and we shall both perish together."

"If I went," replied Beauty, "to seek this terrible Beastwith the hope of being happy, it is not impossible that thathope would fail me at the sight of him; but as I reckon ona speedy death, and believe it to be unavoidable, what doesit signify whether he who shall destroy me be agreeable orhideous."

Conversing thus, night closed around them, but the horsewent quite as fast in the darkness. It was, however, suddenlydissipated by a most unexpected spectacle. This was causedby the discharge of all kinds of beautiful fireworks—flowerpots,catherine-wheels, suns, bouquets,—which dazzled theeyes of our travellers. This agreeable and unlooked-for illuminationlighted up the entire forest, and diffused a gentle heatthrough the air, which was become desirable, for the cold inthis country was more keenly felt in the night than by day.

By this charming light the father and daughter foundthemselves in an avenue of orange-trees. At the moment thatthey entered it the fireworks ceased. The illumination was,however, continued by all the statues having in their handslighted torches. Besides these, lamps without number coveredthe front of the palace, symmetrically arranged in forms of[Pg 242]true-lover's knots and crowned cyphers, consisting of doubleLL's and double BB's.[16] On entering the court they werereceived by a salute of artillery, which, added to the sound ofa thousand instruments of various kinds, some soft, some warlike,had a fine effect.

"The Beast must be very hungry indeed," said Beauty,half-jestingly, "to make such grand rejoicings at the arrivalof his prey." However, in spite of her agitation at theapproach of an event which, according to all appearance,was about to be fatal to her, she could not avoid payingattention to the magnificent objects which succeeded eachother, and presented to her view the most beautiful spectacleshe had ever seen, nor help saying to her father that the preparationsfor her death were more brilliant than the bridalpomp of the greatest king in the world.

The horse stopped at the foot of the flight of steps. Shealighted quickly, and her father, as soon as he had put footto the ground, conducted her by a vestibule to the saloonin which he had been so well entertained. They found therea large fire, lighted candles which emitted an exquisite perfume,and, above all, a table splendidly served. The goodman, accustomed to the manner in which the Beast regaledhis guests, told his daughter that this repast was intended forthem, and that they were at liberty to avail themselves of it.Beauty made no difficulty, well-persuaded that it would nothasten her death. On the contrary, she imagined that itwould make known to the Beast the little repugnance shehad felt in coming to see him. She hoped that her franknessmight be capable of softening him, and even that her adventuremight be less sad than she had at first apprehended.The formidable Monster with which she had been menaced didnot show himself, and the whole palace spoke of joy andmagnificence. It appeared that her arrival had caused thesedemonstrations, and it did not seem probable that they couldhave been designed for a funeral ceremony.

Her hope did not last long, however. The Monster madehimself heard. A frightful noise, caused by the enormousweight of his body, by the terrible clank of his scales, and anawful roaring, announced his arrival. Terror took possessionof Beauty. The old man, embracing his daughter, utteredpiercing cries. But recovering herself in a moment, she suppressedher agitation. Seeing the Beast approach, whom shecould not behold without a shudder, she advanced with a firmstep, and with a modest air saluted him very respectfully.This behaviour pleased the Monster. After having contemplatedher, he said to the old man, in a tone which, withoutbeing one of anger, might, however, fill with terror the boldestheart, "Good evening, my good friend;" and turning toBeauty, he said also to her, "Good evening, Beauty." Theold man, fearing every instant that something awful wouldhappen to his daughter, had not the strength to reply. ButBeauty, without agitation and in a sweet and firm voice, said,"Good evening, Beast." "Do you come here voluntarily?"inquired the Beast; "and will you consent to let yourfather depart without following him?" Beauty replied thatshe had no other intention. "Ah! and what do you thinkwill become of you after his departure?" "What it mayplease you," said she; "my life is at your disposal, and Isubmit blindly to the fate which you may doom me to."

"I am satisfied with your submission," replied the Beast;"and as it appears that they have not brought you here by force,you shall remain with me. As for thee, good man," said heto the merchant, "thou shalt depart to-morrow, at daybreak;the bell will warn you; delay not after thy breakfast; thesame horse will reconduct thee. But," added he, "whenthou shalt be in the midst of thy family, dream not of revisitingmy palace, and remember it is forbidden thee forever. You, Beauty," continued the Monster, addressing her,"conduct your father into the adjoining wardrobe, and chooseanything which both of you think will give pleasure to yourbrothers and sisters. You will find two trunks; fill them.It is right that you should send them something of sufficientvalue to oblige them to remember you."

In spite of the liberality of the Monster, the approachingdeparture of her father sensibly affected Beauty, and causedher extreme grief; however, she determined to obey theBeast, who quitted them, after having said, as he had doneon entering, "Good-night, Beauty; good-night, good man."When they were alone, the good man, embracing his daughter,wept without ceasing. The idea of leaving her with[Pg 244]the Monster was a most cruel trial to him. He repentedhaving brought her into that place. The gates were open;he wished to lead her away again, but Beauty impressedupon him the danger and consequences of such a proceeding.

They entered the wardrobe which had been indicated tothem; they were surprised at the treasures it contained. Itwas filled with apparel so superb that a Queen could not wishfor anything more beautiful, or in better taste. Never was awarehouse better filled.

When Beauty had chosen the dresses she thought the mostsuitable, not to the present situation of the family, but proportionedto the riches and liberality of the Beast, who wasthe donor, she opened a press, the door of which was of rockcrystal, mounted in gold. Although such a magnificentexterior prepared her to find it contain some rare and precioustreasures, she saw such a mass of jewels of all kinds, that hereyes could hardly support the brilliancy of them. Beauty,from a feeling of obedience, took without hesitation, a prodigiousquantity, which she divided as well as she couldamongst the lots she had already made.

On opening the last cabinet, which was no less than acabinet filled with pieces of gold, she changed her mind. "Ithink," said she to her father, "that it will be better toempty these trunks, and to fill them with coin, which youcan give to your children according to your pleasure. Bythis means you will not be obliged to confide your secret toany one, and your riches will be possessed by you withoutdanger. The advantage that you would derive from thepossession of these jewels, although their value might bemore considerable, would be attended by inconvenience. Inorder to profit by them you would be forced to sell them,and to trust them to persons who would only look on youwith envious eyes. Your confidence in them might evenprove fatal to you, whilst gold pieces of current coin willplace you," continued she, "beyond the reach of any misfortune,by giving you the means of acquiring land andhouses, and purchasing rich furniture, ornaments, and preciousstones."

The father approved her forethought. But wishing totake for his daughters some dresses and ornaments, in orderto make room for them as well as the gold, he took out of[Pg 245]the trunks what he had selected for his own use. The greatquantity of coin which he put in did not fill them, however.They were composed of folds which stretched at pleasure.He found room for the jewels which he had displaced, and, infact, these trunks contained more than he could even wishfor. "So much money," said he to his daughter, "will placeme in a position to sell my jewels at my own convenience.Following thy counsel, I will hide my wealth from the world,and even from my children. If they knew me to be as richas I shall be, they would torment me to abandon my countrylife, which, however, is the sole one wherein I have foundhappiness, and not experienced the perfidy of false friends,with whom the world is filled." But the trunks were soimmensely heavy, that an elephant would have sunk undertheir weight, and the hope which he had begun to cherishappeared to him a dream, and nothing more. "The Beastmocks us," said he, "and feigns to give me wealth, which hemakes it impossible for me to carry away."

"Suspend your judgment," replied Beauty; "you have notprovoked his liberality by any indiscreet request nor by anygreedy or interested looks. Raillery would be without point.I think, as the Monster has bestowed it on you, that he willcertainly find the means of allowing you to enjoy it. Wehave only to close the trunks, and leave them here. Nodoubt he knows by what coach to send them."

Nothing could be more prudent than this advice. Thegood man, conformably to it, re-entered the saloon with hisdaughter. Seated together on the sofa, they saw the breakfastinstantly served. The father ate with more appetitethan he had done the preceding night. That which hadcome to pass had diminished his despair and revived his confidence.He would have departed without concern if theBeast had not had the cruelty to make him understand thathe must not dream of seeing his palace again, and that hemust wish his daughter an eternal farewell. There is no evilbut death without remedy. The good man was not completelystunned by this order. He flattered himself that itwould not be irrevocable, and this hope prepared him to quithis host with tolerable satisfaction. Beauty was not so wellsatisfied. Little persuaded that a happy future was preparedfor her, she feared that the rich presents with which the[Pg 246]Monster loaded her family was but the price of her life, andthat he would devour her immediately that he should bealone with her, or at least that a perpetual prison would beher fate, and that her only companion would be this frightfulMonster.

This reflection plunged her into a profound reverie, but asecond stroke of the bell warned them that it was time toseparate. They descended into the court, where the fatherfound two horses, the one loaded with the two trunks, andthe other destined for himself. The latter, covered with agood cloak, and the saddle having two bags attached to itfull of refreshments, was the same which he had ridden before.So much attention on the part of the Beast again suppliedthem with subject of conversation; but the horses, neighingand stamping with their hoofs, made known to them that itwas time to part.

The merchant, afraid of irritating the Beast by his delay,bade his daughter an eternal farewell. The two horses setoff faster than the wind, and Beauty instantly lost sight ofthem. She mounted in tears to the chamber which wasappropriated to her, where for some time she was lost in sadreflections.

At length, being overcome with sleep, she felt a wish toseek repose, which, during a month past, she had not enjoyed.Having nothing better to do, she was about to go to bed,when she perceived on the table a service of chocolate prepared.She took it, half asleep, and her eyes almost immediatelyclosed. She fell into a quiet slumber, which sincethe moment she had received the fatal rose had been unknownto her.

During her sleep, she dreamt that she was on the bank ofa canal, a long way off, the two sides of which were ornamentedwith two rows of orange trees and flowering myrtlesof immense size, where, engrossed with her sad situation, shelamented the misfortune which condemned her to pass herdays in this place without hope of ever leaving it.

A young man, beautiful as Cupid is painted, in a voicewhich touched her heart, then said—"Do not, Beauty, believethou wilt be as unhappy as it now appears to thee. It is inthis place that thou wilt receive the recompence which theyhave elsewhere unjustly denied thee. Let thy penetration[Pg 247]assist thee to extricate me from the appearance which disguisesme. Judge in seeing me if my company is contemptible,and ought not to be preferred to a family unworthyof thee. Wish, and all thy desires shall be fulfilled. I lovethee tenderly; thou alone canst bestow happiness on me bybeing happy thyself. Never deny me this. Excelling all otherwomen as far in the qualities of thy mind as thou excellestthem in beauty, we shall be perfectly happy together."

This charming apparition then kneeling at her feet, madeher the most flattering promises in the most tender language.He pressed her in the warmest terms to consent to his happiness,and assured her that she should be entirely her ownmistress.

"Follow the first impulse of gratitude," said he. "Judgenot by thine eyes, and, above all, abandon me not, but releaseme from the terrible torment which I endure."

After this first dream, she fancied she was in a magnificentcabinet with a lady, whose majestic mien and surprising beautycreated in her heart a feeling of profound respect. This ladysaid to her in an affectionate tone—"Charming Beauty, regretnot that thou hast left; a more illustrious fate awaitsthee; but if thou wouldst deserve it, beware of allowing thyselfto be prejudiced by appearances." Her sleep lasted morethan five hours, during which time she saw the young manin a hundred different places, and under a hundred differentcircumstances.

Sometimes he offered her a fine entertainment; sometimeshe made the most tender protestations to her. Howpleasant her sleep was! She would have wished to prolongit, but her eyes, open to the light, could not be induced toclose again, and Beauty believed she had only had an agreeabledream.

A clock struck twelve, repeating twelve times her ownname, which obliged her to rise. She then saw a toilet-tablecovered with everything necessary for a lady. After havingdressed herself with a feeling of pleasure of which she didnot imagine the cause, she passed into the saloon, where herdinner was served.

When one eats alone, a repast is very soon over. On returningto her chamber, she threw herself on the sofa; the[Pg 248]young man of whom she had dreamt again presented himselfto her thoughts. "'I can make thy happiness,' were hiswords. Probably this horrible Beast, who appears to commandall here, keeps him in prison. How can he be extricated?They repeated to me that I was not to be deceived byappearances. I understand nothing; but how foolish I am!I amuse myself by seeking for reasons to explain an illusionformed by sleep, and which my waking has destroyed. Iought not to pay attention to it. I must only occupy myselfwith my present fate, and seek such amusements as will preventmy being overcome by melancholy."

Shortly afterwards she began to wander through the numerousapartments of the palace. She was enchanted withthem, having never seen anything so beautiful. The first thatshe entered was a large cabinet of mirrors. She saw herselfreflected on all sides. At length a bracelet, suspended to agirandole, caught her sight. She found on it the portrait ofthe handsome Cavalier, just as she had seen him in her sleep.How was it she recognised him immediately? His featureswere already too deeply impressed on her mind, and, perhaps,in her heart. With joyful haste she placed the bracelet onher arm, without reflecting whether this action was correct.From this cabinet, having passed into a gallery full of pictures,she there found the same portrait the size of life, which appearedto regard her with such tender attention, that shecoloured, as if this picture had been the person himself; orthat she had had witnesses of her thoughts.

Continuing her walk, she found herself in a saloon filledwith different kinds of instruments. Knowing how to playon almost all, she tried several, preferring the harpsichord tothe others, because it was a better accompaniment for thevoice. From this saloon, she entered another gallery, correspondingto that in which were the paintings. It containedan immense library. She liked reading, and since her sojournin the country she had been deprived of this pleasure. Herfather, by the confusion of his affairs, had found himselfobliged to sell his books. Her great taste for study couldeasily be satisfied in this place, and would guarantee heragainst the dulness consequent on solitude. The day passedbefore she could see everything. At the approach of night,[Pg 249]all the apartments were illuminated by perfumed wax-lights,placed in lustres either transparent or of different colours, andnot of crystal, but made of diamonds and rubies.

At the usual hour, Beauty found her supper served, withthe same delicacy and neatness as before. No human figurepresented itself to her view; her father had told her she wouldbe alone. This solitude began no longer to trouble her, whenthe Beast made himself heard. Never having yet found herselfalone with him, ignorant how this interview would passoff, fearing even that he only came to devour her, is it anywonder that she trembled? But on the arrival of the Beast,whose approach was by no means furious, her fears were dissipated.This monstrous giant said, roughly, "Good evening,Beauty." She returned his salutation in the same terms,with a calm air, but a little tremulously. Amongst the differentquestions which the monster put to her, he asked howshe amused herself? Beauty replied, "I have passed the dayin inspecting your palace, but it is so vast that I have nothad time to see all the apartments, and the beauties which itcontains." The Beast asked her, "Do you think you canget accustomed to living here?" The girl replied, politely,that she could live without trouble in so beautiful an abode.After an hour's conversation, Beauty discovered that theterrible tone of his voice was attributable only to the natureof the organ; and that the Beast was more inclined to stupiditythan to ferocity. At length he asked her bluntly if shewould marry him. At this unexpected demand, her fears wererenewed, and uttering a terrible shriek, she could not help exclaiming,"O! Heavens, I am lost!"

"Not at all," replied the Beast, quietly; "but withoutfrightening yourself, reply properly. Say precisely 'yes' or'no.'" Beauty replied, trembling, "No, Beast." "Well, asyou object, I will leave you," replied the docile Monster."Good evening, Beauty." "Good evening, Beast," said thefrightened girl, with much satisfaction. Extremely relievedby finding that she had no violence to fear, she lay quietlydown and went to sleep. Immediately her dear unknownreturned to her mind. He appeared to say to her, tenderly,"How overjoyed I am to see you once more, dear Beauty,but what pain has your severity caused me? I know that I[Pg 250]must expect to be unhappy for a long time." Her ideasagain changed, the young man appeared to offer her a crown,and sleep presented him to her in a hundred different manners.Sometimes he seemed to be at her feet, sometimes abandoninghimself to the most excessive delight, at others shedding atorrent of tears, which touched the depths of her soul. Thismixture of joy and sadness lasted all the night. On waking,having her imagination full of this dear object, she soughtfor his portrait, to compare it once more with her recollections,and to see if she were not deceived. She ran to the picturegallery, where she recognised him still more perfectly. Howlong she was admiring him! but feeling ashamed of herweakness, she contented herself at length by looking at theminiature on her arm.

At length, to put an end to these tender reflections, shedescended into the garden, the fine weather seeming to inviteher to a stroll. Her eyes were enchanted; they had neverseen anything in nature so beautiful. The groves were ornamentedwith admirable statues and numberless fountains,which cooled the air, and shot up to such a height that theeye could scarcely follow them.

What surprised her most was, that she recognised theplaces wherein she had dreamt she had seen the unknown.Especially at the sight of the grand canal, bordered withorange and myrtle trees, she could not but think of hervision, which appeared no longer a fiction. She thought toexplain the mystery by imagining that the Beast kept someone shut up in his palace. She resolved to be enlightened onthe subject that same evening, and to question the Monster,from whom she expected a visit at the usual hour. Shewalked for the rest of the day, as long as her strength permitted,without being able to see all.

The apartments which she had not been able to inspect theevening before, were no less worthy of her admiration thanthe others. Besides the instruments and curiosities withwhich she was surrounded, she found in another cabinet plentyto occupy her. It was filled with purses, and shuttles forknotting, scissors for cutting out, and fitted up for all sortsof ladies' work; in fact, everything was to be found there.

In this gallery care had been taken to place a cage filled withrare birds, all of which, on the arrival of Beauty, formed an[Pg 251]admirable concert. They came also and perched on hershoulders, and these loving little creatures vied with eachother as to which should nestle closest to her. "Amiableprisoners," said she, "I think you charming, and I am vexedthat you should be so far from my apartment, I should oftenlike the pleasure of hearing you sing."

What was her surprise, when as she said these words, sheopened a door and found herself in her own chamber, whichshe believed was very distant from this gallery, having onlyarrived in it after turning and threading a labyrinth ofapartments which composed this pavilion. A panel whichhad concealed from her the neighbourhood of the birds,opened into the gallery, and was very convenient, as it completelyshut out the noise of them when quiet was desirable.

Beauty, continuing her route, perceived another featheredgroup; these were parrots of all kinds and of all colours.All at her approach began to chatter. One said, "Good day"to her; the other asked her for some breakfast; one moregallant begged a kiss; several sang opera airs, others declaimedverses composed by the best authors; and all exertedthemselves to entertain her. They were as gentle and asaffectionate as the inhabitants of the aviary. Their presencewas a real pleasure to her. She was delighted to find somethingshe could talk with, for silence was not agreeable toher. She put several questions to some of them, who answeredher like very intelligent creatures. She selected one fromamongst them as the most amusing. The others, jealous ofthis preference, complained sadly. She consoled them bysome caresses, and the permission to pay her a visit wheneverthey pleased. Not far from this spot she saw a numeroustroop of monkeys of all sizes, great and small, sapajous,[17]some with human faces, others with beards, blue, green,black, and crimson. They advanced to meet her at the doorof their apartment, which she had by chance arrived at.They made her low bows, accompanied by countless capers,and testified, by action, how highly sensible they were of thehonour she had done them.

To celebrate her visit, theydanced upon the tight-rope, and bounded about with a skilland an agility beyond example. Beauty was much pleasedwith the monkeys, but she was disappointed at not findinganything which could enlighten her respecting the handsomeunknown. Losing all hope of doing so, and looking uponher dream as altogether an illusion, she did her best to drivethe recollection of it from her mind; but her efforts were vain.She praised the monkeys, and, caressing them, said she shouldlike some of them to follow her and keep her company.Instantly two tall young apes, in court dresses, who appearedto have been only waiting for her orders, advanced and placedthemselves with great gravity beside her. Two sprightlylittle monkeys took up her train as her pages. A facetiousbaboon, dressed as a Spanish gentleman of the chamber, presentedhis paw to her, very neatly gloved, and accompaniedby this singular cortège, Beauty proceeded to the suppertable. During her meal the smaller birds whistled, in perfecttune, an accompaniment to the voices of the parrots, whosang the finest and most fashionable airs.

During the concert, the monkeys, who had taken uponthemselves the right of attending upon Beauty, having in aninstant settled their several ranks and duties, commencedtheir service, and waited on her in full state, with all theattention and respect that officers of a royal household areaccustomed to pay to queens.

On rising from table, another troop proceeded to entertainher with a novel spectacle. They were a sort of company ofactors, who played a tragedy in the most extraordinary fashion.These Signor Monkeys and Signora Apes, in stage dressescovered with embroidery, pearls, and diamonds, executed allthe actions suitable to the words of their parts, which werespoken with great distinctness and proper emphasis by theparrots; so cleverly, indeed, that it was necessary to be assuredthat these birds were concealed in the wig of one actor orunder the mantle of another, not to believe that these new-fashionedtragedians were speaking themselves. The dramaappeared to have been written expressly for the actors, andBeauty was enchanted. At the end of the tragedy, one ofthe performers advanced and paid Beauty a very well-turnedcompliment, and thanked her for the indulgence with whichshe had listened to them. All then departed, except the[Pg 253]monkeys of her household, and those selected to keep hercompany.

After supper, the Beast paid her his usual visit, and afterthe same questions and the same answers, the conversationended with a "Good night, Beauty." The Lady-Apes ofthe bed-chamber undressed their mistress, put her to bed, andtook care to open the window of the aviary, that the birds,by a warbling much softer than their songs by day, mightinduce slumber, and afford her the pleasure of again beholdingher lover. Several days passed without her experiencingany feeling of dulness. Every moment brought with it freshpleasures. The monkeys, in three or four lessons, succeededeach one in teaching a parrot, who, acting as an interpreter,replied to Beauty's questions with as much promptitude andaccuracy as the monkeys themselves had done by gestures.In fine, Beauty found nothing to complain of but the obligationof enduring every evening the presence of the Beast;but his visits were short, and it was undoubtedly to himthat she was indebted for the enjoyment of all imaginableamusements.

The gentleness of the monster occasionally inspired Beautywith the idea of asking some explanation respecting theperson she saw in her dreams; but sufficiently aware that hewas in love with her, and fearing by such questioning toawaken his jealousy, she had the prudence to remain silent,and did not venture to satisfy her curiosity.

By degrees she had visited every apartment in this enchantedpalace: but one willingly returns to the inspection of thingswhich are rare, singular, and costly. Beauty turned her stepstowards a great saloon, which she had only seen once before.This room had four windows in it on each side. Two onlywere open, and admitted a glimmering light. Beauty wishedfor more light, but in lieu of obtaining any by openinganother window, she found it only looked into some enclosedspace, which, although large, was obscure, and her eyes coulddistinguish nothing but a distant gleam, which appeared toreach them through the medium of a very thick crape.Whilst pondering for what purpose this place could havebeen designed, she was suddenly dazzled by a brilliant illumination.The curtain rose and discovered to Beauty atheatre, exceedingly well lighted. On the benches and in[Pg 254]the boxes she beheld all that was most handsome and wellmade of either sex.[18] A sweet symphony, which instantlycommenced, terminated only to permit other actors thanmonkey and parrot performers to represent a very fine tragedy,which was followed by a little piece, quite equal in itsown style to that which had preceded it. Beauty was fondof plays. It was the only pleasure she had regretted whenshe left the city. Desiring to ascertain what sort of materialthe hangings of the box next to her were made of, she foundherself prevented doing so by a glass which separated them,and thereby discovered that what she had seen were not theactual objects, but a reflection of them by means of thiscrystal mirror, which thus conveyed to her sight all thatwas passing on the stage of the finest city in the world. Itis a master-stroke in optics to be able to reflect from such adistance. She remained in her box some time after the playwas over, in order to see the fine company go out. Thedarkness that gradually ensued compelled her to think ofother matters. Satisfied with this discovery, of which shepromised to avail herself often, she descended into the gardens.Prodigies were becoming familiar to her. She rejoicedto find they were all performed for her advantage andamusement.

After supper, the Beast came, as usual, to ask her what shehad been doing during the day. Beauty gave him an exactaccount of all her amusements, and told him she had been tothe play. "Do you like it?" inquired the dull creature."Wish for whatever you please, you shall have it. You arevery handsome." Beauty smiled to herself at the coarsemanner in which he paid her compliments; but what she didnot smile at was the usual question, and the words, "Will youmarry me?" put an end to her good humour. She had onlyto answer "No;" but, nevertheless, his docility during thislast interview did not re-assure her. Beauty was alarmed atit. "What is to be the end of all this?" she said to herself."The question he puts to me every time, 'Will I marry him?'proves that he persists in loving me: his bounty to me confirmsit.[Pg 255]But though he does not insist on my compliance,nor show any signs of resentment at my refusal, who will beanswerable to me that he do not eventually lose his patience,and that my death will not be the consequence?" Thesereflections rendered her so thoughtful that it was almost daylightbefore she went to bed. The unknown, who but awaitedthat moment to appear, reproached her tenderly for her delay.He found her melancholy, lost in thought, and inquired whatcould have displeased her in such a place. She answered thatnothing displeased her, except the Monster whom she sawevery evening. She should have become accustomed to him,but he was in love with her, and this love made her apprehensiveof some violence. "By the foolish compliments hepays me," said Beauty to her lover, "I find he desires tomarry me. Would you advise me to consent? Alas! werehe as charming as he is frightful, you have rendered my heartinaccessible to him and to all others; and I do not blush toown that I can love no one but you." So sweet a confessioncould but flatter the unknown, yet he replied to her only bysaying, "Love him who loves you. Do not be misled by appearances,and release me from prison." These words, continuallyrepeated without any explanation, caused Beautyinfinite distress. "What would you that I should do?" saidshe to him. "I would restore you to liberty at any price;but my desire is vain while you abstain from furnishing mewith the means to put it in practice." The unknown madeher some answer, but of so confused a nature that she couldnot comprehend it. A thousand extravagant fancies passedbefore her eyes. She saw the Monster on a throne all blazingwith jewels; he called to her and invited her to sit beside him.A moment afterwards, the unknown compelled him precipitatelyto descend, and seated himself in his place. The Beastregaining the advantage, the unknown disappeared in his turn.He spoke to her from behind a black veil, which changed hisvoice, and rendered it horrible.

All her sleep passed in this manner, and yet, notwithstandingthe agitation it caused her, she felt it was too soon over,as her awakening deprived her of the sight of the object of heraffections. After she had finished dressing, various sorts ofwork, books, and animals occupied her attention until the hourwhen the play began. She arrived just in time, but she was not[Pg 256]at the same theatre. It was the opera,[19] and the performancecommenced as soon as she was seated. The spectacle wasmagnificent, and the spectators were not less so. The mirrorsrepresented to her distinctly the most minute details of thedresses even of the people in the pit. Delighted to beholdhuman forms and faces, many of which she recognised as thoseof persons she knew, it would have been a still greater pleasureto her could she have spoken to them, so that they could haveheard her.

More gratified with this day's entertainment than with thatof the preceding, the rest of it passed in the same way thateach had done since she had been in that palace. The Beastcame in the evening, and after his visit she retired, as usual.The night resembled former nights,—that is, it was passed inagreeable dreams. When she awoke, she found the samenumber of domestics to wait upon her; but after dinner heroccupations were different. The day before, on openinganother of the windows, she had found herself at the opera.To diversify her amusements, she now opened a third window,which displayed to her all the pleasures of the Fair of St.Germain,[20] much more brilliant then than it is at the presentday. But as the hour had not quite arrived when the bestcompany resorted to it, she had leisure to observe and examineeverything. She saw the rarest curiosities, the most extraordinaryproductions of nature and works of art. The minutesttrifles were visible to her. The puppet-show was not unworthyof her attention,[21] whilst waiting for more refined entertainments.The comic opera was in its splendour.[22] Beautywas very much delighted. At the termination of the performances,she saw all the well-dressed people visiting thetradesmen's shops. She recognised amongst the crowd severalprofessional gamesters, who flocked to this place as theirworkshop.

She observed persons who, having lost their moneyby the cleverness of those they played with, went out withless joyous countenances than they exhibited as they entered.The prudent gamblers, who did not stake their whole fortuneson the hazard of a card, and who played to profit by theirskill, could not conceal from Beauty their sleight of hand.She longed to warn the victims of the tricks they were plunderedby; but at a distance from them of more than a thousandleagues it was not in her power to do so. She heard and saweverything distinctly, without its being possible for her tomake herself heard or seen by others. The reflections andechoes which conveyed to her all these sights and sounds hadno returning power. Placed above the air and wind, everythingcame to her like a thought. The consideration of this factdeterred her from making vain attempts.

It was past midnight before she thought it was time toretire. The need of some refreshment might have hinted toher the lateness of the hour; but she had found in her boxliqueurs and baskets filled with everything requisite for acollation. Her supper was light and of short duration; shewas in a hurry to go to bed. The Beast observed her impatience,and came merely to say good-night, that she mighthave more time to sleep and the Unknown liberty to reappear.The following days resembled each other. She found in herwindows an inexhaustible source of fresh entertainments. Thefirst of the other three afforded her the pleasure of witnessingItalian comedy;[23] the second, a sight of the Tuileries, theresort of all the most distinguished and handsome of bothsexes. The last window was very far from being the least agreeable.It enabled her to see everything of consequence thatwas going on in the world. The scene was amusing andinteresting in all sorts of ways. Sometimes it was the receptionof a grand embassy, at others the marriage of someillustrious personages, and occasionally some exciting revolutions.She was at this window during the last revolt of theJanizaries, and witnessed the whole of it to the very end.

At all times she was certain to find something here toentertain her. The weariness she had felt at first in listeningto the Beast had entirely departed. Her eyes had becomeaccustomed to his ugliness. She was prepared for his foolishquestions, and if their conversations had lasted longer, perchanceshe would have not been displeased; but four or fivesentences, always the same, uttered in a coarse manner, andproductive only of a "Yes" or "No," were not much to hertaste.

As the slightest desires of Beauty appeared to be anticipated,she bestowed more care upon her toilet, althoughcertain that no one could see her. But she owed this attentionto herself, and it was a pleasure to her to dress herself inthe habits of all the various nations on the face of the earth.She could do this the more easily, as her wardrobe furnishedher with everything she chose, and presented her every daywith some novelty. Contemplating her mirror in thesevarious dresses, it revealed to her that she was to be admiredin all lands; and her attendant animals, each according totheir talent, repeated to her unceasingly the same fact—themonkeys by their actions, the parrots by their language, andthe other birds by their songs.

So delightful a life ought to have perfectly contented her,but we weary of everything. The greatest happiness fadeswhen it is continual, derived always from the same source,and we find ourselves exempted from fear and from hope.Beauty had experienced this. The remembrance of herfamily arose to trouble her in the midst of her prosperity.Her happiness could not be perfect as long as she was deniedthe pleasure of informing her relations of it.

As she had become more familiar with the Beast, eitherfrom the habit of seeing him or from the gentleness whichshe had discovered in his nature, she thought she mightventure to ask him a question. She did not take this liberty,however, until she had obtained from him a promise that he[Pg 259]would not be angry. The question she put to him was, "Werethey the only two persons in that castle?" "Yes, I protest toyou," replied the Beast, in a rather excited tone; "and Iassure you that you and I, the monkeys, and the otheranimals, are the only breathing creatures in this place."The Beast said no more, and departed more abruptly thanusual.

Beauty had asked this question only with a view of ascertainingwhether her lover was not confined in the palace.She would have wished to see and speak with him. It was ahappiness she would have purchased at the price of her ownliberty and of all the pleasures by which she was surrounded.That charming youth existing only in her imagination, shenow looked upon this palace as a prison which would be oneday her tomb.

These melancholy ideas crowded also upon her mind at night.She dreamed she was on the banks of a great canal; she wasweeping, when her dear Unknown, alarmed at her sad state, saidto her, pressing her hand tenderly between his own, "What isthe matter, my beloved Beauty? Who can have offendedyou, and what can possibly have disturbed your tranquillity?By the love I bear you, I conjure you to explain the cause ofyour distress. Nothing shall be refused to you. You aresole sovereign here—everything is at your command. Whencearises the sorrow that overpowers you? Is it the sight ofthe Beast that afflicts you? You must be relieved from it!"At these words Beauty imagined she saw the Unknowndraw a dagger, and prepare to plunge it in the throat of theMonster, who made no attempt to defend himself, but, on thecontrary, offered his neck to the blow with a submission anda calmness which caused the beautiful dreamer to fear theUnknown would accomplish his purpose before she couldendeavour to prevent him, notwithstanding she had instantlyrisen to protect the Beast. The instant she saw her effortslikely to be anticipated, she exclaimed, with all her might,"Hold, barbarian! Harm not my benefactor, or else killme!" The Unknown, who continued striking at the Beast,notwithstanding the shrieks of Beauty, said to her, angrily,"You love me, then, no longer, since you take the part of thisMonster, who is an obstacle to my happiness!" "You areungrateful," she replied, still struggling with him; "I love[Pg 260]you more than my life, and I would lose it sooner than ceaseto love you. You are all the world to me, and I would notdo you the injustice to compare you with any other treasureit possesses. I would, without a sigh, abandon all it couldoffer me, to follow you into the wildest desert. But thistender affection does not stifle my gratitude. I owe everythingto the Beast. He anticipates all my wishes: it is tohim I am indebted for the joy of knowing you, and I woulddie sooner than endure seeing you do him the slightestinjury."

After several similar struggles the objects vanished, andBeauty fancied she saw the lady who had appeared to hersome nights before, and who said to her, "Courage, Beauty;be a model of female generosity; show thyself to be as wiseas thou art charming; do not hesitate to sacrifice thy inclinationto thy duty. Thou takest the true path to happiness.Thou wilt be blest, provided thou art not misled by deceitfulappearances."

When Beauty awoke she pondered on this mysteriousvision, but it still remained an enigma to her. Her desire tosee her father superseded, during the day, the anxiety causedby these dreams of the Monster and the Unknown. Thus,neither tranquil at night nor contented by day, althoughsurrounded by the greatest luxuries, the only distraction shecould find was in the theatre. She went to the Italians, butafter the first scene she quitted that performance for theOpera, which she left almost as quickly. Her melancholyfollowed her everywhere. She frequently opened each of thesix windows as many times without finding one minute'srespite from her cares. Days and nights of equal and unceasingagitation began seriously to affect her appearance andher health.

She took great pains to conceal from the Beast the sorrowwhich preyed upon her; and the Monster, who had frequentlysurprised her with the tears in her eyes, upon hearing hersay that she was only suffering from a headache, pressed hisinquiries no further. One evening, however, her sobs havingbetrayed her, and feeling it impossible longer to dissimulate,she acknowledged to the Beast, who begged to know whathad caused her afflictions, that she was yearning to see herfamily. At this declaration the Beast sank down without[Pg 261]power to sustain himself, and heaving a deep sigh, or ratheruttering a howl that might have frightened any one to death,he replied, "How, Beauty! would you, then, abandon anunfortunate Beast? Could I have imagined you possessedso little gratitude? What have I left undone to make youhappy? Should not the attentions I have paid you preserveme from your hatred? Unjust as you are, you prefer thehouse of your father and the jealousy of your sisters to mypalace and my affections. You would rather tend the flockswith them than enjoy with me all the pleasures of existence.It is not love for your family, but antipathy to me, that makesyou anxious to depart."

"No, Beast," replied Beauty, timidly and soothingly; "Ido not hate you, and should regret to lose the hope of seeingyou again; but I cannot overcome the desire I feel to embracemy relations. Permit me to go away for two months, and Ipromise you that I will return with pleasure to pass the restof my days with you, and never ask you another favour."

While she spoke the Beast stretched on the ground, hishead thrown back, only evinced that he still breathed byhis sorrowful sighs. He answered her in these words: "Ican refuse you nothing; but it will perhaps cost me my life.No matter. In the cabinet nearest to your apartment youwill find four chests. Fill them with anything you like foryourself or for your family. If you break your word you willrepent it, and regret the death of your poor Beast when itwill be too late. Return at the end of two months, and youwill still see me alive. For your journey back to me you willneed no equipage. Merely take leave of your family theprevious night before you retire to rest, and when you are inbed turn your ring, the stone inside your hand, and say, witha firm voice, 'I desire to return to my palace, and behold myBeast again.' Good-night; fear nothing; sleep in peace.You will see your father early to-morrow morning. Adieu,Beauty."

As soon as she was alone she hastened to fill the chestswith all the treasures and beautiful things imaginable. Theyonly appeared to be full when she was tired of putting thingsinto them. After these preparations, she went to bed. Thethoughts of seeing her family so soon kept her awake greatpart of the night, and sleep only stole upon her towards the[Pg 262]hour when she should have been stirring. She saw in herdreams her amiable Unknown, but not as formerly. Stretchedupon a bed of turf, he appeared a prey to the keenest sorrow.Beauty, touched at seeing him in such a state, flattered herselfshe could alleviate his profound affliction by requestingto know the cause of it; but her lover, casting on her a lookfull of despair, said, "Can you ask me such a question,inhuman girl? Are you not aware that your departuredooms me to death?" "Abandon not yourself to sorrow,dear Unknown," replied she, "my absence will be brief. Iwish but to undeceive my family respecting the cruel fatethey imagine has befallen me. I return immediately afterwardsto this palace. I shall leave you no more. Ah! couldI abandon a residence in which I so delight! Besides, Ihave pledged my word to the Beast, that I will return. Icannot fail to keep it; and why must this journey separateus? Be my escort. I will defer my departure another day,in order to obtain the Beast's permission. I am sure he willnot refuse me. Agree to my proposal, and we shall not part.We will return together; my family will be delighted to seeyou, and I will answer for their showing you all the attentionyou deserve." "I cannot accede to your wishes," replied theUnknown, "unless you determine never to return hither. Itis the only means of enabling me to quit this spot. Howwill you decide? The inhabitants of this palace have nopower to compel you to return. Nothing can happen to youbeyond the knowledge that you have grieved the Beast.""You do not consider," rejoined Beauty, quickly, "that heassured me he should die if I broke my word to him.""What matters it to you?" retorted the lover; "is it to becounted a misfortune that your happiness should cost onlythe life of a monster? Of what use is he to the world?Will any one be a loser by the destruction of a being whoappears upon earth only to be the horror of all nature?""Ha!" exclaimed Beauty, almost angrily, "know that Iwould lay down my life to save his, and that this Monster,who is only one in form, has a heart so humane, that he shouldnot be persecuted for a deformity which he refrains fromrendering more hideous by his actions. I will not repay hiskindness with such black ingratitude."

The Unknown, interrupting her, inquired what she would[Pg 263]do if the Monster endeavoured to kill him; and, if it weredecreed that one of them must slay the other, to whichwould she afford assistance? "I love you only," she replied;"but extreme as is my affection for you, it cannot weakenmy gratitude to the Beast, and if I found myself placed in sofatal a position, I would escape the misery which the resultof such a combat would inflict on me, by dying by my ownhand. But why indulge in such dreadful suppositions?However chimerical, the idea freezes my blood. Let us changethe conversation."

She set him the example, by saying all that an affectionategirl could say, most flattering to her lover. She was notrestrained by the rigid customs of society, and slumber lefther free to act naturally. She acknowledged to him her lovewith a frankness which she would have shrunk from whenin full possession of her reason. Her sleep was of long duration,and when she awoke she feared the Beast had failed inhis promise to her. She was in this uncertainty when sheheard the sound of a human voice which she recognised.Undrawing her curtains precipitately, what was her surprisewhen she found herself in a strange apartment, the furnitureof which was not near so superb as that in the Palace of theBeast. This prodigy induced her to rise hastily, and openthe door of her chamber. The next room was equally strangeto her; but what astonished her still more, was to find in itthe four chests she had filled the previous evening. Thetransport of herself and her treasures was a proof of the powerand bounty of the Beast; but where was she? She could notimagine; when at length she heard the voice of her father,and rushing out, she flung her arms round his neck. Herappearance astounded her brothers and sisters. They staredat her as at one come from the other world. All her familyembraced her with the greatest demonstrations of delight; buther sisters, in their hearts, were vexed at beholding her.Their jealousy was not extinguished. After many caresseson both sides, the good man desired to speak with her privately,to learn from her own lips all the circumstances of so extraordinarya journey, and to inform her of the state of his ownfortune, of which he had set apart a large share for herself. Hetold her that on the evening of the same day that he had leftthe Palace of the Beast, he had reached his own house without[Pg 264]the least fatigue. That on the road he had cogitatedhow he could best manage to conceal his trunks from thesight of his children, and wished that they could be carriedwithout their knowledge into a little cabinet adjoining hisbed-chamber, of which he alone had the key: that he hadlooked upon this as an impossibility; but that, on dismountingat his door, he found the horse on which his trunks hadbeen placed had run away, and therefore saw himself suddenlyspared the trouble of hiding his treasures. "I assure thee,"said the old man to his daughter, "that the loss of theseriches did not distress me. I had not possessed them longenough to regret them greatly; but the adventure appearedto me a gloomy prognostic of my fate. I did not hesitateto believe that the perfidious Beast would act in the samemanner by thee. I feared that the favours he conferred uponthee would not be more durable. This idea caused me greatanxiety. To conceal it, I feigned to be in need of rest,—itwas only to abandon myself without restraint to my grief.I looked upon thy destruction as certain, but my sorrow wassoon dissipated. The sight of the trunks I thought I hadlost renewed my hopes of thy happiness. I found them placedin my little cabinet, precisely where I had wished them to be.The keys of them, which I had forgotten and left behindme on the table in the saloon wherein we had passed thenight, were in the locks. This circumstance, which affordedme a new proof of the kindness of the Beast, and his constantattention, overwhelmed me with joy. It was then that, nolonger doubting the advantageous result of thy adventure, Ireproached myself for entertaining such unjust suspicions ofthe honour of that generous Monster, and craved his pardon ahundred times for the abuse which, in my distress, I hadmentally lavished upon him.

"Without informing my children of the extent of mywealth, I contented myself with distributing amongst themthe presents thou hadst sent them, and showing them somejewels of moderate value. I afterwards pretended to havesold them, and have employed the money in various ways forthe improvement of our income. I have bought this house;I have slaves, who relieve us from the labours to whichnecessity had subjected us. My children lead an easy life,—thatis all I care for. Ostentation and luxury drew upon me,[Pg 265]in other days, the hatred of the envious; I should incur itagain did I live in the style of a very wealthy man. Manyoffers have been made to thy sisters, Beauty; I am about tomarry them off immediately, and thy fortunate arrival decidesme. Having given to them such portions of the wealth thouhast brought to me, as thou shalt think fit, and relieved ofall care for their establishment, we will live, my daughter,with thy brothers, whom thy presents were not able to consolefor thy loss; or, if thou prefer it, we two will live togetherindependently of them."

Beauty, affected by the kindness of her father, and theassurance he gave her of the love of her brothers, thankedhim tenderly for all his offers, and thought it would be wrongto conceal from him the fact that she had not come to staywith him. The good man, distressed to learn that he shouldnot have the support of his child in his declining years, didnot, however, attempt to dissuade her from the fulfilment ofa duty which he acknowledged indispensable.

Beauty, in her turn, related to him all that had happenedto her since they parted. She described to him the pleasantlife she led. The good man, enraptured at the charmingaccount of his daughter's adventures, heaped blessings onthe head of the Beast. His delight was much greater stillwhen Beauty, opening the chests, displayed to him theimmense treasures they contained, and satisfied him that hewas at liberty to dispose of those which he had brought himself,in favour of his daughters, as he would possess, in theselast proofs of the Beast's generosity, ample means to livemerrily with his sons. Discovering in this Monster too noblea mind to be lodged in so hideous a body, he deemed it hisduty to advise his daughter to marry him, notwithstandinghis ugliness. He employed even the strongest arguments toinduce her to take that step.

"Thou shouldst not take counsel from thine eyes alone,"said he to her. "Thou hast been unceasingly exhorted tolet thyself be guided by gratitude. By following her inspirationsthou art assured thou wilt be happy. It is truethese warnings are only given thee in dreams; but thesedreams are too significant and too frequent to be attributedto chance. They promise thee great advantages, enough toconquer thy repugnance. Therefore, the next time that the[Pg 266]Beast asks thee if thou wilt marry him, I advise thee not torefuse him. Thou hast admitted to me that he loves theetenderly: take the proper means to make thy union withhim indissoluble. It is much better to have an amiablehusband than one whose only recommendation is a handsomeperson. How many girls are compelled to marry rich brutes,much more brutish than the Beast, who is only one in form,and not in his feelings or his actions."

Beauty admitted the reason of all these arguments; butto resolve to marry a monster so horrible in person and whoseemed as stupid as he was gigantic, appeared to her an impossibility."How can I determine," replied she to herfather, "to take a husband with whom I can have no sympathy,and whose hideousness is not compensated for by thecharms of his conversation? no other object to distract myattention, and relieve that wearisome companionship; notto have the pleasure of being sometimes absent from him;to hear nothing beyond five or six questions respecting myhealth or my appetite, followed by a 'Good-night, Beauty,' achorus which my parrots know by heart, and repeat a hundredtimes a day. It is not in my power to endure such aunion, and I would rather perish at once than be dying everyday of fright, sorrow, disgust, and weariness. There isnothing to plead in his favour, except the consideration heevinces in paying me very short visits, and presenting himselfbefore me but once in four-and-twenty hours. Is that enoughto inspire one with affection?"

The father admitted that his daughter had reason on herside, but observing so much civility in the Beast, he couldnot believe him to be as stupid as she represented him. Theorder, the abundance, the good taste that was discerniblethrough his palace, were not, according to his thinking, thework of a fool. In fact, he found him worthy of the considerationof his daughter, and Beauty might have felt moreinclined to listen to the Monster, had not her nocturnal lover'sappearance thrown an obstacle in the way. The comparisonshe drew between these two admirers could not be favourableto the Beast. The old man himself was fully aware of thegreat distinction which must be made between them. Notwithstanding,he tried by all manner of means to overcome[Pg 267]her repugnance. He recalled to her the advice of the ladywho had warned her not to be prejudiced by appearances, andwhose language seemed to imply that this youth would onlymake her miserable.

It is easier to reason with love than to conquer it. Beautyhad not the power to yield to the reiterated requests of herfather. He left her without having been able to persuadeher. Night, already far advanced, invited her to repose, andthe daughter, although delighted to see her father once more,was not sorry that he left her at liberty to retire to rest.She was glad to be alone. Her heavy eyelids inspired herwith the hope that in slumber she would soon again beholdher beloved Unknown. She was eager to enjoy this innocentpleasure. A quickened pulsation evinced the joy with whichher gentle heart would greet that pleasant vision; but herexcited imagination, while representing to her the scenes inwhich she had usually held sweet converse with that dearUnknown, had not sufficient power to conjure up his form toher as she so ardently desired.

She awoke several times, but on falling asleep again nocupids fluttered round her couch. In a word, instead of anight full of sweet thoughts and innocent pleasures, whichshe had counted on passing in the arms of sleep, it was toher one of interminable length and endless anxiety. Shehad never known any like it in the Palace of the Beast, andthe day, which she at last saw break with a mingled feelingof satisfaction and impatience, came opportunely to relieveher from this weariness.

Her father, enriched by the liberality of the Beast, hadquitted his country house, and in order to facilitate theestablishment of his daughters, resided in a very large city,where his new fortune obtained for him new friends, or rathernew acquaintances. Amidst the circle who visited him thetidings soon spread that his youngest daughter had returned.Everybody evinced an equal impatience to see her, and wereeach as much charmed with her intellect as with her beauty.The peaceful days she had passed in her desert palace, theinnocent pleasures which a gentle slumber had invariablyprocured her, the thousand amusements which succeeded, sothat dullness could never take possession of her spirit,—in[Pg 268]brief, all the attentions of the Monster had combined torender her still more beautiful and more charming than shewas when her father first parted from her.

She was the admiration of all who saw her. The suitorsto her sisters, without condescending to excuse their infidelityby the slightest pretext, fell in love with her, and attractedby the power of her charms, deserted, without a blush, theirformer mistresses. Insensible to the marked attentions of acrowd of adorers, she neglected nothing that could discouragethem and induce them to return to the previous objects oftheir affection; but, notwithstanding all her care, she couldnot escape the jealousy of her sisters.

The inconstant lovers, far from concealing their new passion,invented every day some fresh entertainment, with theview of paying their court to her. They entreated her evento bestow the prize in the games which took place in herhonour; but Beauty, who could not be blind to the mortificationshe was causing her sisters, and yet was unwilling torefuse utterly the favour they implored so ardently, and in soflattering a manner, found means to satisfy them all, bydeclaring that she would, alternately with her sisters, presentthe prize to the victor. What she selected was a flower, orsome equally simple guerdon. She left to her elder sistersthe honour of giving, in their turn, jewels, crowns of diamonds,costly weapons, or superb bracelets, presents whichher liberal hand supplied them with, but for which she wouldnot take the slightest credit. The treasures lavished on herby the Monster left her in want of nothing. She dividedbetween her sisters everything she had brought that wasmost rare and elegant. Bestowing nothing but trifles herself,and leaving them the pleasure of giving largely, shecounted on securing for them the love as well as the gratitudeof the youthful combatants. But these lovers soughtonly to gain her heart, and the simplest gift from her handwas more precious to them than all the treasures that wereprodigally heaped upon them by the others.

The amusements she partook of amongst her family, thoughvastly inferior to those she enjoyed in the Palace of the Beast,entertained her sufficiently to prevent the time hanging heavilyon her hands. At the same time, neither the gratification ofseeing her father, whom she tenderly loved, nor the pleasure[Pg 269]of being with her brothers, who in a hundred ways studiedto prove to her the extent of their affection, nor the delightof conversing with her sisters, of whom she was very fond,though they were not so of her, could prevent her regrettingher agreeable dreams. Her Unknown (greatly to her sorrow)came not, when she slumbered under her father's roof, toaddress her in the tenderest language; and the court paid to herby those who had been the admirers of her sisters, did notcompensate for the loss of that pleasing illusion. Had sheeven been of a nature to feel flattered by such conquests, shewould still have distinguished an immense difference betweentheir attentions, or those of the Beast, and the devotion ofher charming Unknown.

Their assiduities were received by her with the greatestindifference; but Beauty perceiving that, notwithstandingher coolness, they were obstinately bent on rivalling each otherin the task of proving to her the intensity of their passion,thought it her duty to make them clearly understand theywere losing their time. The first she endeavoured to undeceivewas one who had courted her eldest sister. She told himthat she had only returned for the purpose of being presentat the marriage of her sisters, particularly that of her eldestsister, and that she was about to press her father to settle itimmediately. Beauty found that she had to deal with a manwho saw no longer any charms in her sister. He sighed alonefor her, and coldness, disdain, the threat to depart before theexpiration of the two months—nothing, in short, could discouragehim. Much vexed at having failed in her object, sheheld a similar conversation with the others, whom she had themortification to find equally infatuated.

To complete her distress, her unjust sisters, who lookedupon her as a rival, conceived a hatred to her which theycould not dissemble; and whilst Beauty was deploring thetoo great power of her charms, she had the misery of learningthat her new adorers, believing each to be the cause of theother's rejection, were bent, in the maddest way, on fighting itout amongst themselves. All these annoyances induced her todetermine upon returning sooner than she had contemplated.

Her father and brothers did all they could to detain her;but the slave of her word, and firm in resolution, neither thetears of the one nor the prayers of the others could prevail upon[Pg 270]her. All that they could extort from her was, that she woulddefer her departure as long as she could. The two monthshad nearly expired, and every morning she determined to bidadieu to her family, without having the heart when nightarrived to say farewell. In the combat between her affectionand her gratitude, she could not lean to the one withoutdoing injustice to the other. In the midst of her embarrassment,it needed nothing less than a dream to decide her.She fancied she was at the Palace of the Beast, and walkingin a retired avenue, terminated by a thicket full of brambles,concealing the entrance to a cavern, out of which issued horriblegroans. She recognised the voice of the Beast, and ranto his assistance. The Monster, who, in her dream, appearedstretched upon the ground and dying, reproached her withbeing the cause of his death, and having repaid his affectionwith the blackest ingratitude. She then saw the lady whohad before appeared to her in her sleep, and who said to herin a severe tone, that it would be her destruction if she hesitatedany longer to fulfil her engagements; that she hadgiven her word to the Beast that she would return in twomonths; that the time had expired; that the delay of anotherday would be fatal to the Beast; that the trouble she wascreating in her father's house, and the hatred of her sisters,ought to increase her desire to return to the Palace of theBeast, where everything combined to delight her. Beauty,terrified by this dream, and fearing to be the cause of thedeath of the Beast, awoke with a start, and went immediatelyto inform her family that she could no longer delay her departure.This intelligence produced various effects. Herfather's tears spoke for him; her brothers protested that theywould not allow her to leave them; and her lovers, in despair,swore they would not suffer the house to be robbed of itsbrightest ornament. Her sisters alone, far from appearingdistressed at her departure, were loud in praise of her senseof honour; and affecting to possess the same virtue themselves,had the audacity to assure her that if they had pledged theirwords to the Beast as she had done, they should not havesuffered his ugliness to have interfered with their feelings ofduty, and that they should have long ere that time been ontheir road back to the marvellous palace. It was thus theyendeavoured to disguise the cruel jealousy that rankled in[Pg 271]their hearts. Beauty, however, charmed by their apparentgenerosity, thought only of convincing her brothers and herlovers of the obligation she was under to leave them; but herbrothers loved her too much to consent to her going, and herlovers were too infatuated to listen to reason. All of thembeing ignorant of the mode in which Beauty had arrived ather father's house, and never doubting but that the horsewhich first conveyed her to the Palace of the Beast wouldbe sent to take her back again, resolved amongst themselvesto prevent it.

Her sisters, who only concealed their delight by the affectationof a sentiment of horror, as they perceived the hourapproach for Beauty's departure, were frightened to deathlest anything should occur to delay her; but Beauty, firm inher resolution, knowing whither duty called her, and havingno more time to lose, if she would prolong the existence of theBeast, her benefactor, at nightfall took leave of her family,and of all those who were interested in her destiny.

She assured them that whatever steps they took to preventher departure, she should, nevertheless, be in the Palace ofthe Beast the next morning before they were stirring; that alltheir schemes would be fruitless; and that she had determinedto return to the Enchanted Palace. She did not forget, ongoing to bed, to turn her ring. She slept very soundly, anddid not awake until the clock in her chamber, striking noon,chimed her name to music. By that sound she knew thather wishes were accomplished. As soon as she evinced adisposition to rise, her couch was surrounded by all theanimals who had been so eager to serve her, and who unanimouslytestified their gratification at her return, and expressedthe sorrow they had felt at her long absence.

The day seemed to her longer than any she had previouslypassed in that Palace, not so much from regret for those shehad quitted as from her impatience again to behold the Beast,and to say everything she could to him in the way of excusefor her conduct. She was also animated by another desire,—thatof again holding in slumber one of those sweet conversationswith her dear Unknown, a pleasure she had been deprivedof during the two months she had passed with herfamily, and which she could not enjoy anywhere but in thatPalace. The Beast and the Unknown were, in short, alternately[Pg 272]the subjects of her reflections. One moment she reproachedherself for not returning the affection of a lover who,under the form of a monster, displayed so noble a mind;the next she deplored having set her heart upon a visionaryobject, who had no existence except in her dreams. She beganto doubt whether she ought to prefer the imaginary devotionof a phantom to the real affection of the Beast. The verydream in which the Unknown appeared to her was invariablyaccompanied by warnings not to trust to sight. She fearedit was but an idle illusion, born of the vapours of the brain,and destroyed by light of day.

Thus undecided, loving the Unknown, yet not wishing todisplease the Beast, and seeking repose from her thoughts insome entertainment, she went to the French Comedy [24],which she found exceedingly poor. Shutting the windowabruptly, she hoped to be better pleased at the Opera. Shethought the music miserable. The Italians were equallyunable to amuse her. Their comedy appeared to her to wantsmartness, wit and action. Weariness and distaste accompaniedher everywhere, and prevented her taking pleasure in anything.

The gardens had no attractions for her. Her Court endeavouredto entertain her, but the monkeys lost their labour infrisking, and the parrots and other birds in chattering andsinging. She was impatient for the visit of the Beast, thenoise of whose approach she expected to hear every instant.But the hour so much desired came without the appearanceof the Monster. Alarmed, and almost angry at his delay, shetried in vain to account for his absence. Divided throughhope and fear, her mind agitated, her heart a prey to melancholy,she descended into the gardens, determined not to re-enterthe Palace till she had found the Beast. No trace ofhim could she discover anywhere. She called him. Echoalone answered her. Having passed more than three hoursin this disagreeable exercise, overcome by fatigue, she sankupon a garden seat. She imagined the Beast was either deador had abandoned the place.

She saw herself alone in thatPalace, without the hope of ever leaving it. She regrettedher conversations with the Beast, unentertaining as they hadbeen to her, and what appeared to her extraordinary, even todiscover she had so much feeling for him. She blamed herselffor not having married him, and considering she had beenthe cause of his death (for she feared her too long absencehad occasioned it), heaped upon herself the keenest and mostbitter reproaches. In the midst of her miserable reflectionsshe perceived that she was seated in that very avenue inwhich, during the last night she had passed under herfather's roof, she had dreamed she saw the Beast expiring insome strange cavern. Convinced that chance had not conductedher to this spot, she rose and hurried towards thethicket, which she found was not impenetrable. She discoveredanother hollow, which appeared to be that she hadseen in her dream. As the moon gave but a feeble light, themonkey pages immediately appeared with a sufficient numberof torches to illuminate the chasm, and to reveal to her theBeast stretched upon the earth, as she thought, asleep. Farfrom being alarmed at his sight, Beauty was delighted, and,approaching him boldly, placed her hand upon his head, andcalled to him several times; but finding him cold and motionless,she no longer doubted he was dead, and consequentlygave utterance to the most mournful shrieks and the mostaffecting exclamations.

The assurance of his death, however, did not prevent herfrom making every effort to recall him to life. On placingher hand on his heart she felt, to her great joy, that it stillbeat. Without further delay, Beauty ran out of the cave tothe basin of a fountain, where, taking up some water in herjoined hands, she hastened back with it, and sprinkled it uponhim; but as she could bring very little at a time, and spiltsome of it before she could return to the Beast, her assistancehad been but meagre if the monkey courtiers had not flownto the Palace, and returned with such speed that in a momentshe was furnished with a vase for water, as well as with properrestoratives. She caused him to smell them and swallowthem, and they produced so excellent an effect that he soonbegan to move and show some kind of consciousness. Shecheered him with her voice and caressed him as he recovered."What anxiety have you caused me?" said she to him,[Pg 274]kindly; "I knew not how much I loved you. The fear oflosing you has proved to me that I was attached to you bystronger ties than those of gratitude. I vow to you that Ihad determined to die if I had failed in restoring you to life."At these tender words the Beast, feeling perfectly revived,replied, in a voice which was still feeble, "It is very kind ofyou, Beauty, to love so ugly a monster, but you do well. Ilove you better than my life. I thought you would neverreturn: it would have killed me. Since you love me I willlive. Retire to rest, and assure yourself that you will be ashappy as your good heart renders you worthy to be."

Beauty had never before heard so long a speech from theBeast. It was not very eloquent, but it pleased, from itsgentleness and the sincerity observable in it. She had expectedto be scolded, or at least to have been reproached. She hadfrom this moment a better opinion of his disposition. Nolonger thinking him so stupid, she even considered his shortanswers a proof of his prudence, and, more and more prepossessedin his favour, she retired to her apartment, her mindoccupied with the most flattering ideas. Extremely fatigued,she found there all the refreshments she needed. Her heavyeyelids promised her a sweet slumber. Asleep almost as soonas her head was on her pillow, her dear Unknown failed notto present himself immediately. What tender words did henot utter to express the pleasure he experienced at seeing heragain? He assured her that she would be happy; that itonly remained to her to follow the impulse of her good heart.Beauty asked him if her happiness was to arise from hermarriage with the Beast. The Unknown replied that it wasthe only means of securing it. She felt somewhat annoyedat this. She thought it even extraordinary that her lovershould advise her to make her rival happy. After this firstdream, she thought she saw the Beast dead at her feet.An instant afterwards the Unknown re-appeared, and disappearedagain as instantly, to give place to the Beast. Butwhat she observed most distinctly was the Lady, who seemedto say to her, "I am pleased with thee. Continue to followthe dictates of reason, and trouble thyself about naught. Iundertake the task of rendering thee happy." Beauty,although asleep, appeared to acknowledge her partiality tothe Unknown and her repugnance to the Monster, whom she[Pg 275]could not consider loveable. The Lady smiled at her objections,and advised her not to make herself uneasy about heraffection for the Unknown, for that the emotions she felt werenot incompatible with the resolution she had formed to doher duty; that she might follow her inclinations withoutresistance, and that her happiness would be perfected byespousing the Beast.

This dream, which only ended with her sleep, furnishedher with an inexhaustible source of reflection. In this vision,as in those which had preceded it, she found more coherencethan is usually displayed in dreams, and she therefore determinedto consent to this strange union. But the image ofthe Unknown rose unceasingly to trouble her. It was thesole obstacle, but not a slight one. Still uncertain as to thecourse she ought to take, she went to the Opera, but withoutterminating her embarrassment. At the end of the performanceshe sat down to supper. The arrival of the Beastwas alone capable of deciding her.

Far from reproaching her for her long absence, the Monster,as if the pleasure of seeing her had made him forget his pastdistresses, appeared, on entering Beauty's apartment, to haveno other anxiety but that of ascertaining if she had been muchamused, if she had been well received, and if her health hadbeen good. She answered these questions, and added politelythat she had paid dearly for all the pleasures his care hadenabled her to enjoy, by the cruel pain she had endured onfinding him in so sad a state on her return.

The Beast briefly thanked her, and then being about totake his leave, asked her, as usual, if she would marry him.Beauty was silent for a short time, but at last making up hermind, she said to him, trembling, "Yes, Beast, I am willing,if you will pledge me your faith, to give you mine." "I do,"replied the Beast, "and I promise you never to have any wife butyou." "Then," rejoined Beauty, "I accept you for my husband,and swear to be a fond and faithful wife to you."

She had scarcely uttered these words when a discharge ofartillery was heard, and that she might not doubt it being asignal of rejoicing, she saw from her windows the sky all in ablaze with the light of twenty thousand fireworks, which continuedrising for three hours. They formed true-lovers' knots,while on elegant escutcheons appeared Beauty's initials, and[Pg 276]beneath them, in well-defined letters, "Long live Beauty andher Husband." After this display had terminated, the Beasttook his departure, and Beauty retired to rest. No soonerwas she asleep than her dear Unknown paid her his usualvisit. He was more richly attired than she had ever seenhim. "How deeply am I obliged to you, charming Beauty,"said he. "You have released me from the frightful prison inwhich I have groaned for so long a time. Your marriagewith the Beast will restore a king to his subjects, a son to hismother, and life to a whole kingdom. We shall all be happy."

Beauty, at these words, felt bitterly annoyed, perceivingthat the Unknown, far from evincing the despair such anengagement as she had entered into should have caused him,gazed on her with eyes sparkling with extreme delight. Shewas about to express her discontent to him, when the Lady,in her turn, appeared in her dream.

"Behold thee victorious," said she. "We owe everythingto thee, Beauty. Thou hast suffered gratitude to triumphover every other feeling. None but thou would have had thecourage to keep their word at the expense of their inclination,nor to have perilled their life to have saved that of their father.In return for this, there are none who can ever hope to enjoysuch happiness as thy virtue has won for thee. Thou knowestat present little, but the rising sun shall tell thee more." Whenthe Lady had disappeared, Beauty again saw the unknownyouth, but stretched on the earth as dead. All the nightpassed in such dreams; but they had become familiar to her,and did not prevent her from sleeping long and soundly. Itwas broad daylight when she awoke. The sun streamedinto her apartment with more brilliancy than usual: hermonkeys had not closed the shutters. Believing the sightthat met her eyes but a continuation of her dreams, and thatshe was sleeping still, her joy and surprise were extreme atdiscovering that it was a reality, and that on a couch besideher lay, in a profound slumber, her beloved Unknown, lookinga thousand times more handsome than he had done in hervision. To assure herself of the fact, she arose hastily andtook from off her toilet-table the miniature she usually woreon her arm; but she could not have been mistaken. Shespoke to him, in the hope of awaking him from the tranceinto which he seemed to have been thrown by some wonderfulpower. Not stirring at her voice, she shook him by the arm.[Pg 277]This effort was equally ineffectual, and only served to convinceher that he was under the influence of enchantment, and thatshe must await the end of the charm, which it was reasonableto suppose had an appointed period.

How delighted was she to find herself betrothed to himwho alone had caused her to hesitate, and to find that shehad done from duty that which she would have done frominclination. She no longer doubted the promise of happinesswhich had been made to her in her dreams. She now knewthat the Lady had truly assured her that her love for theUnknown was not incompatible with the affection she entertainedfor the Beast, seeing that they were one and the sameperson. In the meanwhile, however, her husband never woke.After a slight meal she endeavoured to pass away the time inher usual occupations, but they appeared to her insipid. Asshe could not resolve to leave her apartments, nor bear to sitidle, she took up some music, and began to sing. Her birdshearing her, joined their voices to hers, and made a concert,the more charming to her as she expected every moment itwould be interrupted by the awakening of her husband, for sheflattered herself she could dissolve the spell by the harmony ofher voice. The spell was soon broken, but not by the meansshe imagined. She heard the sound of a chariot rolling beneaththe windows of her apartment, and the voices of severalpersons approaching. At the same moment the monkeyCaptain of the Guard, by the beak of his parrot Interpreter,announced the visit of some ladies. Beauty, from her windows,beheld the chariot that brought them. It was of an entirelynovel description, and of matchless beauty. Four white stags,with horns and hoofs of gold, superbly caparisoned, drew thisequipage, the singularity of which increased Beauty's desireto know who were the owners of it.

By the noise, which became louder, she was aware that theladies had nearly reached the ante-chamber. She consideredit right to advance and receive them. She recognised in oneof them the Lady she had been accustomed to behold in herdreams. The other was not less beautiful. Her high anddistinguished bearing sufficiently indicated that she was anillustrious personage. She was no longer in the bloom ofyouth, but her air was so majestic that Beauty was uncertainto which of the two strangers she ought first to addressherself. She was still under this embarrassment, when the[Pg 278]one with whose features she was already familiar, and whoappeared to exercise some sort of superiority over the other,turning to her companion, said, "Well, Queen, what thinkyou of this beautiful girl? You owe to her the restorationof your son to life, for you must admit that the miserablecircumstances under which he existed could not be calledliving. Without her, you would never again have beheld thisPrince. He must have remained in the horrible shape towhich he had been transformed, had he not found in theworld one only person who possessed virtue and courage equalto her beauty. I think you will behold with pleasure the sonshe has restored to you become her husband. They love eachother, and nothing is wanting to their perfect happiness butyour consent. Will you refuse to bestow it on them?"The Queen, at these words, embracing Beauty affectionately,exclaimed, "Far from refusing my consent, their union willafford me the greatest felicity! Charming and virtuous child,to whom I am under so many obligations, tell me who youare, and the names of the sovereigns who are so happy as tohave given birth to so perfect a Princess?"

"Madam," replied Beauty, modestly, "it is long since Ihad a mother; my father is a merchant more distinguishedin the world for his probity and his misfortunes than for hisbirth." At this frank declaration, the astonished Queenrecoiled a pace or two, and said, "What! you are only amerchant's daughter? Ah, great Fairy!" she added, castinga mortified look on her companion, and then remained silent;but her manner sufficiently expressed her thoughts, and herdisappointment was legible in her eyes.

"It appears to me," said the Fairy, haughtily, "that youare discontented with my choice. You regard with contemptthe condition of this young person, and yet she was the onlybeing in the world who was capable of executing my project,and who could make your son happy." "I am very gratefulto her for what she has done," replied the Queen; "but,powerful spirit," she continued, "I cannot refrain frompointing out to you the incongruous mixture of that noblestblood in all the world which runs in my son's veins with thatof the obscure race from which the person has sprung towhom you would unite him. I confess I am little gratifiedby the supposed happiness of the Prince, if it must be purchased[Pg 279]by an alliance so degrading to us, and so unworthy ofhim. Is it impossible to find in the world a maiden whosebirth is equal to her virtue? I know many excellent princessesby name; why am I not permitted to hope that I may seehim the possessor of one of those?"

At this moment the handsome Unknown appeared. Thearrival of his mother and the Fairy had aroused him, and thenoise they had made was more effective than all the efforts ofBeauty; such being the nature of the spell. The Queen heldhim a long time in her arms, without speaking a word. Shefound again a son whose fine qualities rendered him worthyof all her affection. What joy for the Prince to see himselfreleased from a horrible form, and a stupidity more painfulto him because it was affected and had not obscured his reason.He had recovered the liberty to appear in his natural form bymeans of the object of his love, and that reflection made itstill more precious to him.

After the first transports which nature inspired him withat the sight of his mother, the Prince hastened to pay thosethanks to the Fairy which duty and gratitude prompted.He did so in the most respectful terms, but as briefly as possible,in order to be at liberty to turn his attentions towardsBeauty. He had already, by tender glances, expressed to herhis feelings, and was about to confirm with his lips, in themost touching language, what his eyes had spoken, when theFairy stopped him, and bade him be the judge between herand his mother. "Your mother," said she, "condemns theengagement you have entered into with Beauty. She considersthat her birth is too much beneath yours. For mypart, I think that her virtues make up for that inequality.It is for you, Prince, to say with which of us your own feelingscoincide; and that you may be under no restraint in declaringto us your real sentiments, I announce to you that you havefull liberty of choice. Although you have pledged your wordto this amiable person, you are free to withdraw it. I willanswer for her, that Beauty will release you from your promisewithout the least hesitation, although, through her kindness,you have regained your natural form; and I assure you alsothat her generosity will cause her to carry disinterestednessto the extent of leaving you at liberty to dispose of yourhand in favour of any person on whom the Queen may advise[Pg 280]you to bestow it.—What say you, Beauty?" pursued theFairy, turning towards her; "have I been mistaken in thusinterpreting your sentiments? Would you desire a husbandwho would become so with regret?" "Assuredly not,Madam," replied Beauty. "The Prince is free. I renouncethe honour of being his wife. When I accepted him, Ibelieved I was taking pity on something below humanity. Iengaged myself to him only with the object of conferring onhim the most signal favour. Ambition had no place in mythoughts. Therefore, great Fairy, I implore you to exact nosacrifice from the Queen, whom I cannot blame for the scruplesshe entertains under such circumstances." "Well, Queen,what say you to that?" inquired the Fairy, in a disdainfuland displeased tone. "Do you consider that princesses, whoare so by the caprice of fortune, better deserve the high rankin which it has placed them than this young maiden? Formy part, I think she should not be prejudiced by an originfrom which she has elevated herself by her conduct." TheQueen replied with some embarrassment, "Beauty is incomparable!Her merit is infinite; nothing can surpass it; but,madam, can we not find some other mode of rewarding her?Is it not to be effected without sacrificing to her the hand ofmy son?" Then turning to Beauty, she continued, "Yes, Iowe you more than I can pay. I put, therefore, no limit toyour desires. Ask boldly, I will grant you everything, withthat sole exception; but the difference will not be great toyou. Choose a husband from amongst the nobles of myCourt. However high in rank, he will have cause to blesshis good fortune, and for your sake I will place him so nearthe throne that your position will be scarcely less enviable."

"I thank you, Madam," replied Beauty; "but I ask noreward from you. I am more than repaid by the pleasure ofhaving broken the spell which had deprived a great prince of hismother and of his kingdom. My happiness would have beenperfect if I had rendered this service to my own sovereign.All I desire is that the Fairy will deign to restore me tomy father."

The Prince, who, by order of the Fairy, had been silentthroughout this conversation, was no longer master of himself,and his respect for the commands he had received, failed torestrain him. He flung himself at the feet of the Fairy and[Pg 281]of his mother, and implored them, in the strongest terms,not to make him more miserable than he had been, by sendingaway Beauty, and depriving him of the happiness of being herhusband. At these words, Beauty, gazing on him with an airfull of tenderness, but mingled with a noble pride, said, "Prince,I cannot conceal from you my affection. Your disenchantmentis a proof of it, and I should in vain endeavour to disguisemy feelings. I confess without a blush, that I love youbetter than myself. Why should I dissimulate? We maydisavow evil impulses; but mine are perfectly innocent, andare authorised by the generous Fairy to whom we are both somuch indebted. But if I could resolve to sacrifice my feelingswhen I thought it my duty to do so for the Beast, you mustfeel assured that I shall not falter on this occasion when it isno longer the interest of the Monster that is at stake, butyour own. It is enough for me to know who you are, andthat I am to renounce the glory of being your wife. I willeven venture to say, that if, yielding to your entreaties, theQueen should grant the consent you ask, it would not alterthe case, for in my own reason, and even in my love, you wouldmeet with an insurmountable obstacle. I repeat that I askno favour but that of being allowed to return to the bosomof my family, where I shall for ever cherish the remembranceof your bounty and your affection."

"Generous Fairy!" exclaimed the Prince, clasping herhands in supplication, "for mercy's sake, do not allow Beautyto depart! Make me, rather, again the Monster that I was,for then I shall be her husband. She pledged her word tothe Beast, and I prefer that happiness to all those she hasrestored me to, if I must purchase them so dearly!"

The Fairy made no answer; she but looked steadily at theQueen, who was moved by so much true affection, but whosepride remained unshaken. The despair of her son affectedher, yet she could not forget that Beauty was the daughterof a merchant, and nothing more. She, notwithstanding,feared the anger of the Fairy, whose manner and silence sufficientlyevinced her indignation. Her confusion was extreme.Not having power to utter a word, she feared to see a fataltermination to a conference which had offended the protectingspirit. No one spoke for some minutes, but the Fairy atlength broke the silence, and casting an affectionate look upon[Pg 282]the lovers, she said to them, "I find you worthy of eachother. It would be a crime to part two such excellentpersons. You shall not be separated, I promise you; and Ihave sufficient power to fulfil my promise." The Queenshuddered at these words, and would have made some remonstrance,but the Fairy anticipated her by saying, "Foryou, Queen, the little value you set upon virtue, unadornedby the vain titles which alone you respect, would justify mein heaping on you the bitterest reproaches. But I excuseyour fault, arising from pride of birth, and I will take noother vengeance beyond doing this little violence to yourprejudices, and for which you will not be long without thankingme." Beauty, at these words, embraced the knees of theFairy, and exclaimed, "Ah, do not expose me to the miseryof being told all my life that I am unworthy of the rank towhich your bounty would elevate me. Reflect that thisPrince, who now believes that his happiness consists in thepossession of my hand may very shortly perhaps be of thesame opinion as the Queen." "No, no, Beauty, fear nothing,"rejoined the Fairy. "The evils you anticipate cannot come topass. I know a sure way of protecting you from them, andshould the Prince be capable of despising you after marriage,he must seek some other reason than the inequality of yourcondition. Your birth is not inferior to his own. Nay, theadvantage is even considerably on your side, for the truth is,"said she, sternly, to the Queen, "that you behold your niece;and what must render her still more worthy of your respectis, that she is mine also, being the daughter of my sister, whowas not, like you, a slave to rank which is lustreless withoutvirtue.

"That Fairy, knowing how to estimate true worth, didyour brother, the King of the Happy Island, the honour tomarry him. I preserved this fair fruit of their union from thefury of a Fairy who desired to be her step-mother. From themoment of her birth I destined her to be the wife of yourson. I desired, by concealing from you the result of mygood service, to give you an opportunity of showing yourconfidence in me. I had some reason to believe that it wasgreater than it appears to have been. You might have reliedupon me for watching over the destiny of the Prince. I hadgiven you proofs enough of the interest I took in it, and you[Pg 283]needed not to have been under any apprehension that I shouldexpose him to anything that would be disgraceful to himselfor to you. I feel persuaded, Madam," continued she, with asmile which had still something of bitterness in it, "that youwill not object to honour us with your alliance."

The Queen, astonished and embarrassed, knew not what toanswer. The only way to atone for her fault was to confessit frankly, and evince a sincere repentance. "I am guilty,generous Fairy," said she. "Your bounties should havesatisfied me that you would not suffer my son to have formedan alliance unworthy of him. But pardon, I beseech you,the prejudices of my rank, which urged that royal blood couldnot marry one of humbler birth without degradation. Iacknowledge that I deserve you should punish me by givingto Beauty a mother-in-law more worthy of her; but you taketoo kind an interest in my son to render him the victim ofmy error. As to you, dear Beauty," she continued, embracingher tenderly, "you must not resent my resistance. It wascaused by my desire to marry my son to my niece, whom theFairy had often assured me was living, notwithstanding allappearances to the contrary. She had drawn so charming aportrait of her, that without knowing you, I loved you dearlyenough to risk offending the Fairy, in order to preserve toyou the throne and the heart of my son." So saying, sherecommenced her caresses, which Beauty received withrespect.

The Prince, on his part, enraptured at this agreeableintelligence, expressed his delight in looks alone.

"Behold us all satisfied," said the Fairy; "and now, toterminate this happy adventure, we only need the consent ofthe royal father of the Princess; but we shall shortly see himhere." Beauty requested her to permit the person who hadbrought her up, and whom she had hitherto looked upon asher father, to witness her felicity. "I admire such consideration,"said the Fairy; "it is worthy a noble mind, and as youdesire it, I undertake to inform him." Then taking theQueen by the hand, she led her away, under the pretext ofshowing her over the enchanted Palace. It was to give thenewly-betrothed pair the liberty of conversing with eachother for the first time without restraint or the aid of illusion.They would have followed, but she forbade them. The[Pg 284]happiness in store for them inspired each with equal delight.They could not entertain the least doubt of their mutualaffection.

Their conversation, confused and unconnected, their protestationsa hundred times repeated, were to them moreconvincing proofs of love than the most eloquent languagecould have afforded. After having exhausted all the expressionsthat passion suggests under such circumstances to thosethat are truly in love, Beauty inquired of her lover by whatmisfortune he had been so cruelly transformed into a beast.She requested him also to relate to her all the events of hislife preceding that shocking metamorphosis.

The Prince, whose recovery of his natural form had notlessened his anxiety to obey her, without more ado commencedhis narrative in the following words:—

THE STORY OF THE BEAST.

The King, my father, died before I was born. The Queenwould never have been consoled for his loss if her interest forthe child she bore had not struggled with her sorrow. Mybirth caused her extreme delight. The sweet task of rearingthe fruit of the affection of so dearly-beloved a husband wasdestined to dissipate her affliction. The care of my educationand the fear of losing me occupied her entirely. She wasassisted in her object by a Fairy of her acquaintance, whoshowed the greatest anxiety to preserve me from all kinds ofaccidents. The Queen felt greatly obliged to her, but shewas not pleased when the Fairy asked her to place me entirelyin her hands. The Fairy had not the best of reputations—shewas said to be capricious in her favours. People fearedmore than they loved her; and even had my mother beenperfectly convinced of the goodness of her nature, she couldnot have resolved to lose sight of me.

By the advice, however, of prudent persons, and for fear ofsuffering from the fatal effects of the resentment of thisvindictive Fairy, she did not flatly refuse her. If voluntarilyconfided to her care there was no reason to suppose shewould do me any injury. Experience had proved that shetook pleasure in hurting those only by whom she considered[Pg 285]herself offended. The Queen admitted this, and was onlyreluctant to forego the pleasure of gazing on me continuallywith a mother's eyes, which enabled her to discover charmsin me I owed solely to her partiality.

She was still irresolute as to the course she should adopt,when a powerful neighbour imagined it would be an easymatter for him to seize upon the dominions of an infantgoverned by a woman. He invaded my kingdom with aformidable army. The Queen hastily raised one to opposehim, and, with a courage beyond that of her sex, placedherself at the head of her troops, and marched to defend ourfrontiers. It was then that, being compelled to leave me,she could not avoid confiding to the Fairy the care of myeducation. I was placed in her hands after she had swornby all she held most sacred that she would, without the leasthesitation, bring me back to the Court as soon as the war wasover, which my mother calculated would not last more thana year at the utmost. Notwithstanding, however, all theadvantages she gained over the enemy, she found it impossibleto return to the capital so soon as she expected. To profitby her victory, after having driven the foe out of our dominions,she pursued him in his own.

She took entire provinces, gained battle after battle, andfinally reduced the vanquished to sue for a degrading peace,which he obtained only on the hardest conditions. After thisglorious success, the Queen returned triumphantly, and enjoyedin anticipation the pleasure of beholding me once more;but having learned upon her march that her base foe, in violationof the treaty, had surprised and massacred our garrisons,and repossessed himself of nearly all the places he had beencompelled to cede to us, she was obliged to retrace her steps.Honour prevailed over the affection which drew her towardsme, and she resolved never to sheathe the sword till she hadput it out of her enemy's power to perpetrate more treachery.The time employed in this second expedition was very considerable.She had flattered herself that two or three campaignswould suffice; but she had to contend with an adversaryas cunning as he was false. He contrived to exciterebellion in some of our own provinces, and to corrupt entirebattalions, which forced the Queen to remain in arms forfifteen years. She never thought of sending for me. She was[Pg 286]always flattering herself that each month would be the last sheshould be absent, and that she was on the point of seeing meagain.

In the meanwhile, the Fairy, in accordance with herpromise, had paid every attention to my education. Fromthe day she had taken me out of my kingdom, she had neverleft me, nor ceased to give me proof of the interest she felt inall that concerned my health and amusement. I evinced bymy respect for her how sensible I was of her kindness. Ishowed her the same deference, the same attention that Ishould have shown to my mother, and gratitude inspired mewith as much affection for her.

For some time she appeared satisfied with my behaviour;but one day, without imparting to me the motive, she set outon a journey, from which she did not return for some years,and when she did return, struck with the effect of her care ofme, she conceived for me an affection differing from that of amother. She had previously permitted me to call her by thatname, but now she forbade me. I obeyed her without inquiringwhat were her reasons, or suspecting what she was aboutto exact from me.

I saw clearly that she was dissatisfied; but could I imaginewhy she continually complained of my ingratitude? I was themore surprised at her reproaches as I did not feel I deservedthem. They were always followed or preceded by the tenderestcaresses. I was not old enough to comprehend her. She wascompelled to explain herself. She did so one day when Ievinced some sorrow, mingled with impatience, respecting thecontinued absence of the Queen. She reproached me for this,and on my assuring her that my affection for my mother innowise interfered with that I owed to herself, she repliedthat she was not jealous, although she had done so much forme, and had resolved to do still more; but that, to enable herto carry out her designs in my favour with greater freedom,it was requisite, she added, that I should marry her; thatshe did not desire to be loved by me as a mother, but as anadmirer; that she had no doubt of my gratitude to her formaking this proposal, or of the great joy with which I shouldaccept it, and that, consequently, I had only to abandon myselfto the delight with which the certainty of becoming the husbandof a powerful fairy, who could protect me from all[Pg 287]dangers, assure me an existence full of happiness, and coverme with glory, must naturally awaken.

I was sadly embarrassed by this proposition. I knewenough of the world in my own country, to be aware thatamongst the wedded portion of the community the happiestwere those whose ages and characters assimilated, and thatmany were much to be pitied who, marrying under oppositecircumstances, had found antipathies existing between themwhich were the source of constant misery.

The Fairy being old and of a haughty disposition, I couldnot flatter myself that my lot would be so agreeable as shepredicted. I was far from entertaining for her such feelingsas one should for the woman with whom we intend to passour days; and besides, I was not inclined to enter into anysuch engagement at so early an age. My only desire was tosee the Queen again, and to signalize myself at the head ofher forces. I sighed for liberty; that was the sole boon thatwould have gratified me, and the only one the Fairy wouldnot grant.

I had often implored her to allow me to share the perils towhich I knew the Queen exposed herself for the protection ofmy interests, but my prayers had hitherto been fruitless.Pressed to reply to the astounding declaration she had madeto me, I, in some confusion, recalled to her that she had oftentold me that I had no right to dispose of my hand withoutthe commands of my mother, and in her absence. "That isexactly my opinion," she replied; "I do not wish you to dootherwise; I am satisfied that you should refer the matter tothe Queen."

I have already informed you, beautiful Princess, that I hadbeen unable to obtain from the Fairy permission to seek theQueen, my mother. The desire she now had to receive hersanction, which she never doubted she should obtain, obligedher to grant, even without my asking, that which she hadalways denied me; but it was on the condition, by no meansagreeable to me, that she should accompany me. I did whatI could to dissuade her, but found it impossible, and we setout together with a numerous escort. We arrived upon theeve of a decisive action. The Queen had manœuvred withsuch skill that the next day was certain to decide the fate ofthe enemy, who would have no resource if he lost the battle.[Pg 288]My presence created great pleasure in the camp, and gaveadditional courage to our troops, who drew a favourableaugury from my arrival. The Queen was ready to die withjoy; but this first transport of delight was succeeded by thegreatest alarm. Whilst I exulted in the hope of acquiringglory, the Queen trembled at the danger to which I was aboutto expose myself. Too generous to endeavour to prevent me,she implored me by all her affection, to take as much care ofmyself as honour would permit, and entreated the Fairy notto abandon me on that occasion. Her solicitations were unnecessary.The too susceptible Fairy was as much alarmedas the Queen, for she possessed no spell which could protectme from the chances of war. However, by instantly inspiringme with the art of commanding an army, and the prudencerequisite for so important an office, she achieved much. Themost experienced captains were surprised at me. I remainedmaster of the field. The victory was complete. I had thehappiness of saving the Queen's life, and of preventing herfrom being made prisoner of war. The enemy was pursuedwith such vigour that he abandoned his camp, lost his baggage,and more than three-fourths of his army, while the loss onour side was inconsiderable. A slight wound which I hadreceived was the only advantage the foe could boast of; butthe Queen, fearing that if the war continued some more seriousmischief might befal me, in opposition to the desire of thewhole army, to which my presence had imparted fresh spirit,made peace on more advantageous terms than the vanquishedhad ventured to hope for.

A short time afterwards we returned to our capital, whichwe entered in triumph. My occupation during the war, andthe continual presence of my ancient adorer, had preventedme from informing the Queen of what had occurred. She was,therefore, completely taken by surprise when the Fairy toldher, in so many words, that she had determined to marry meimmediately. This declaration was made in this very Palace,but which was at that time not so superb as it is at present.It had been a country residence of the late King, which athousand occupations had prevented his embellishing. Mymother, who cherished everything that he had loved, hadselected it in preference to any other as a place of retirementafter the fatigues of the war. At the avowal of the Fairy,[Pg 289]unable to control her first feelings, and unused to dissemble,she exclaimed, "Have you reflected, Madam, on the absurdityof the arrangement you propose to me!" In truth it was impossibleto conceive one more ridiculous. In addition to thealmost decrepit old age of the Fairy, she was horribly ugly.Nor was this the effect of time. If she had been handsomein her youth, she might have preserved some portion of herbeauty by the aid of her art; but naturally hideous, her powercould only invest her with the appearance of beauty for oneday in each year, and that day ended, she returned to herformer state.

The Fairy was surprised at the exclamation of the Queen.Her self-love concealed from her all that was actually horriblein her person, and she calculated that her power sufficientlycompensated for the loss of a few charms of her youth."What do you mean," said she to the Queen, "by an absurdarrangement! Consider, that it is imprudent in you to makeme remember what I have condescended to forget. You oughtonly to congratulate yourself on possessing a son so amiablethat his merit induces me to prefer him to the most powerfulGenii in all the elements; and as I have deigned to descendto him, accept with respect the honour I am good enough toconfer on you, and do not give me time to change mymind."

The Queen, as proud as the Fairy, had never conceived thatthere was a rank on earth higher than the throne. She valuedlittle the pretended honour which the Fairy offered her.Having always commanded every one who approached her,she by no means desired to have a daughter-in-law to whomshe must herself pay homage. Therefore, far from replyingto her, she remained motionless, and contented herself withfixing her eyes upon me. I was as much astounded as shewas, and fixing my eyes on her in the same manner, it waseasy for the Fairy to perceive that our silence expressed sentimentsvery opposite to the joy with which she would haveinspired us.

"What is the meaning of this?" said she, sharply. "Howcomes it that mother and son are both silent? Has thisagreeable surprise deprived you of the power of speech? orare you blind and rash enough to reject my offer? Say,Prince," said she to me, "are you so ungrateful and so imprudent[Pg 290]as to despise my kindness? Do you not consent togive me your hand this moment?"

"No, Madam, I assure you," replied I, quickly. "AlthoughI am sincerely grateful to you for past favours, I cannot agreeto discharge my debt to you by such means; and, with theQueen's permission, I decline to part so soon with my liberty.Name any other mode of acknowledging your favours, and Iwill not consider it impossible; but as to that you haveproposed, excuse me if you please, for——" "How! insignificantcreature!" interrupted the Fairy, furiously. "Thoudarest to resist me! And you, foolish Queen! you see, withoutanger, this conduct—What do I say? without anger!It is you who authorize it! For it is your own insolent looksthat have inspired him with the audacity to refuse me!"

The Queen, already stung by the contemptuous languageof the Fairy, was no longer mistress of herself, and accidentallycasting her eyes on a looking-glass, before which wehappened to be standing at the moment, the wicked Fairythus provoked her: "What answer can I make you," saidshe, "that you ought not to make to yourself? Deign tocontemplate, without prejudice, the object this glass presentsto you, and let it reply for me." The Fairy easily comprehendedthe Queen's insinuation. "It is the beauty, then, ofthis precious son of yours that renders you so vain," said sheto her, "and has exposed me to so degrading a refusal! Iappear to you unworthy of him. Well," she continued,raising her voice furiously, "having taken so much pains tomake him charming, it is fit that I should complete my work,and that I should give you both a cause, as novel as remarkable,to make you remember what you owe to me. Go,wretch!" said she to me; "boast that thou hast refused methy heart and thy hand. Give them to her thou findestmore worthy of them than I am." So saying, my terriblelover struck me a blow on the head. It was so heavy that Iwas dashed to the ground on my face, and felt as though Iwere crushed by the fall of a mountain. Irritated by thisinsult, I struggled to rise, but found it impossible. Theweight of my body had become so great that I could not liftmyself; all that I could do was to sustain myself on myhands, which had in an instant become two horrible paws,and the sight of them apprised me of the change I had[Pg 291]undergone. My form was that in which you found me. Icast my eyes for an instant on that fatal glass, and could nolonger doubt my cruel and sudden transformation.

My despair rendered me motionless. The Queen at thisdreadful sight was almost out of her mind. To put the lastseal upon her barbarity, the furious Fairy said to me, in anironical tone, "Go make illustrious conquests, more worthyof thee than an august Fairy. And as sense is not requiredwhen one is so handsome, I command thee to appear as stupidas thou art horrible, and to remain in this state until a youngand beautiful girl shall, of her own accord, come to seek thee,although fully persuaded thou wilt devour her. She mustalso," continued the Fairy, "after discovering that her life isnot in danger, conceive for thee a sufficiently tender affectionto induce her to marry thee. Until thou canst meet withthis rare maiden it is my pleasure that thou remain an objectof horror to thyself and to all who behold thee. As for you,too happy mother of so lovely a child," said she to theQueen, "I warn you that if you acknowledge to any one thatthis monster is your son, he shall never recover his naturalshape. Neither interest, nor ambition, nor the charms ofhis conversation, must assist to restore him to it. Adieu!Do not be impatient; you will not have long to wait. Sucha darling will soon find a remedy for his misfortune." "Ah,cruel one!" exclaimed the Queen, "if my refusal has offendedyou, let your vengeance light on me. Take my life, but donot, I conjure you, destroy your own work." "You forgetyourself, great Princess," replied the Fairy, in an ironicaltone, "you demean yourself too much. I am not handsomeenough for you to condescend to entreat me; but I am firmin my resolutions. Adieu, powerful Queen; adieu, beautifulPrince; it is not fair that I should longer annoy you withmy hateful presence. I withdraw; but I have still charityenough to warn thee," addressing herself to me, "that thoumust forget who thou art. If thou sufferest thyself to beflattered by vain respects or by pompous titles, thou art lostirretrievably! And thou art equally lost if thou shouldstdare to avail thyself of the intellect I leave thee possessed of,to shine in conversation."

With these words she disappeared, and left the Queen andme in a state which can neither be described nor imagined.[Pg 292]Lamentations are the consolation of the unhappy; but ourmisery was too great to seek relief in them. My motherdetermined to stab herself, and I to fling myself in the adjacentcanal. Without communicating our intentions to eachother, we were on the point of executing these fatal designs,when a female of majestic mien, and whose manner inspiredus with profound respect, appeared, and bade us rememberthat it was cowardice to succumb to the greatest misfortunes,and that with time and courage there was no evil that couldnot be remedied. The Queen, however, was inconsolable;tears streamed from her eyes, and not knowing how to informher subjects that their sovereign was transformed into a horriblemonster, she abandoned herself to the most fearfuldespair. The Fairy (for she was one, and the same whomyou have seen here), knowing both her misery and her embarrassment,recalled to her the indispensable obligation shewas under to conceal from her people this dreadful adventure,and that in lieu of yielding to despair, it would be better toseek some remedy for the mischief.

"Is there one to be found," exclaimed the Queen, "whichis powerful enough to prevent the fulfilment of a Fairy'ssentence?" "Yes, Madam," replied the Fairy, "there is aremedy for everything. I am a Fairy as well as she whosefury you have just felt the effects of, and my power is equalto hers. It is true that I cannot immediately repair theinjury she has done you, for we are not permitted to actdirectly in opposition to each other. She who has causedyour misfortune is older than I am, and age has amongst usa particular title to respect. But as she could not avoidattaching a condition upon which the spell might be broken,I will assist you to break it. I grant that it will be a difficulttask to terminate this enchantment; but it does notappear to me to be impossible. Let me see what I can dofor you by the exertion of all the means in my power."

Upon this she drew a book from under her robe, and aftertaking a few mysterious steps, she seated herself at a table,and read for a considerable time with such intense applicationthat large drops of perspiration stood on her forehead. Atlength she closed the book and meditated profoundly. Theexpression of her countenance was so serious that for sometime we were led to believe that she considered my misfortune[Pg 293]irreparable; but recovering from a sort of trance, and herfeatures resuming their natural beauty, she informed us thatshe had discovered a remedy for our disasters. "It will beslow," said she, "but it will be sure. Keep your secret; letit not transpire, so that any one can suspect you are concealedbeneath this horrible disguise, for in that case you willdeprive me of the power of delivering you from it. Yourenemy flatters herself you will divulge it; it is for thatreason she did not take from you the power of speech."

The Queen declared that the condition was an impossibleone, as two of her women had been present at the fatal transformation,and had rushed out of the apartment in greatterror, which must have excited the curiosity of the guardsand the courtiers. She imagined that the whole Court wasby this time aware of it, and that all the kingdom, and evenall the world, would speedily receive the intelligence; but theFairy knew a way to prevent the disclosure of the secret.She made several circles, now solemnly, now rapidly, utteringwords of which we could not comprehend the meaning, andfinished by raising her hand in the air in the style of onewho is pronouncing an imperative order. This gesture, addedto the words she had uttered, was so powerful, that everybreathing creature in the Palace became motionless, and waschanged into a statue. They are all still in the same state.They are the figures you behold in various directions and inthe very attitudes they had assumed at the instant the Fairy'spotent spell surprised them. The Queen, who at that momentcast her eyes upon the great court-yard, observed this changetaking place in a prodigious number of persons. The silencewhich suddenly succeeded to the stir of a multitude, awokea feeling of compassion in her heart for the many innocentbeings who were deprived of life for my sake; but the Fairycomforted her by saying that she would only retain her subjectsin that condition as long as their discretion was necessary.It was a precaution she was compelled to take, but shepromised she would make up to them for it, and that theperiod they passed in that state would not be added to theyears allotted to their existence. "They will be so muchthe younger," said the Fairy to the Queen; "so cease todeplore them, and leave them here with your son. He willbe quite safe, for I have raised such thick fogs around this[Pg 294]Castle, that it will be impossible for any one to enter it butwhen we think fit. I will convey you," she continued,"where your presence is necessary. Your enemies are plottingagainst you. Be careful to proclaim to your people thatthe Fairy who educated your son retains him near her foran important purpose, and keeps with her also all the personswho were in attendance on you."

It was not without shedding a flood of tears that my mothercould force herself to leave me. The Fairy renewed herassurances to her that she would always watch over me, andprotested that I had only to wish, and to see the accomplishmentof my desires. She added that my misfortunes wouldshortly end, provided neither the Queen nor I raised up anobstacle by some act of imprudence. All these promisescould not console my mother. She wished to remain withme, and to leave the Fairy, or any one she might considerthe most proper person, to govern the kingdom; but fairiesare imperious, and will be obeyed. My mother, fearing by arefusal to increase my miseries and deprive me of the aid ofthis beneficent spirit, consented to all she insisted on. Shesaw a beautiful car approach; it was drawn by the same whitestags that brought her here to day. The Fairy made theQueen mount by her side. She had scarcely time to embraceme, her affairs demanded her presence elsewhere, and she waswarned that a longer sojourn in this place would be prejudicialto me. She was transported with extraordinary velocityto the spot where her army was encamped. They were notsurprised to see her arrive with this equipage. Everybodybelieved her to be accompanied by the old Fairy, for the onewho was with her kept herself unseen, and departed againimmediately to return to this place, which, in an instant, sheembellished with everything that her imagination couldsuggest and her art supply.

This good-natured Fairy permitted me also to add whateverI fancied would please me, and after having done for meall she could, she left me with exhortations to take courage,and promising to come occasionally and impart to me suchhopes as she might entertain of a favourable issue to myadventure.

I seemed to be alone in the Palace. I was only so tosight. I was served as if I were in the midst of my courtiers,[Pg 295]and my occupations were nearly the same as those whichwere afterwards yours. I read, I went to the play, I cultivateda garden which I had made to amuse me, and foundsomething agreeable in everything I undertook. What Iplanted arrived at perfection in the same day. It took nomore time to produce the bower of roses to which I amindebted for the happiness of beholding you here.

My benefactress came very often to see me. Her presenceand her promises alleviated my distresses. Through her, theQueen received news of me, and I news of the Queen. Oneday I saw the Fairy arrive with joy sparkling in her eyes."Dear Prince," said she to me, "the moment of your happinessapproaches!" She then informed me that he whom youbelieved to be your father had passed a very uncomfortablenight in the forest. She related to me, in a few words, theadventure which had caused him to undertake the journey,without revealing to me your real parentage. She apprizedme that the worthy man was compelled to seek an asylumfrom the misery he had endured during four-and-twentyhours.

"I go," said she, "to give orders for his reception. Itmust be an agreeable one. He has a charming daughter. Ipropose that she shall release you. I have examined the conditionswhich my cruel companion has attached to yourdisenchantment. It is fortunate that she did not ordain thatyour deliverer should come hither out of love for you. Onthe contrary, she insisted that the young maiden shouldexpect no less than death, and yet expose herself to it voluntarily.I have thought of a scheme to oblige her to take thatstep. It is to make her believe the life of her father is indanger, and that she has no other means of saving him. Iknow that in order to spare her father any expense on heraccount, she has asked him only to bring her a rose, whilst hersisters have overwhelmed him with extravagant commissions.He will naturally avail himself of the first favourable opportunity.Hide yourself in this arbour, and seizing him theinstant he attempts to gather your roses, threaten him thatdeath will be the punishment of his audacity, unless he give youone of his daughters; or, rather, unless she sacrifice herself,according to the decree of our enemy. This man has fivedaughters besides the one I have destined for you; but not[Pg 296]one of them is sufficiently magnanimous to purchase the life oftheir father at the price of their own. Beauty is alone capableof so grand an action."

I executed exactly the Fairy's commands. You know,lovely Princess, with what success. The merchant, to savehis life, promised what I demanded. I saw him depart withoutbeing able to persuade myself that he would return withyou. I could not flatter myself that my desire would befulfilled. What torment did I not suffer during the month hehad requested me to allow him. I longed for its terminationonly to be certain of my disappointment. I could not imaginethat a young, lovely, and amiable girl would have the courageto seek a monster, of whom she believed she was doomed tobe the prey. Even supposing her to have sufficient fortitudeto devote herself, she would have to remain with me withoutrepenting the step she had taken, and that appeared to mean invincible obstacle. Besides, how could she behold mewithout dying with affright? I passed my miserable existencein these melancholy reflections, and never was I more to bepitied. The month, however, elapsed, and my protectressannounced to me your arrival. You remember, no doubt, thepomp with which you were received. Not daring to expressmy delight in words, I endeavoured to prove it to you by themost magnificent signs of rejoicing. The Fairy, ceaseless inher attentions to me, prohibited me from making myself knownto you. Whatever terror I might inspire you with, or whateverkindness you might show me, I was not permitted toseek to please you, nor to express any love for you, nor todiscover to you in any way who I was. I could have recourse,however, to excessive good-nature, as, fortunately, the malignantFairy had forgotten to forbid my giving you proof ofthat.

These regulations seemed hard to me, but I was compelledto subscribe to them, and I resolved to present myself beforeyou only for a few moments every day, and to avoid longconversations, in which my heart might betray its tenderness.You came, charming Princess, and the first sight of you producedupon me a diametrically opposite effect to that whichmy monstrous appearance must have done upon you. To seeyou was instantly to love you. Entering your apartment,tremblingly, my joy was excessive to find that you could[Pg 297]behold me with greater intrepidity than I could behold myself.You delighted me infinitely when you declared that you wouldremain with me. An impulse of self-love, which I retainedeven under that most horrible of forms, led me to believe thatyou had not found me so hideous as you anticipated.

Your father departed satisfied. But my sorrow increasedas I reflected that I was not allowed to win your favour inany way except by indulging the caprices of your taste.Your demeanour, your conversation, as sensible as it was unpretending,everything in you convinced me that you actedsolely on the principles dictated to you by reason and virtue,and that consequently I had nothing to hope for from afortunate caprice. I was in despair at being forbidden toaddress you in any other language than that which the Fairyhad dictated, and which she had expressly chosen as coarseand stupid.

In vain did I represent to her it was unnatural to expectyou would accept my proposition to marry you. Her answerwas always, "Patience, perseverance, or all is lost." Torecompense you for my silly conversation, she assured me shewould surround you with all sorts of pleasures, and give methe advantage of seeing you continually, without alarmingyou, or being compelled to say rude and impertinent things toyou. She rendered me invisible, and I had the gratificationof seeing you waited on by spirits who were also invisible,or who presented themselves to you in the shapes of variousanimals.

More than this, the Fairy caused you to behold my naturalform in your nightly slumbers, and in portraits by day, andmade it speak to you in your dreams as I should have spokento you myself. You obtained a confused idea of my secret andmy hopes, which she urged you to realize, and by the meansof a starry mirror I witnessed all your interviews, and readin it either all you imagined you uttered or all that you actuallythought. This position, however, did not suffice torender me happy. I was only so in a dream, and my sufferingswere real. The intense affection with which you had inspiredme obliged me to complain of the restraint under which Ilived; but my state was much more wretched when I perceivedthat these beautiful scenes had no longer any charms for you.I saw you shed tears, which pierced my heart, and would have[Pg 298]destroyed me. You asked me if I was alone here, and I wason the verge of discarding my feigned stupidity, and assuringyou by the most passionate vows of the fact. They wouldhave been uttered in terms that would have surprised you,and caused you to suspect that I was not so coarse a brute as Ipretended to be. I was on the point even of declaringmyself, when the Fairy, invisible to you, appeared before me.By a threatening gesture, which terrified me, she found a wayto close my lips. O, heavens! by what means did she imposesilence upon me? She approached you with a poniard inher hand, and made signs to me that the first word I utteredwould cost you your life. I was so frightened that I naturallyrelapsed into the stupidity she had ordered me to affect.

My sufferings were not yet at an end. You expressed adesire to visit your father. I gave you permission withouthesitation. Could I have refused you anything? But Iregarded your departure as my death-blow, and without theassistance of the Fairy I must have sunk under it. Duringyour absence that generous being never quitted me. Shesaved me from destroying myself, which I should have donein my despair, not daring to hope that you would return.The time you had passed in this Palace rendered my conditionmore insupportable than it had been previously, because Ifelt I was the most miserable of all men, without the hopeof making it known to you.

My most agreeable occupation was to wander through thescenes which you had frequented, but my grief was increasedby no longer seeing you there. The evenings and hourswhen I used to have the pleasure of conversing with you fora moment, redoubled my afflictions, and were still morepainful to me. Those two months, the longest I had everknown, ended at last, and you did not return. It was thenmy misery reached its climax, and that the Fairy's powerwas too weak to prevent my sinking under my despair. Theprecautions she took to prevent my attempting my life wereuseless. I had a sure way which eluded her power. It wasto refrain from food. By the potency of her spells she contrivedto sustain me for some time, but having exhausted allher secrets, I grew weaker and weaker, and finally had but afew moments to breathe, when you arrived to snatch me fromthe tomb.

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Your precious tears, more efficacious than all the cordialsof the disguised Genii who attended on me, delayed my soulupon the point of flight. In learning from your lamentationsthat I was dear to you, I enjoyed perfect felicity, andthat felicity was at its height when you accepted me foryour husband. Still I was not permitted to divulge to youmy secret, and the Beast was compelled to leave you withoutdaring to disclose to you the Prince. You know the lethargyinto which I fell, and which ended only with the arrival ofthe Fairy and the Queen. On awaking I found myself as youbehold me, without being aware of how the change took place.

You have witnessed what followed, but you could onlyimperfectly judge of the pain which the obstinacy of mymother caused me in opposing a marriage so suitable and soglorious for me. I had determined, Princess, rather to be amonster again than to abandon the hope of being the husbandof so virtuous and charming a maiden. Had the secret ofyour birth remained for ever a mystery to me, love and gratitudewould not less have assured me that in possessing youI was the most fortunate of men!

The Prince thus ended his narration, and Beauty was aboutto speak, when she was prevented by a burst of loud voicesand warlike instruments, which, however, did not appear toannounce anything alarming. The Prince and Princess lookedout of the window, as did also the Fairy and the Queen whoreturned from their promenade. The noise was occasionedby the arrival of a personage who, according to all appearances,could be no less than a king. His escort was obviouslya royal one, and there was an air of majesty in his demeanourwhich accorded with the state that accompanied him. Thefine form of this sovereign, although of a certain age, testifiedthat there had been few who could have equalled him inappearance when in the flower of his youth. He was followedby twelve of his body-guard, and some courtiers inhunting-dresses, who appeared as much astonished as theirmaster to find themselves in a castle till now quite unknownto them. He was received with the same honours that wouldhave been paid to him in his own dominions, and all byinvisible beings. Shouts of joy and flourishes of trumpetswere heard, but no one was to be seen.

The Fairy, immediately on beholding him, said to theQueen, "Here is the King your brother, and the father ofBeauty. He little expects the pleasure of seeing you bothhere. He will be so much the more gratified, as you knowhe believes that his daughter has been long dead. Hemourns her still, as he also does his wife, of whom he retainsan affectionate remembrance." These words increased theimpatience of the Queen and the young Princess to embracethis monarch. They reached the court-yard just as he dismounted.He saw, but could not recognize them; not doubting,however, that they were advancing to receive him, hewas considering how and in what terms he should pay hiscompliments to them, when Beauty, flinging herself at hisfeet, embraced his knees, and called him "Father!"

The King raised her and pressed her tenderly in his arms,without comprehending why she addressed him by that title.He imagined she must be some orphan Princess, who soughthis protection from some oppressor, and who made use of themost touching expression in order to obtain her request.He was about to assure her that he would do all that lay inhis power to assist her, when he recognized the Queen hissister, who, embracing him in her turn, presented her son tohim. She then informed him of some of the obligationsthey were under to Beauty, and especially of the frightfulenchantment that had just been terminated. The Kingpraised the young Princess, and desired to know her name,when the Fairy, interrupting him, asked if it was necessaryto name her parents, and if he had never known any onewhom she resembled sufficiently to enable him to guess them."If I judged only from her features," said he, gazing uponher earnestly, and not being able to restrain a few tears,"the title she has given to me is legitimately my due; butnotwithstanding that evidence, and the emotion which herpresence occasions me, I dare not flatter myself that she isthe daughter whose loss I have deplored; for I had the mostpositive proof that she had been devoured by wild beasts.Yet," he continued, still examining her countenance, "sheresembles perfectly the tender and incomparable wife whomdeath has deprived me of. Oh, that I could but venture to indulgein the delightful hope of beholding again in her the fruitof a happy union, the bonds of which were too soon broken!"

"You may, my liege," replied the Fairy; "Beauty is yourdaughter. Her birth is no longer a secret here. The Queenand Prince know who she is. I caused you to direct yoursteps this way on purpose to inform you; but this is not afitting place for me to enter into the details of this adventure.Let us enter the Palace. After you have rested yourself therea short time I will relate to you all you desire to know. Whenyou have indulged in the delight which you must feel atfinding a daughter so beautiful and so virtuous I will communicateto you another piece of intelligence, which willafford you equal gratification."

The King, accompanied by his daughter and the Prince,was ushered by the monkey officers into the apartmentdestined for him by the Fairy, who took this opportunity ofrestoring to the statues the liberty of relating what they hadwitnessed. As their fate had excited the compassion of theQueen, it was from her hands that the Fairy desired theyshould receive the benefit of re-animation. She placed her wandin the Queen's hand, who, by her instructions, described withit seven circles in the air, and then pronounced these words:"Be re-animated. Your King is restored to you." All thestatues immediately began to move, walk, and act as formerly,retaining only a confused idea of what had happened to them.

After this ceremony the Fairy and the Queen returned tothe King, whom they found in conversation with Beauty andthe Prince, caressing each in turn, and most fondly hisdaughter, of whom he inquired a hundred times how shehad been preserved from the wild beasts who had carried heroff, without remembering that she had answered him fromthe first that she knew nothing about it, and had been ignoranteven of the secret of her birth.

The Prince also talked without being attended to, repeatinga hundred times the obligations he was under to PrincessBeauty. He desired to acquaint the King with the promiseswhich the Fairy had made him, that he should marry thePrincess, and to beg he would not refuse his cheerful consentto the alliance. This conversation and these caresses wereinterrupted by the entrance of the Queen and the Fairy.The King, who had recovered his daughter, fully appreciatedhis happiness, but was as yet ignorant to whom he was indebtedfor this precious gift.

"It is to me," said the Fairy; "and I alone can explainto you the adventure. I shall not limit my benefits to therecital of that alone. I have other tidings in store for you,not less agreeable. Therefore, great King, you may note thisday as one of the happiest of your life." The company, perceivingthat the Fairy was about to commence her narration,evinced by their silence the great attention they were anxiousto pay to it. To satisfy their curiosity the Fairy thus addressedthe King:—

The King, who still brooded over his affliction, and to[Pg 303]whose imagination the death of that dear wife was everpresent, could not listen to this account without being sensiblyaffected, and the Fairy, who observed his emotion, said,"Your feelings prove that you deserved that happiness. Iwill no longer dwell on a subject that is so painful to you,but I must reveal to you that the supposed shepherdess wasa Fairy, and my sister, who, having heard that the FortunateIsland was a charming country, and also much praise of itslaws and of the gentle nature of your government, was particularlyanxious to visit it. The dress of a shepherdesswas the only disguise she assumed, intending to enjoy for ashort time a pastoral life. You encountered her in her newabode. Her youth and beauty touched your heart. Sheyielded to a desire to discover whether the qualities of yourmind equalled those she found in your person. She trustedto her condition and power as a Fairy, which could place herat a wish beyond the reach of your assiduities if they becametoo importunate, or if you should presume to take advantageof the humble position in which you found her. She was notalarmed at the sentiments with which you might inspire her,and persuaded that her virtue was sufficient to guarantee heragainst the snares of love, she attributed her sensations to asimple curiosity to ascertain if there were still upon the earthmen capable of loving virtue unembellished by exterior ornaments,which render it more brilliant and respectable to vulgarsouls than its own intrinsic merit, and frequently, by theirfatal attractions, obtain the reputation of virtue for the mostabominable vices.

"Under this illusion, far from retreating to our commonasylum, as she had at first proposed, she chose to inhabit alittle cottage she had raised for herself in the solitude in whichyou met her, accompanied by a phantom, representing hermother. These two persons appeared to live there upon theproduce of a pretended flock that had no fear of the wolves,being, in fact, genii in that form. It was in that cottage shereceived your attentions, which produced all the effect youcould desire. She could not resist the offer you made her ofyour crown. You now know the extent of the obligationsyou were under to her at a time when you imagined sheowed everything to you, and were satisfied to remain inthat error.

[Pg 304]

"What I now tell you is a positive proof that ambition hadno share in the consent she accorded to your wishes. Youare aware that we look upon the greatest kingdoms but asgifts which we can bestow on any one at our pleasure. Butshe appreciated your generous behaviour, and esteemingherself happy in uniting herself to so excellent a man, sherashly entered into that engagement without reflecting on thedanger which she thereby incurred. For our laws expresslyforbid our union with those who have not as much power asourselves, more especially when we have not arrived at thatage when we are privileged to exercise our authority overothers, and enjoy the right of presiding in our turn. Previousto that time we are subordinate to our elders, and that wemay not abuse our power, we have only the liberty of disposingof our hands in favour of some spirit or sage whose knowledgeis at least equal to our own. It is true that after thatperiod we are free to form what alliance we please; but it isseldom that we avail ourselves of that right, and never withoutscandal to our order. Those who do are generally oldfairies, who almost always pay dearly for their folly; for theymarry young men, who despise them, and, although they arenot punished as criminals, they are sufficiently punished bythe bad conduct of their husbands, on whom they are notpermitted to avenge themselves.

"It is the only penalty imposed upon them. The disagreementswhich almost invariably follow the indiscretion theyhave committed takes from them the desire of revealing tothose profane persons from whom they expected respect andattention the great secrets of art. My sister, however, wasnot placed in either of these positions. Endowed with everycharm that could inspire affection, she was not of the requiredage; but she consulted only her love. She flattered herselfshe could keep her marriage a secret. She succeeded in sodoing for a short time. We rarely make inquiries about thosewho are absent. Each is occupied with her own affairs, andwe fly through the world, doing good or ill, according to ourinclinations, without being obliged at our return to accountfor our actions, unless we have been guilty of some act whichcauses us to be talked about, or that some beneficent fairy,moved by the unjust persecution of some unfortunate mortal,lays a complaint against the offender. In short, there must[Pg 305]arise some unforeseen event to occasion us to consult the generalbook in which all we do is written at the same instant withoutthe aid of hands. Saving these occasions, we have only toappear in the general assembly three times in the year; and,as we travel very swiftly, the affair does not occupy morethan a couple of hours.

"My sister was obliged to give light to the throne (suchis our phrase for the performance of that duty). On suchoccasions, she arranged for you a hunting party at somedistance, or a journey of pleasure, and after your departureshe feigned some indisposition, to remain alone in hercabinet, or that she had letters to write, or that she wishedto repose. Neither in the palace nor amongst us was thereany suspicion of that which it was so much her interestto conceal. This mystery, however, was not one for me.The consequences were dangerous, and I warned her of them;but she loved you too much to repent the step she hadtaken. Desiring even to justify it in my eyes, she insistedthat I should pay you a visit.

"Without flattering you, I confess that, if the sight of youdid not compel me entirely to excuse her weakness, it at leastdiminished considerably my surprise at it, and increased thezeal with which I laboured to keep it a secret. Her dissimulationwas successful for two years; but at length she betrayedherself. We are obliged to confer a certain number of favourson the world generally, and to return an account of them.When my sister gave in hers, it appeared that she had limitedher excursions and her benefits to the confines of the FortunateIsland.

"Several of our ill-natured fairies blamed this conduct, andour Queen, in consequence, demanded of her why she hadrestricted her benevolence to this small corner of the earth,when she could not be ignorant that a young fairy was boundto travel far and wide, and manifest to the universe at largeour pleasure and our power.

"As this was no new regulation, my sister could not murmurat the enforcement of it, nor find a pretext for objecting toobey it. She promised, therefore, to do so; but her impatienceto see you again, the fear of her absence being discovered atthe Palace, the impossibility of acting secretly on a throne, didnot permit her to absent herself long enough and often enough[Pg 306]to fulfil her promise; and at the next assembly she couldhardly prove that she had been out of the Fortunate Islandfor a quarter of an hour.

"Our Queen, greatly displeased with her, threatened todestroy that island, and so prevent her continuing to violateour laws. This threat agitated her so greatly that the leastsharp-sighted fairy could see to what a point she carried herinterest for that fatal island, and the wicked fairy who turnedthe Prince here present into a frightful monster, was convincedby her confusion that, on opening the great book, sheshould find in it an important entry which would afford someexercise to her propensities for mischief. 'It is there,' sheexclaimed, 'that the truth will appear, and that we shall learnwhat has really been her occupation!' and with these words,she opened the volume before the whole assembly, and readthe details of all that had taken place during the last twoyears in a loud and distinct voice.

"All the fairies made an extraordinary uproar on hearing ofthis degrading alliance, and overwhelmed my wretched sisterwith the most cruel reproaches. She was degraded fromour order, and condemned to remain a prisoner amongst us.If her punishment had consisted of the first penalty only,she would have consoled herself; but the second sentence, farmore terrible, made her feel all the rigour of both. The lossof her dignity little affected her; but, loving you fondly, shebegged, with tears in her eyes, that they would be satisfied withdegrading her, and not deprive her of the pleasure of living asa simple mortal with her husband and her dear daughter.

"Her tears and supplications touched the hearts of theyounger judges, and I felt, from the murmur that arose, thatif the votes had been collected at that instant, she would certainlyhave escaped with a reprimand. But one of the eldest,who, from her extreme decrepitude had obtained amongst usthe name of 'the Mother of the Seasons,' did not give theQueen time to speak and admit that pity had touched herheart as well as the others'.

"'There is no excuse for this crime,' cried the detestableold creature, in her cracked voice. 'If it is permitted to gounpunished, we shall be daily exposed to similar insults. Thehonour of our order is absolutely involved in it. This miserablebeing, attached to earth, does not regret the loss of a[Pg 307]rank which elevated her a hundred degrees higher abovemonarchs than they are above their subjects. She tells usthat her affections, her fears, and her wishes, all turn uponher unworthy family. It is through them we must punishher. Let her husband deplore her! Let her daughter, theshameful fruit of her illegal marriage, become the bride of amonster, to expiate the folly of a mother who could allowherself to be captivated by the frail and contemptible beautyof a mortal!'

"This cruel speech revived the severity of many who hadbeen previously inclined to mercy. Those who continued topity her being too few to offer any opposition, the sentencewas approved of in its integrity; and our Queen herself, whosefeatures had indicated a feeling of compassion, resuming theirseverity, confirmed the majority of votes in favour of themotion of the ill-natured old Fairy. My sister, however, inher endeavours to obtain a revocation of this cruel decree, topropitiate her judges, and to excuse her marriage, had drawnso charming a portrait of you, that it inflamed the heart ofthe fairy Governess of the Prince (she who had opened thegreat volume); but this dawning passion only served toincrease the hatred which that wicked Fairy already bore toyour unfortunate wife.

"Unable to resist her desire to see you, she concealed herpassion under the colour of a pretext that she was anxious toascertain if you deserved that a fairy should make such a sacrificefor you as my sister had done. As she had obtained thesanction of the assembly to her guardianship of the Prince, shecould not have ventured to quit him for any length of time if theingenuity of love had not inspired her with the idea of placinga protecting genius and two inferior and invisible fairies towatch over him in her absence. After taking this precaution,there was nothing to prevent her following her inclination,which speedily carried her to the Fortunate Island. In themeanwhile, the women and officers of the imprisoned Queen,surprised that she did not come out of her private cabinet,became alarmed. The express orders she had given them not todisturb her, induced them to pass the night without knockingat the door; but impatience at last taking place of all otherconsiderations, they knocked loudly, and no one answering,they forced the doors, under the impression that some accident[Pg 308]had happened to her. Although they had prepared themselvesfor the worst, they were not the less astonished at perceivingno trace of her. They called her, they hunted for her in vain.They could discover nothing to appease the despair into whichher disappearance had plunged them. They imagined a thousandreasons for it, each more absurd than the other. Theycould not suspect her evasion to be voluntary. She was all-powerfulin your kingdom. The sovereign jurisdiction you hadconfided to her was not disputed by any one. Everybodyobeyed her cheerfully. The affection you had for each other,that which she entertained for her daughter and for her subjects,who adored her, prevented them from supposing she had fled.Where could she go to be more happy? On the other hand,what man would have dared to carry off a queen from themidst of her own guards, and the centre of her own palace?Such a ravisher must have left some indications of the roadhe had taken.

"The disaster was certain, although the causes of it wereunknown. There was another evil to dread; namely, thefeelings with which you would receive this fatal news.The innocence of those who were responsible for the safety ofthe Queen's person by no means satisfied them that theyshould not feel the effects of your wrath. They felt they musteither fly the kingdom, and thereby appear guilty of a crimethey had not committed, or they must find some means ofhiding this misfortune from you.

"After long deliberation, they could imagine no other thanthat of persuading you the Queen was dead, and this plan theyput instantly into execution. They sent off a courier to informyou that she had been suddenly taken ill; a second followeda few hours afterwards, bearing the news of her death, in orderto prevent your love inducing you to return post-haste toCourt. Your appearance would have deranged all the measuresthey had taken for general security. They paid to the supposeddefunct all the funeral honours due to her rank, to youraffection, and the sorrow of a people who adored her, and whowept her loss as sincerely as yourself.

"This cruel adventure was always kept a profound secretfrom you, although it was known to every other inhabitant ofthe Fortunate Island. The first astonishment had given publicityto the whole affair. The affliction you felt at this loss[Pg 309]was proportionate to your love; you found no consolationexcept in the innocent caresses of your infant daughter, whomyou sent for to be with you. You determined never again tobe separated from her; she was charming, and presented youcontinually with a living portrait of the Queen, her mother.The hostile Fairy, who had been the original cause of all thistrouble by opening the great book in which she discoveredmy sister's marriage, had not come to see you without payingthe price of her curiosity. Your appearance had produced thesame effect upon her heart as it had previously done on thatof your wife, and instead of this experience inducing her toexcuse my sister, she ardently desired to commit the samefault. Hovering about you invisibly, she could not resolve toquit you. Beholding you inconsolable, she had no hope ofsuccess, and fearing to add the shame of your refusal to thepain of disappointment, she did not dare make herself knownto you; on the other hand, supposing she did appear, sheimagined that by skilful manœuvring, she might accustom youto see her, and perhaps in time induce you to love her. Butto effect this, she must be introduced to you; and after muchpondering to find some decorous way of presenting herself, shehit on one. There was a neighbouring Queen who had beendriven out of her dominions by a usurper, who had murderedher husband. This unhappy Princess was ranging the worldto find an asylum and an avenger. The Fairy carried her off,and having deposited her in a safe place, put her to sleep, andassumed her form. You beheld, Sire, that disguised Fairyfling herself at your feet, and implore your protection andassistance to punish the assassin of a husband whom she professedshe regretted as deeply as you did your Queen. Sheprotested that her love for him alone impelled her to thiscourse, and that she renounced, with all her heart, a crownwhich she offered to him who should avenge her dearhusband.

"The unhappy pity each other. You interested yourself inher misfortunes the more readily for that she wept the lossof a beloved spouse, and that mingling her tears with yours,she talked to you incessantly of the Queen. You gave heryour protection, and lost no time in re-establishing her authorityin the kingdom she pretended to, by punishing the rebelsand the usurper she seemed to desire; but she would neither[Pg 310]return to it nor quit you. She implored you, for her ownsecurity, to govern the kingdom in her name, as you were toogenerous to accept it as a gift from her, and to permit her toreside at your Court. You could not refuse her this newfavour. She appeared to be necessary to you for the educationof your daughter, for the cunning Fairy knew well enoughthat child was the sole object of your affection. She feignedan exceeding fondness for her, and had her continually in herarms. Anticipating the request you were about to make toher, she earnestly begged to be permitted to take charge ofher education, saying that she would have no heir but thatdear child, whom she looked on as her own, and who was theonly being she loved in the world; because she said shereminded her of a daughter she had had by her husband, andwho perished along with him.

"The proposal appeared to you so advantageous that youdid not hesitate to entrust the Princess to her care, and togive her full authority over her. She acquitted herself ofher duties to perfection, and by her talent and her affectionobtained your implicit confidence and your love as for a tendersister. This was not sufficient for her: all her anxiety wasbut to become your wife. She neglected nothing to gain thisend; but even had you never been the husband of the mostbeautiful of fairies, she was not formed to inspire you withlove. The shape she had assumed could not bear comparisonwith hers into whose place she would have stolen. It was extremelyugly, and being naturally so herself, she had only thepower of appearing beautiful one day in the year.

"The knowledge of this discouraging fact convinced herthat to succeed she must have recourse to other charms thanthose of beauty. She intrigued secretly to oblige the peopleand the nobility to petition you to take another wife, and topoint her out to you as the desirable person; but certainambiguous conversations she had held with you, in order tosound your inclinations, enabled you easily to discover theorigin of the pressing solicitations with which you were importuned.You declared positively that you would not hearof giving a step-mother to your daughter, nor lower herposition, by making her subordinate to a queen, from thatwhich she held as the highest person next to yourself in thekingdom, and the acknowledged heir to your throne. You[Pg 311]also gave the false Queen to understand that you should feelobliged by her returning to her own dominions immediately,and without ado, and promised her that when she was settledthere you would render her all the services she could expectfrom a faithful friend and a generous neighbour; but you didnot conceal from her that if she did not take this course willingly,she ran the risk of being compelled to do so.

"The invincible obstacle you then opposed to her love threwher into a terrific rage, but she affected so much indifferenceabout the matter that she succeeded in persuading you thather attempt was caused by ambition, and the fear that eventuallyyou might take possession of her dominions, preferring,notwithstanding the earnestness with which she had appearedto offer them to you, to let you believe she was insincere inthat case, rather than you should suspect her real sentiments.Her fury was not less violent because it was suppressed. Notdoubting that it was Beauty who, more powerful in yourheart than policy, caused you to reject the opportunity ofincreasing your empire in so glorious a manner, she conceivedfor her a hatred as violent as that which she felt for yourwife, and resolved to get rid of her, fully believing that ifshe were dead, your subjects, renewing their remonstrances,would compel you to change your state, in order to leavea successor to the throne. The good soul was anythingbut of an age to present you with one; but that shecared little about. The Queen, whose resemblance she hadassumed, was still young enough to have many children,and her ugliness was no obstacle to a royal and politicalalliance.

"Notwithstanding the official declaration you had made, itwas thought that if your daughter died you would yield tothe continual representations of your council. It was believed,also, that your choice would fall upon this pretended Queen;and that idea surrounded her with numberless parasites. Itwas her design, therefore, by the aid of one of her flatterers,whose wife was as base as her husband, and as wicked as she washerself, to make away with your daughter. She had appointedthis woman governess to the little Princess. These wretchessettled between them that they would smother her, and reportthat she had died suddenly; but for more security theydecided to commit this murder in the neighbouring forest, so[Pg 312]that nobody could surprise them in the execution of thisbarbarous deed. They counted on no one having the slightestknowledge of it, and that it would be impossible to blamethem for not having sought for assistance before she expired,having the legitimate excuse that they were too far awayfrom any. The husband of the governess proposed to go insearch of aid as soon as the child was dead; and that no suspicionmight be awakened, he was to appear surprised atfinding it too late when he returned to the spot where he hadleft this tender victim of their fury, and he also rehearsedthe sorrow and consternation he was to affect.

"When my wretched sister saw herself deprived of herpower and condemned to a cruel imprisonment, she requestedme to console you and to watch over the safety of her child.It was unnecessary for her to take that precaution. Thetie which unites us, and the pity I felt for her, would havesufficed to ensure you my protection, and her entreatiescould not increase the zeal with which I hastened to fulfil herdecrees.

"I saw you as often as I could, and as much as prudencepermitted me, without incurring the risk of arousing thesuspicions of our enemy, who would have denounced me as aFairy in whom sisterly affection prevailed over the honour ofher order, and who protected a guilty race. I neglectednothing to convince all the Fairies that I had abandoned mysister to her unhappy fate, and, by so doing, trusted to bemore at liberty to serve her. As I watched every movementof your perfidious admirer, not only with my own eyes, butthose of the Genii, who were my servants, her horrible intentionswere not unknown to me. I could not oppose her byopen force; and though it would have been easy for me toannihilate those into whose hands she had delivered the littleinnocent, prudence restrained me; for, had I carried off yourdaughter, the malignant Fairy would have retaken her fromme, without its being possible for me to defend her.

"It is a law amongst us that we must be a thousand yearsold before we can dispute the power of the ancient fairies, orat any rate we must have become serpents. The perils whichaccompany the latter condition cause us to call it the TerribleAct. The bravest amongst us shudder at the thought ofundertaking it. We hesitate a long time before we can[Pg 313]resolve to expose ourselves to its consequences; and withoutthe urgent motive of hatred, love, or vengeance, there are fewwho do not prefer waiting for time to make them Elders thanto acquire their privilege by that dangerous transformation, inwhich the greater number are destroyed. I was in thisposition. I wanted ten years of the thousand, and I had noresource but in artifice. I employed it successfully. I tookthe form of a monstrous she-bear, and, hiding myself in theforest selected for the execution of this detestable deed,when the wretches arrived to fulfil the barbarous order theyhad received, I flung myself upon the woman who had thechild in her arms, and who had already placed her hand onits mouth. Her fright made her drop the precious burden,but she was not allowed to escape so easily; the horror I feltat her unnatural conduct inspired me with the ferocity of thebrute I had assumed the form of. I strangled her, as well asthe traitor who accompanied her, and I carried off Beauty,after having rapidly stripped off her clothes and dyed themwith the blood of her enemies. I scattered them also aboutthe forest, taking the precaution to tear them in several places,so that they should not suspect the Princess had escaped; andI withdrew, delighted at having succeeded so completely.

"The Fairy believed her object had been attained. Thedeath of her two accomplices was an advantage to her. Shewas mistress of her secret, and the fate they had met withwas but what she had herself destined them to, in recompenseof their guilty services. Another circumstance was alsofavourable to her. Some shepherds who had seen this affairfrom a distance ran for assistance, which arrived just in timeto see the infamous wretches expire, and prevent the possibilityof suspicion that she had any part in it.

"The same circumstances were equally favourable to myenterprise. The wicked Fairy was as fully convinced as thepeople by them. The event was so natural, that she neverdoubted it. She did not even condescend to exert her skillto satisfy herself of the fact. I was delighted at her fanciedsecurity. I should not have been the strongest had sheattempted to recover little Beauty, because, in addition tothe reasons which made her my superior, and which I haveexplained to you, she possessed the advantage of havingreceived that child from you. You had deputed to her your[Pg 314]authority, which you alone could re-assume, and short of yourwresting her yourself out of her hands, nothing could interferewith the control she had a right to exercise over thePrincess till she was married.

"Preserved from this anxiety, I found myself overwhelmedby another, on recollecting that the Mother of the Seasonshad condemned my niece to marry a monster; but she wasthen not three years old, and I flattered myself I should beable, by study, to discover some expedient to prevent thiscurse being fulfilled to the letter, and to evade it by someequivocation. I had plenty of time to ponder on it, and myfirst care was, therefore, only to find some spot where I couldplace my precious charge in safety.

"Profound secrecy was absolutely necessary to me. I darednot place her in a castle, nor exercise for her benefit any ofthe magnificent wonders of our art. Our enemy would havenoticed it. It would have awakened an anxiety, the consequencesof which would have been fatal to us. I thought itbetter to assume an humble garb, and confide the infant tothe care of the first person I met with, who appeared to meto be an honest man, and under whose roof I could promisemyself she would enjoy the comforts of life.

"Chance soon favoured my intentions. I found what suitedme exactly. It was a small house in a village, the door ofwhich was open. I entered this cottage, which appeared tome that of a peasant in easy circumstances. I saw by thelight of a lamp three country women asleep beside a cradle,which I concluded contained a baby. The cradle did not atall correspond with the general simplicity of the apartment.Everything about it was sumptuous. I imagined that itslittle occupant was ill, and that the deep sleep into which itsnurses had fallen was the consequence of long watching overit. I approached silently, with the intention of curing theinfant, and anticipated with pleasure the surprise of thesewomen, on awaking, to find their invalid restored to health,without knowing what to attribute it to. I was about totake the child out of the cradle in order to breathe healthinto it; but my good intentions were vain: it expired at theinstant I touched it.

"I immediately conceived the idea of taking advantage ofthis melancholy event, and substituting my niece for the dead[Pg 315]child, which, by good fortune, was also a girl. I lost no timein making the exchange, and bearing away the lifeless infant,buried it carefully. I then returned to the house, at thedoor of which I knocked long and loudly, to awaken thesleepers.

"I told them, feigning a provincial dialect, that I was astranger to those parts, who was in want of a night's lodging.They good-naturedly offered me one, and then went to lookat their nursling, whom they found quietly asleep, with allthe appearance of being in perfect health. They were astonishedand delighted, not dreaming of the deception I hadpractised upon them. They informed me that the child wasthe daughter of a rich merchant; that one of their partyhad been her nurse, and after having weaned her had restoredher to her parents, but that the child, having fallen ill in herfather's house, had been sent back to the country, in hopethat the change of air would be of service to her. Theyadded, with satisfied countenances, that the experiment hadsucceeded, and produced a better effect than all the remedieswhich had been resorted to previous to its adoption. Theydetermined to carry her back to her father as soon as it wasdaylight, in order to afford him, as early as possible, the gratificationhe would derive from her restoration, for conducingto which, also, they expected to receive a liberal reward, asthe child was his particular favourite, although the youngestof eleven.

"At sunrise they set out, and I feigned to continue myjourney, congratulating myself on having so well provided formy niece's safety. To insure this object more completely, andinduce the supposed father still more to attach himself to thelittle girl, I assumed the form of one of those women who goabout telling fortunes, and arriving at the merchant's doorjust as the nurses reached it with the child, I followed theminto the house. He received them with delight, and takingthe little girl in his arms, became the dupe of his paternalaffection, and fancied that the emotions simply caused by hiskindly disposition were the mysterious workings of nature atthe sight of his offspring. I seized this opportunity ofincreasing the interest he believed he had in the child.

"'Look well upon this little one, my good gentleman,' saidI, in the usual language of the class to which by my dress I[Pg 316]appeared to belong. 'She will be a great honour to thy family,she will bring thee immense wealth, and save thy life and thatof all thy children. She will be so beautiful—so beautiful,that she will be called Beauty by all who behold her.' Asa reward for my prediction, he gave me a piece of gold, and Iwithdrew, perfectly satisfied. I had no longer any reason forresiding with the race of Adam. To profit by my leisure, Ireturned to Fairyland, resolving to remain in it some time. Ipassed my days there quietly in consoling my sister, in givingher news of her dear daughter, and in assuring her that, farfrom forgetting her, you cherished her memory as fondly asyou had formerly herself.

"Such, great King, was our situation whilst you were sufferingunder the fresh calamity which had deprived you of yourchild, and renewed all the affliction you had felt at the loss ofher mother. Although you could not positively accuse theperson to whom you had confided the infant of being the wilfulcause of the accident, it was still impossible for you not tolook upon her with an evil eye; for though it did not appearthat she was guilty of intentional mischief, it was certainlythrough her neglecting to see that the young Princess wasproperly attended and protected that the event had provedfatal.

"After the first paroxysms of your grief had subsided, sheflattered herself that no obstacle would arise to prevent yourespousing her. She caused her emissaries to renew the proposalto you; but she was undeceived, and her mortification was excessive,when you declared that not only were your intentionsunchanged respecting a second marriage, but that even, couldanything alter your determination, it would never be in herfavour. To this declaration you added a positive orderfor her to quit the kingdom immediately. Her presencecontinually reminded you of your child, and renewed youraffliction. Such was the reason you adduced for this step;but your principal object was to put an end to the intriguesshe was constantly carrying on in order to gain her end.

"She was furious; but she was obliged to obey without beingable to avenge herself. I had persuaded one of our ancientfairies to protect you. Her power was considerable, for shejoined to her age the advantage of having been four times aserpent. In proportion to the excessive peril incurred by that[Pg 317]process, are the honours and powers attached to it. ThisFairy, out of consideration for me, took you under her protection,and put it out of the power of your indignant loverto do you any mischief.

"This disappointment was fortunate for the Queen, whoseform she had assumed. She awoke her from her magic slumber,and concealing from her the criminal use she had made of herfeatures, placed her conduct in the best light before her.

"She expatiated on the value of her intercession with theKing, and on the trouble she had saved her, and gave her thebest advice she could how to maintain herself for the futurein her proper person. It was then that, to console herselffor your indifference, the Fairy returned to the young Princeand resumed her care of him. She became too fond of him,and not being able to make herself beloved, she caused him tosuffer that terrible effect of her fury.

"In the meanwhile, I had insensibly arrived at the privilegedage, and my power was increased, but my desire to serve mysister and yourself induced me to feel that still I had notsufficient. My sincere friendship blinding me to the perils of"the Terrible Act," I resolved to undertake it.

"I became a serpent, and passed fortunately through theordeal. I was then in a position to act openly in favour ofthose who were persecuted by my malicious companions. IfI cannot at all times entirely dissolve their fatal spells, I canat least counteract them by my skill and by my counsels.

"My niece was amongst the number of those whom I couldnot completely favour. Not daring to discover all the interest Itook in her, it appeared to me that the best thing I could dowas to allow her still to pass as the merchant's daughter. Ivisited her under various forms, and always returned satisfied.Her virtue and beauty equalled her good sense. At theage of fourteen she had already given proof of great fortitudeduring the changes of fortune which had befallen her supposedfather.

"I was delighted to find that the most cruel reverses hadnot been able to affect her tranquillity. On the contrary, byher cheerfulness, by the charm of her conversation, she hadsucceeded in restoring it to the hearts of her father and herbrothers; and I rejoiced to observe also that her sentimentswere worthy of her birth. These pleasant reflections were,[Pg 318]however, mingled with much bitterness, when I rememberedthat, with so many perfections, she was destined to be the wifeof a monster. I toiled, I studied night and day to find somemeans of saving her from so great a misfortune, and was indespair at finding none.

"This anxiety did not prevent me, however, from payingoccasional visits to you. Your wife, who was deprived of thatliberty, implored me incessantly to go and see you; and, notwithstandingthe protection of our friend, her affectionateheart was continually alarmed about you, and persuaded herthat the instant I lost sight of you would be the last of yourlife, and in which you would be sacrificed to the fury of ourenemy. This fear possessed her so strongly, that she scarcelygave me a moment's rest. No sooner did I bring her newsof you than she supplicated me so earnestly to return to you,that it was impossible to refuse her.

"Compassionating her anxiety, and more desirous to end itthan to save myself the trouble it gave me, I employed againstmy cruel companion the same weapons she had made use ofagainst you. I proceeded to open the great book. By goodfortune, it was at the very moment she was holding that conversationwith the Queen and Prince which terminated in histransformation. I lost not a word of it, and my rapture was extremeat finding that, in seeking to assure her vengeance, sheneutralized, without knowing it, the mischief which the Motherof the Seasons had done us in dooming Beauty to be the brideof a monster.

"To crown our happiness, she added conditions so advantageous,that it almost seemed as if she made them on purposeto oblige me, for she thereby furnished my sister's daughterwith an opportunity of proving that she was worthy of beingthe issue of the purest of fairy-blood.

"The slightest sign or gesture expresses amongst us as muchas it would take an ordinary mortal three days to explain. Iuttered but one contemptuous word. It was enough to informthe assembly that our enemy had pronounced her own sentencein that which she had caused ten years before to be passedupon your wife. At the age of the latter, the weakness oflove was more natural than at the advanced period of existenceof a fairy of the highest order. I spoke of the base and wickedactions which had accompanied that superannuated passion. I[Pg 319]urged that if so many infamous acts were allowed to passunpunished, mortals would be justified in saying that fairiesexisted in the world but to dishonour nature and afflict thehuman race. Presenting the book to them, I condensed thisabrupt oration in the single word "Behold!" It was notthe less powerful in its effect.

"There were present also friends of mine, both young andold, who treated the amorous fury as she deserved. She hadnot succeeded in becoming your wife, and to that disgrace wasnow added degradation from her order, and imprisonment, asin the case of the Queen of the Happy Island.

"This council was held whilst she was with you, Madam, andyour son. As soon as she appeared amongst us, the result wascommunicated to her. I had the pleasure to be present, afterwhich, closing the book, I descended rapidly from the middleregion of air in which our empire is situated, to combat theeffect of the despair to which you were ready to abandon yourselves.I performed my journey in as short a space of time as Ihad occupied with my laconical address. I arrived soon enoughto promise you my assistance. All sorts of reasons combinedto invite me. Your virtues, your misfortunes, (said theFairy, turning to the Prince), the advantages they offered toBeauty made me see in you the Monster that suited me.You appeared to me worthy of each other, and I felt convincedthat when you became acquainted, your hearts would do eachother mutual justice.

"You know," she continued, addressing the Queen, "whatI have since done to attain my object, and by what means Iobliged Beauty to come to this Palace, where the sight of thePrince, and her interviews with him, in the dreams I conjuredup for her, had the effect I desired. They kindled love inher heart without diminishing her virtue or weakening thesense of duty and gratitude which attached her to the Monster.In short, I have happily brought my scheme to perfection.Yes, Prince," pursued the Fairy, "you have no longer anythingto fear from your enemy. She is stripped of her power, andwill never again be able to injure you by other spells. Youhave exactly fulfilled the conditions she imposed on you. Hadyou not done so, you would have been still bound by them,notwithstanding her eternal degradation. You have madeyourself beloved without the aid of your rank or your intelligence;[Pg 320]and you, Beauty, are equally relieved from the cursepronounced upon you by the Mother of the Seasons. Youcheerfully accepted a monster for your husband. She hasnothing more to exact. All now tends to your happiness."

The Fairy ceased speaking, and the King threw himself ather feet. "Great Fairy," he exclaimed, "how can I thankyou for all the favours you have heaped on my family? Mygratitude for the benefits you have bestowed on us far exceedsmy power of expression; but, my august sister," added he,"that title encourages me to ask more favours; for, despite theobligations I am already under to you, I cannot avoid confessingto you that I shall never be truly happy so long as I amdeprived of the presence of my beloved Fairy Queen. Thisaccount of what she has done and what she has suffered for mewould increase my love and my affliction, were either of themcapable of being augmented. Ah, Madam," he added, "can younot crown all your benefactions by enabling me to behold her?"

The question was useless. If the Fairy had had the powerto have afforded him that gratification, she was too willingto have waited for the request: but she could not alter whatthe Council of the Fairies had decreed. The young Queenbeing a prisoner in the middle regions of air, there was notthe shadow of a chance of his being enabled to see her; andthe Fairy was about to explain this to him kindly, and toexhort him to await patiently some unforeseen events, ofwhich she might take advantage, when an enchanting melodystole upon their ears and interrupted her. The King, hisdaughter, the Queen, and the Prince, were in ecstasies,but the Fairy experienced another sort of surprise. Suchmusic indicated the triumph of some Fairy. She could notimagine what Fairy had achieved a victory. Her fears suggestedthat it was the old one, or the Mother of the Seasons,who in her absence had obtained, the former her liberty, orthe latter permission to persecute the lovers afresh.

She was in this perplexity when it was agreeably endedby the presence of her Fairy-sister, the Queen of the HappyIsland, who suddenly appeared in the centre of that charminggroup. She was no less lovely than when the King, herhusband, lost her. The monarch, who instantly recognisedher, making the respect he owed her yield to the love he had[Pg 321]cherished for her, embraced her with such transports of joy,that the Queen herself was surprised at them.

The Fairy, her sister, could not imagine to what fortunatemiracle she was indebted for her liberty; but the royal Fairyinformed her that she owed her happiness solely to her owncourage, which had impelled her to hazard her own existenceto preserve another's. "You are aware," said she to theFairy, "that the daughter of our Queen was received intothe order at her birth; that her father was not a sublunarybeing, but the sage Amadabak, whose alliance is an honour tothe fairy race, and whose sublime knowledge invests himwith much higher powers. Notwithstanding this, however,it was imperative for his daughter to become a serpent atthe end of her first hundred years. The fatal period arrived,and our Queen, as tender a mother, and as anxious respectingthe fate of this dear infant as any ordinary parent could be,could not resolve to expose her to the many chances of destructionin that shape, the misfortunes of those who had perishedbeing but too notorious for her not to feel the greatest alarm.My wretched situation depriving me of all hope of againbeholding my affectionate husband and my lovely daughter,I had conceived a perfect disgust for a life which I wasdoomed to pass apart from them. Without the least hesitation,therefore, I offered to become a crawling reptile in theplace of the young Fairy. I saw with delight a certain,prompt, and honourable mode of delivering myself from allthe miseries with which I was overwhelmed, by death or bya glorious emancipation, which would render me mistressof my own actions, and thereby enable me to rejoin myhusband.

"Our Queen hesitated as little to accept this offer, so gratifyingto her maternal affection, as I did to make it. Sheembraced me a hundred times, and promised to restore meto liberty unconditionally, and re-establish me in all my privileges,if I was fortunate enough to pass unharmed throughthat perilous enterprise. I did do so, and the fruit of mylabours was enjoyed by the young Fairy, for whom I hadbeen the substitute. The success of my first trial encouragedme to make a second for my own benefit. I underwent thetransformation anew, and was equally fortunate. This lastact made me an Elder, and, consequently, independent. I[Pg 322]was not long in profiting by my liberty, and flying hither torejoin a family so dear to me."

As soon as the Fairy had finished her narrative, the embraceswere renewed by her affectionate auditors. It was acharming confusion, in which each caressed the other almostwithout knowing what they were about: beauty, particularly,enchanted at appertaining to such an illustrious family,and no longer fearing to degrade the Prince, her cousin, bycausing him to form an alliance beneath him.

But although transported by the excess of her happiness,she did not forget the worthy man whom she had formerlybelieved to be her father. She recalled to her fairy auntthe promise she had made to her, that he and his childrenshould have the honour of being present at her marriage.She was still speaking to her on this subject when they sawfrom the window sixteen persons on horseback, most of whomhad hunting-horns, and appeared in considerable confusion.Their disorder evidently arose from their horses having ranaway with them. Beauty instantly recognised them as thesix sons of the worthy merchant, the five daughters, andtheir five lovers.

Everybody but the Fairy was surprised at this abruptentrance. Those who made it were not less so, at findingthemselves carried by the speed of their unmanageable horsesinto a palace totally unknown to them.

This is the way it happened. They were all out hunting,when their horses, suddenly uniting themselves as in onesquadron, galloped off with them at such speed to the Palacethat all their efforts to stop them were perfectly useless.

Beauty, thoughtless of her present dignity, hastened toreceive and re-assure them. She embraced them all kindly.The good man himself next appeared, but not in the samedisorder. A horse had neighed and scratched at his door.He had no doubt that it came to seek him by order of hisdear daughter. He mounted him without fear, and, perfectlysatisfied as to whither the steed would bear him, he was notat all surprised to find himself in the court-yard of a Palacewhich he now saw for the third time, and to which he feltconvinced he had been conducted to witness the marriage ofBeauty and the Beast.

The moment he perceived her he ran to her with open arms,[Pg 323]blessing the happy moment that presented her again to hissight, and heaping benedictions on the generous Beast whohad permitted him to return; he looked about for him inevery direction, to offer him his most humble thanks for allthe favours he had heaped on his family, and particularly onhis youngest daughter. He was vexed at not seeing him,and began to apprehend that his conjectures were erroneous.Still, the presence of all his children seemed to support theidea he had formed, as they would scarcely have been allassembled in that spot if some solemn ceremony, such as thatmarriage, were not to be celebrated.

These reflections, which the good man made to himself,did not prevent him from pressing Beauty fondly in his arms,and bathing her cheek with tears of joy. After allowing duetime for this first expression of his feelings, "Enough, goodman," said the Fairy. "You have sufficiently caressed thisPrincess. It is time that, ceasing to regard her as a father,you should learn that that title does not appertain to you,and that you must now do her homage as your sovereign.She is the Princess of the Happy Island, daughter of theKing and Queen whom you see before you. She is about tobecome the wife of this Prince. Here stands the Prince'smother, sister of the King. I am a Fairy, her friend, andthe aunt of Beauty. As to the Prince," added the Fairy,observing the expression of the good man's face, "he isbetter known to you than you imagine; but he is muchaltered since you last saw him. In a word, he was the Beasthimself."

The father and his sons were enchanted at these wonderfultidings, while the sisters felt a painful jealousy, but theyendeavoured to conceal it under the mask of a gratificationwhich deceived no one. The others, however, feigned tobelieve them sincere. As to the lovers, who had been renderedinconstant by the hope of possessing Beauty, and whohad only returned to their first attachments on their despairingto obtain her, they knew not what to think.

The merchant could not help weeping, without being ableto tell whether his tears were caused by the pleasure of seeingthe happiness of Beauty, or by the sorrow of losing so perfecta daughter. His sons were agitated by similar feelings.Beauty, extremely affected by this evidence of their love,[Pg 324]entreated those on whom she now depended, as well as thePrince, her future husband, to permit her to reward suchtender attachment. Her entreaty testified the goodness ofher heart too sincerely not to be listened to. They wereladen with bounties, and by permission of the King, thePrince, and the Queen, Beauty continued to call them by thetender names of father, brothers, and even sisters, though shewas not ignorant that the latter were as little so in heart asthey were in blood. She desired they would all, in return,call her by the name they were wont to do when they believedher to be a member of their family. The old man and hischildren were appointed to offices in the Court of Beauty, andenjoyed the pleasure of living continually near her, in astation sufficiently exalted to be generally respected. Thelovers of her sisters, whose passion for Beauty might easilyhave been revived, if they had not known it would be useless,thought themselves too happy in being united to the goodman's daughters, and becoming allied to persons for whomBeauty retained so much goodwill.

All those she desired to be present at her wedding havingarrived, the celebration of it was no longer delayed. Thefestivities lasted many days, and ended at length only becausethe fairy aunt of the young bride pointed out to them thepropriety of leaving that beautiful retreat, and returning totheir dominions, to show themselves to their subjects.

It was quite time she should recall their kingdom to theirrecollection and the indispensable duties which demanded theirpresence. Enraptured with the scenes around them, entrancedby the pleasure of loving and expressing their love toeach other, they had entirely forgotten their royal state andthe cares that attend it.

The newly-married pair, indeed, proposed to the Fairythat they should abdicate, and resign their power into thehands of any one she should select; but that wise beingrepresented to them clearly that they were under as great anobligation to fulfil the destiny which had confided to themthe government of a nation as that nation was to preserve forthem an unshaken loyalty.

They yielded to these just remonstrances, but the Princeand Beauty stipulated that they should be allowed occasionallyto visit that spot, and cast aside for a while the caresinseparable from their station, and that they should be waited[Pg 325]on by the invisible Genii or the animals who had attendedthem during the preceding years. They availed themselvesas often as possible of this liberty. Their presence seemed toembellish the spot. All were eager to please them. TheGenii awaited their visits with impatience, and receivedthem with joy, testifying in a hundred ways the delight theirreturn afforded them.

The Fairy, whose foresight neglected nothing, gave thema chariot, drawn by twelve white stags with golden horns andhoofs, like those she drove herself. The speed of these animalswas almost greater than that of thought; and, drawn by them,you could easily make the tour of the world in two hours.By this means they lost no time in travelling. They profitedby every moment of leisure, and went frequently in thiselegant equipage to visit their father, the King of the HappyIsland, who had grown so young again through the return ofhis Fairy Queen, that he equalled in face and form thePrince, his son-in-law. He felt also equally happy, beingneither less enamoured nor less eager to prove to his wife hisunceasing affection, while she, on her part, responded to hislove with all that tenderness which had previously been thecause of so much misfortune to her.

She had been received by her subjects with transports ofjoy as great as those of grief which her loss had occasionedthem. She had always loved them dearly, and her will beingnow unfettered, she proved as much, by showering upon themfor many centuries all the benefits they could desire. Herpower, assisted by the friendship of the Queen of the Fairies,preserved the life, health, and youth of the King, her husband,for ages. He only ceased to exist because no mortal can livefor ever.

The Queen and the Fairy, her sister, were equally attentiveto Beauty, her husband, the Queen, his mother, the oldman, and all his family, so that there never was known peoplewho lived so long. The Queen, mother of the Prince, causedthis marvellous history to be recorded in the archives of herkingdom and in those of the Happy Island, that it might behanded down to posterity. They also disseminated copies ofit throughout the Universe, so that the world at large mightnever cease to talk of the wonderful adventures of Beauty andthe Beast.

THE COUNT DE CAYLUS.

PRINCESS MINUTE AND KING
FLORIDOR.

There was, once upon a time, a King and Queen who diedyoung, and left a very fine empire to the Princess, their onlydaughter, who was then but thirteen years of age. Sheimagined that she knew how to reign, and all her goodsubjects persuaded themselves into the same idea, withoutwell knowing why: however, it is a profession which is notwithout its difficulties.

The King and Queen had at least the consolation, whendying, of leaving the Princess, their daughter, under theprotection of a friendly fairy. She was called Mirdandenne,and was a very good woman, but she added to the defect ofallowing herself to be prejudiced that of obstinacy in continuingso. As for the little Princess, she was so very diminutive,that they called her Minute.

Thus was this fine kingdom governed by prejudice andfrivolity; for the Princess had never been corrected in thetaste which she showed for trifles; and it was for her thatall those little knickknacks were invented, with which we havesince been overwhelmed.

This Princess exhibited the grandeur of her ideas by anact which I will select from a thousand such. She wouldnot retain as General of her forces, nay, even exiled from herCourt, a veteran distinguished for the services which he hadrendered the State. And why? Because he had appearedin her presence with a hat bound with silver when his coatwas laced with gold. She thought that a man who could beguilty of such negligence at Court would be also, for the[Pg 330]same reason, very capable of allowing himself to be surprisedby the enemy. The discernment which she flatteredherself as having shown in this instance, and the soundjudgment which the Fairy distinguished in her most frivolousideas, prove the existence of a delusion which would havebeen enough to turn a stronger head.

There was near this great country a little kingdom, so verysmall that I hardly know what to compare it to. A QueenMother had for a long time reigned over it, in the name ofPrince Floridor; but this good Queen died. Floridor, whowas the most affectionate son possible, felt this loss acutely,and always retained a feeling of gratitude for the obligationshe was under to her. One of the greatest was a perfect education—themost perfect, the most rigid, as far as concernedthe body, which had rendered him as robust as active; andthe mildest with regard to his mind, to which she had givenboth accomplishments and solidity. This young Prince washandsome and well formed. He governed wisely, withoutabusing his despotic power. His desires were well regulated—ina word, he would have been an amiable person in privatelife. His subjects adored him, and the strangers who visitedat the Court agreed that he would have conferred happinesson the greatest empire. But one thing they were not awareof was, that he owed to a charming Ant a great number of hisadvantages. She had been attached to him from his infancy.

At the death of the Queen the good Ant was his soleconsolation. He took no single step without going previouslyto consult this Ant, in a wood in the palace gardens,which she had chosen as her residence. He often abandonedthe Court and its pleasures to go and converse with her. Noweather prevented his presenting himself to her, and howeversevere might be the winter, she always came out of her anthill,which was the best regulated for an hundred milesround, and gave him advice full of prudence and wisdom.

You may easily have guessed that the pretty Ant of whomwe speak was a fairy. Her history, which dates back seventhousand years, will be found brought down to the twenty-twothousandth year of the world at the four hundred andsixtieth page of the volume for that year. It would thereforehave been easy for this Ant to give the King, whom sheloved so well, several kingdoms—for Fairies dispose of themat their own pleasure,—but the Ant was prudent, and prudence[Pg 331]is always guided by justice. It was not that she didnot heartily desire the advancement of Floridor, but shewished him to employ no means to obtain it but those thatmight increase the true glory with the love of which she hadinspired his heart.

The Ant was naturally patient: she waited for an opportunityto bring to light the virtues of her pupil. The conductof Minute, and the prejudice of Mirdandenne, soon furnishedher with one. They were informed that the flame of revoltwas kindled in the mighty kingdom of Minute. When thisnews had been confirmed by all the newspapers, the good fairyAnt desired King Floridor to set out, attended by a simplegroom, to assist the Queen, his neighbour. She gave him, atparting, nothing but a common sparrow, a little knife, whichis usually called ajambette,[25] and a walnut-shell. "My gifts,"said she, "appear mean; but make yourself easy respectingthem. They will be of service in your need, and I hope youwill be satisfied with them." He readily assured her of thatconfidence which her former favours had rendered it but justthat he should place in her, and having bidden her tenderlyfarewell, he set out on his journey; every inhabitant of hislittle kingdom regretting his departure as much as if he hadbeen a brother, a son, or a bosom friend.

He arrived in the capital of Queen Minute's dominions;he found it in a state of commotion, as they had heard thata neighbouring king was advancing rapidly, followed by aterrible army. He was coming with the design of seizing thekingdom. Floridor learnt that the Queen had retired to adelightful residence she possessed near the capital, and inwhich she had collected all sorts of brilliant gewgaws. Shehad, however, a motive for this retirement: she wished toconsider seriously and decide, without being interrupted,whether the troops which the Fairy had ordered to be leviedto oppose the usurper should wear blue or white cockades.The Queen was, notwithstanding, at this time twenty yearsof age. King Floridor having ascertained the road which ledto this country-house, proceeded there with all speed. Hishandsome face prejudiced Mirdandenne in his favour. Thecompliments which he paid to the Queen and her onlyincreased the good opinion which his first appearance hadinspired her with, and the offer of his services was all thebetter received as the state was in a very embarrassed situation.Minute appeared to Floridor to be charming.

Fromthat moment the King fell desperately in love. The zeal andalacrity always inseparable from that passion were displayedin his words and actions, and shone in his eyes; and it waswith extreme care he investigated the existing position ofaffairs. He wished to have recourse to the powers of Fairyland;but the blind prejudice of Mirdandenne had inducedher long before to give her wand to Minute, with the idea ofamusing her, and that Princess had made such a prodigal useof it, that it was worn out, and had neither strength norvirtue, particularly for important things. Floridor returnedto the capital, but found there neither fortifications normunitions of war.

Meanwhile the invader advanced nearer and nearer. Floridorsaw only a rival in the person of the hostile king; and findingno other resource, he was obliged to propose to the Queen totake flight, offering her with pride an asylum in his dominions.Prudence suggested to him a line of conduct which his couragecondemned; but it was necessary to save an unhappy sovereign,and he only made this proposition on condition of his beingallowed to return and expose himself to every danger, anduse every effort to restore to the Queen a throne which solegitimately belonged to her, the moment he had placedher person in safety in his little kingdom. Mirdandenne,convinced by all the King represented to her, accepted theproposition; but the Queen only consented to depart whenthey promised her that the horse she was to ride should havea rose-coloured harness, and Floridor had agreed to present herwith the sparrow which the fairy Ant had given him on hisleaving her. The bird was soon given, but though the departurewas urgent, they had to wait till a harness such asthe Queen wished for could be procured from the city. Itcame at length, and Floridor and Minute, with no other suitebut Mirdandenne, took the road to the King's dominions.Floridor was enchanted at being allowed to conduct Minuteto his own kingdom, and at believing himself to be usefulto her he adored. To be in love and a traveller are twothings which make people exceedingly talkative. Floridor,in announcing the limited extent of his states, at which hesometimes blushed, could not refrain from speaking of theobligations he owed to the good Ant. When he came, however,[Pg 333]to the details of their parting, the walnut, the littleknife, and the sparrow appeared to the Queen very singularpresents. She was very anxious to see the walnut: the Kinggave it to her without any scruples. As soon as it was inher hand, she cried, "Heavens, what do I hear!" She puther ear to it with the utmost attention, and then said, withsurprise mingled with curiosity, "I hear very distinctly littlevoices of men, neighing of horses, trumpets, in short, a singularmurmur. This is the prettiest thing in the world!" sheexclaimed. While the King was himself occupied by that whichamused her whom he loved, he perceived the scouts of therevolted army close upon them, and consequently ready to takethem prisoners. At this perilous moment, by an involuntarymovement, he broke the walnut, and out of it he saw issuethirty thousand effective men, horse, foot, and dragoons,[26] withartillery and all the necessary munitions of war. He placed himselfat their head, and showing a bold front to the enemy, hemade, without ever striking a blow, the most beautiful retreatin the world; he took possession in this way of the mountainshe found on his road, and saved the Queen from the hands ofher rebellious subjects. After this fine military manœuvre,which was not accomplished without much fatigue, and alarmat the danger the Queen had incurred, they halted severaldays on the mountain; but as all the country was up in arms,they perceived, on recommencing their march, another army,much more numerous than that which they had escaped, andwhich it would have been the height of rashness to givebattle to. In this cruel situation, the Queen asked for thelittle knife which the Ant had given to him, to use for sometrifling purpose; but finding that it did not cut to her fancy,she threw it away, saying, "There's a pleasant knife!" Themoment it touched the ground it made a considerable hole init. The King was struck with the talent of hisjambette,and immediately cut with it deep entrenchments all roundthe mountain, which rendered their position impregnable.

When this operation was finished, which only occupied himthe time necessary to make the circuit, the sparrow he hadpresented to Minute took wing, and flew to the summit ofthe mountain; then flapping its wings, it cried, in a terriblevoice, "Leave me alone to deal with them; you are about tosee a fine game. Let all descend the mountain, march uponthe enemy, and fear nothing." He was instantly obeyed, andthe sparrow raised the mountain as easily as if it had been astraw, and traversing the air with it, he let it fall upon thearmy of the enemy, crushing, no doubt, the greater part ofthem; the rest took flight and left the passage free. TheKing, who was solely occupied with the desire of seeing theQueen in safety, was anxious to put the horses to their speed;but as the march of an army is necessarily slow, he wouldhave been glad if it had re-entered the walnut-shell. Hardlyhad he formed the wish when it actually did so. He put itin his pocket, and they arrived in the little kingdom, wherethe good Ant received them with every mark of sincerefriendship.

When Floridor had made every arrangement for the accommodationof Minute, and was satisfied that she could wantfor nothing in the palace, he began to think of his departure,and he did so more cheerfully as the good Ant assured himof her attention to all that concerned the Queen. During thejourney he had lately performed, and the short time he hadpassed in his own dominions, he had taken the opportunityof declaring his passion to Minute, which she had been kindenough to approve. At length he was obliged to leave her;their adieus were tender, and Floridor set out with no otherassistance but that of a letter from Minute, addressed to hergood and faithful subjects, in which she required them to obeythe commands of King Floridor implicitly.

The good Ant neither gave him the walnut nor the little knifewhich he had returned to her when he came back: the Queenonly begged him to accept from her hand the sparrow whichhe had given her, praying that he would always carry it aboutwith him, as well as a scarf ofnonpareille [27] which she had herselfmade for him. The King followed exactly the same road thathe had taken in conducting the Queen, not only because loversare gratified by seeing again the places which are associatedin their memories with those whom they love, but because itwas also the shortest cut.

When he was near the transplantedmountain, the sparrow, rising in the air, took it up with thesame facility as before, and carried it back to the spot which ithad formerly occupied. The sparrow then in that terrible voicewhich he knew how to assume when he wished, said to thosewhom he found shut up under the mountain, "Be faithful toMinute, and do what King Floridor shall command you in hername." This singular sparrow then disappeared.

The mountain, it seems, was hollow, so those who hadfound themselves enclosed in it were as if under a bell; theyhad wanted for nothing during the time of their imprisonment;all the soldiers and officers who saw the light of dayagain with the utmost pleasure, ran in crowds to Floridor,whose handsome countenance interested them, and lookingupon him as a demi-god, they were ready to worship him.The King, moved by their obedience and the new vows offidelity to the lawful Queen, which they took at his hands,received their respects but not their adoration, after havingshown them the letter with which he was charged. He madethe army pass in review, and chose from it fifty thousand ofthe finest men, and of those to whose devotion a general'ssuccess is mostly due. He established in his new army avery strict discipline, of which he was both the author and example;and it was with these troops that he became invincible—thathe defied the countless forces of the usurper, whom heslew with his own hand in one of the last battles, and whosedeath restored to Minute a kingdom which she had entirelylost. Floridor marched through all the provinces of thisgreat state, and re-established the authority of Minute,whom he then hastened to rejoin.

But what a change did he find in the character and mindof this lovely Queen? The counsels of the good Ant, and,above all, Love, and the wish to please and be worthy ofFloridor, had completely corrected her only fault. She wasashamed of having always done little things with greatassistance, whilst her lover had done such great things withso little.

THE IMPOSSIBLE ENCHANTMENT.

Once upon a time there was a King who was very muchbeloved by his subjects, and who was equally fond of them.This Monarch had a great repugnance to marriage, and whatwas still more astonishing, love had never made the slightestimpression on his heart. His subjects, however, pressed sostrongly upon him the necessity of providing for the successionto the throne, that the good King finally consented totheir request. But as no woman he had as yet seen, hadawakened in him the faintest inclination to marry her, heresolved to seek in foreign lands that which his own hadfailed to present him with, and despite the severe and satiricalremarks of all his countrywomen, both handsome andugly, he set out on his travels, after having duly provided forthe maintenance of order and tranquillity in his dominions.He would take no one with him but a single equerry, a verysensible man, but not particularly brilliant. Such companionsare not always the worst upon a journey.

The King roamed in vain through several kingdoms, usingall his best endeavours to fall in love; but his time not beingcome, he retraced his road to his own dominions, after twoyears' absence and fatigue, in the same state of indifference ashe left them.

It happened, however, that in traversing a forest he hearda most fearful squalling of cats. The worthy equerry did notknow what to think of such a commencement of an adventure.All the stories of sorcerers that he had ever seen came into hishead. As to the King, he was unmoved by it. Courage andcuriosity combined to induce him to wait and see what wouldfollow this strange and disagreeable interruption. The noisecoming nearer and nearer, they at length saw an hundredSpanish cats rush by them through the Forest. You mighthave covered them all with a cloak, so well did they runtogether and so perfectly were they on the scent. They wereclosely followed by two of the largest monkeys that ever wereseen. They were dressed in amaranth-coloured coats. Theirboots were the prettiest and best made in the world. Theywere mounted on two superb English bull-dogs, and rode atfull speed, blowing little toy-trumpets. The King, surprisedat such a sight, gazed at them with great attention, when ascore of tiny dwarfs appeared, some mounted on lynxes andleading relays of them, others on foot with cats in couples.They were dressed in amaranth like the huntsmen, whichcolour seemed to be the livery of the equipage. A momentafterwards he perceived a young female as remarkable for herbeauty as for the proud air with which she rode a large tiger,whose paces were admirable.

She passed the King full gallop, without stopping or evensaluting him; but though she hardly looked at him, he wasenchanted with her, and his heart was gone like a flash oflightning.

All in agitation, he perceived a dwarf who had laggedbehind the rest of the company. He addressed him with allthat eagerness which the curiosity of love to obtain someinformation respecting the object of its admiration wouldnaturally occasion. The dwarf informed him that the ladyhe had just seen was the Princess Mutine, daughter of KingPrudent, in whose dominions they were at that moment.He told him, also, that the Princess was exceedingly fond ofthe chase, and that the pack he had seen pass was what shehunted rabbits with. The King asked nothing further,except the nearest road to the Court of King Prudent. Thedwarf pointed it out to him, and spurred on his lynx torejoin the hunt, and the King, with the impatience of a new-bornpassion, gave the spurs to his horse, and in less than twohours found himself in the capital of King Prudent's dominions.He was presented to the King and Queen, whoreceived him with open arms, the more graciously on learninghis name and that of his empire.

The beautiful Mutine returned from the chase shortly after[Pg 338]this presentation. Hearing that the Princess had killed tworabbits, he ventured to compliment her on so fine a day'ssport, but the Princess made no reply. He was rathersurprised at her silence, but he was still more so when heobserved that during supper she was equally taciturn. Henoticed only that there were moments when she appearedabout to say something, but that either King Prudent or theQueen (who never drank at the same time) immediatelycommenced speaking. This silence, however, did not preventthe increase of his passion for Mutine. The King retired tothe handsome apartment which had been assigned to him,and his worthy Equerry did not appear overjoyed when hefound his royal master so deeply in love. He did not evenconceal from him that he was sorry for it. "And why areyou sorry?" inquired the King. "The Princess is so beautiful;surely she is all I could desire." "She is beautiful, Iadmit," replied the Equerry. "But to be happy, somethingis required besides beauty. Pardon me, sire, but there issomething harsh in the expression of her features." "It ispride," said the King, "and very becoming in so beautiful awoman." "Pride or ill-nature, whichever you please; but thetaste she exhibits in her amusements, and her choice of somany mischievous animals, are to my mind convincing proofsof a cruel disposition. Moreover, the care that is taken toprevent her speaking is to me a very suspicious circumstance.The King, her father, is not called Prudent for nothing. Idon't fancy even her own name of Mutine. It appears to meonly a softening down or a diminutive of the appellationwhich would truly be applied to her from the impressionshe has made on me. For you know better than I do, thatit is too common a practice to gloss over the faults of personsof her rank."

The observations of the worthy Equerry were sensibleenough, but as objections only increase love in the hearts ofall men, and particularly in those of kings, who dislike beingcontradicted, this monarch the very next morning demandedthe hand of the Princess in marriage. As the previous indifferenceof the King had become notorious, the triumph ofthe charms of Mutine was complete. Her hand was accordedto him—but on two conditions. The first, that the marriageshould take place the very next morning; the second, that he[Pg 339]should not speak to the Princess until she was his wife. Onthis occasion the pretext for her silence was a solemn vowshe had taken in consequence of—the first thing that cameinto their heads: and the enamoured King only saw in thiscircumstance the proof of a truly religious feeling. Thosegreat precautions formed a new theme for the arguments ofthe Equerry, but they made no more impression than theformer did. The King, after listening to them, closed theconversation by saying, "It has cost me a great deal oftrouble to fall in love. I have done so at last. What thedeuce wouldst thou have? I mean to remain in love."

The rest of that day and all the following was passed indancing and feasting. The Princess was present, and tookher part in all the entertainments without uttering a singleword, and the first he heard her pronounce was the fatal"Yes," which bound her to him for life. As soon as shewas married she threw off all restraint, and the first day didnot pass without her having very liberally distributed a volleyof abuse and a host of impertinences amongst her maids ofhonour. In short, the mildest expressions she made use of inreturn for the most particular services were characterized byrudeness and ill-temper. Even the King, her husband, wasnot exempted from this sort of language; but as he was verymuch in love, and, moreover, a good-natured man, he bore itall patiently.

A few days after their marriage the newly-wedded pairtook the road to their own kingdom, and Mutine's departurewas not regretted by any one in her Father's. The cordialreception King Prudent had always given to foreigners hadno other motive than the hope of such a love as his daughter'scharms had succeeded in inspiring—a passion which was toostrong to pause for a better acquaintance with her mind andcharacter.

The worthy Equerry had had too much reason for his remonstrances,and the King perceived it too late. All the timethe new Queen was on the road she filled the hearts of herattendants with grief, anger, and despair. But once arrivedin her kingdom, her ill-temper and ill-nature were redoubled.By the time she had been a month on her throne her reputationwas perfect. She was acknowledged unanimously asthe worst Queen in the world.

One day that she was taking an airing on horseback in awood near the Palace, she perceived an old woman walking inthe high road. She was very simply dressed. This goodwoman having made her the best curtsey she could, continuedher route; but the Queen, who was only waiting for an occasionto give vent to her ill-humour, bade one of her pagesrun after the old woman, and bring her back. As soon asshe was in her presence she said, "Thou art very impertinentto make me no lower a curtsey! Dost thou not know I amthe Queen? I am more than half inclined to order my peopleto give thee an hundred lashes with their stirrup-leathers.""Madam," said the old woman, "I never knew exactly whatdifference there was in curtseys. It is clear I had no intentionof being disrespectful." "How!" exclaimed the Queen;"does she dare to answer me? Tie her instantly to the tailof my horse. I will take her with speed to the best dancing-masterin the city, and he shall teach her how to make me acurtsey."

The old woman begged for mercy whilst they tied her, butin vain. She even boasted of the protection of the Fairies.The Queen heeded the warning as little as the prayer. "Icare for them as little as I do for thee," she exclaimed, "andwert thou even thyself a Fairy, I would serve thee the sameway."

The old woman suffered herself patiently to be fastened tothe tail of the horse; but the instant the Queen would havegiven him the spur, he became motionless. In vain she endeavouredto stick the rowels into his side. He had becomea horse of bronze. The cords which fastened the old womanchanged at the same moment to garlands of flowers, and theold woman herself suddenly appeared eight feet high. Thenfixing on Mutine her fiery and disdainful eyes, she said to her,"Wicked woman! unworthy of the royal title thou bearest,I desired to judge myself if thou didst deserve the bad characterthey give thee in the world. I am satisfied thou dost,and thou shalt soon see whether the fairies are as little to befeared as thou fanciest." So saying, the Fairy Paisible (forit was she herself) whistled through her fingers, and a chariotwas seen advancing, drawn by six of the most beautifulostriches in the world, and in this chariot they recognised theFairy Grave, looking more grave even than her name. She was[Pg 341]at that time the Elder of the Fairies, and presided in all casesaffecting the Fairy community. Her escort was composed ofa dozen other Fairies, mounted on crop-tailed dragons.Notwithstanding her astonishment at the appearance of theFairies, Queen Mutine retained the proud and malevolentexpression which was so natural to her.

When this brilliant company had descended and dismounted,the Fairy Paisible related her adventure to them. The FairyGrave, who was very severe in the execution of her office,approved of Paisible's conduct, and then gave it as her opinionthat the Queen should be transformed into the same metal asher horse; but the Fairy Paisible objected to this, and withunequalled generosity, exerted herself to moderate all therigorous measures that were suggested for the punishment ofthe Queen.

At length, thanks to the kind Fairy, she was condemnedonly to be her slave until she was confined, for I had forgottento tell you that she was expecting to become a mother. Thissentence, which was pronounced in full court, decreed that, onher recovery, the Queen should be permitted to return to herhusband, and that the infant she had given birth to shouldremain the slave of the Fairy in her place.

They were polite enough to announce to the King thesentence that had been passed on his wife. He was compelledto give his assent to it. What could the worthy Princehave done, supposing he had objected?

After this act of justice, the Fairies returned each one toher own affairs. Paisible waited an instant the arrival ofher equipage, which she had sent for. It was a little carmade of various coloured bugles, drawn by six hinds, white assnow, with caparisons of green satin, embroidered with gold.One touch of her wand changed the Queen's dress intothe habit of a slave. In this attire she was made to mountan obstinate mule, and to follow, at a hard trot, the car of theFairy.

After an hour's jolting, the Queen arrived at Paisible'smansion. As you may easily believe, she was in great affliction,but her pride prevented her from shedding a single tear.The Fairy sent her to work in the kitchen, after giving herthe name of Furieuse, that of Mutine being too gentle forthe wickedness she was inclined to.

"Furieuse," said the Fairy Paisible, "I have saved yourlife, and perhaps conscience may hereafter reproach me for it.I will not give you any heavy work to do, out of compassionfor the unborn infant, who you are aware is to become myslave. I will, therefore, remove you from the kitchen, andset you only the task of sweeping my apartment, and combingmy little dog Christine." Furieuse knew there was no oppositionto be made to these commands. She took, therefore,the sensible course of doing exactly as she was bid as long asshe was able.

After some time, she gave birth to a Princess, as lovelyas day; and when her health was re-established, the Fairylectured her severely respecting her past life, exacted from hera promise to behave better in future, and sent her back to theKing her husband. One may imagine, from the kindness shownby the Fairy Paisible to so wicked a woman, what affectionatecare she would take of the young Princess who was left inher hands. She soon perfectly doated on her, and determinedto have her endowed by two fairies besides herself. She wasa long time deciding on the two godmothers she should select,for she feared that the resentment they all felt against themother might be extended to the child. At length, shethought that the Fairies Divertisante and Eveillée wereamongst the best natured of them, and invited them accordingly.They arrived in a Berlin,[28] made of Italian flowers,drawn by six grey ponies with beautiful flame-coloured manes.Eveillée's robe was composed of parrots' feathers, and herhair was dressed en chien fou.[29] The Fairy Divertisante hada robe of cameleon's skin, which made her appear alternatelyin every imaginable colour.

Paisible gave them both a capital reception, and to insuretheir good offices, I have been confidently informed, that(during the excellent supper they sat down to) she managedto make them just merry enough with wine. Having takenthis wise precaution, she had the lovely infant brought tothem. It was in a cradle of rock crystal, and swathed inclothes of scarlet embroidered with gold; but its beauty wasan hundred times more brilliant than its apparel.

The young Princess smiled at the Fairies, and made littleattempts to kiss them, which so pleased them that theydetermined to place her, as far as it laid in their power, beyondthe reach of the anger of their Elders. They began by givingher the name of Galantine.

The Fairy Paisible then said to them, "You know thatthe punishments we Fairies usually inflict, consist in changingbeauty to ugliness, intellect to imbecility, and in many casesresorting to transformation. Now, as it is impossible for usto endow her with more than one gift each, my advice is thatone of you should bestow upon her beauty, the other intelligence,and that I, for my part, should render it impossiblefor any one to change her form."

This advice was adopted, and followed upon the spot. Assoon as Galantine was endowed, the two Fairies took theirleave, and Paisible gave all her attention to the education ofthe little Princess. Never was such attention so well rewarded,for at four years of age her grace and beauty hadalready begun to make a noise in the world. In fact, theymade too much noise, for the circumstances of the case havingbeen reported to the Council of Fairies, Paisible, one morning,saw the Fairy Grave enter the court-yard of the Palace,mounted on a lion. She wore a long robe, very full, andconsequently very much plaited, of sky-blue colour, and onher head a square cap of gold brocade.

Paisible recognised her with as much anxiety as vexation,for her dress and the animal she rode proved that she cameto promulgate some decree: but when she perceived that shewas followed by the Fairy Rèveuse, mounted on a unicorn,and dressed in black morocco, faced with changeable taffeta,and wearing also a square cap, she no longer doubted that thisvisit had some very serious object.

In short, Fairy Grave, opening the business, said to her,"I am much surprised at the conduct you have pursuedtowards Mutine. It is in the name of the whole body ofFairies, whom she has insulted, that I come to reprimandyou. You were at liberty to forgive her offences to yourself,but you had no right to pardon her for those which she had[Pg 344]committed against the entire community. Nevertheless, youtreated her with mildness and kindness during the time sheresided with you. I therefore come to do strict justice, andpunish an innocent child for the acts of a guilty mother.You have endowed her with beauty and intelligence, and youhave also raised an obstacle against her transformation; butthough I cannot deprive her of the gifts you have bestowedupon her, I know how to prevent her deriving any advantagefrom them as long as she lives. She shall never be able toget out of an enchanted prison which I am about to buildfor her, until she shall find herself in the arms of a loverwho is beloved by her. It is my business to take care thatsuch an event shall never occur."

The enchantment consisted of a tower of great height andsize, built of shells of all colours, in the middle of the sea.On the lowest floor there was a great bath-room, into whichthe water could be admitted at pleasure. The bath wassurrounded by steps and slabs, on which you could walk withdry feet. The first floor was devoted to the apartment ofthe Princess, and it was really a magnificent affair. Thesecond was divided into several rooms. In one you saw afine library, in another a wardrobe full of beautiful linen andsuperb dresses for all ages, each more splendid than the other.A third was appropriated to music, a fourth was entirelyfilled with the most agreeable wines and liqueurs, and in thelast (which was the largest of all), nothing was to be seen butwet and dry sweetmeats, and preserves of every description,and all sorts of pies and patties, which by the power of theenchantment were kept always as warm as they were whenfirst taken out of the oven. The tower was terminated by aplatform on which there was a garden laid out full of thefinest flowers, which were renewed and succeeded each otherunceasingly. In this garden was also seen a fruit tree of eachsort, on which as fast as you gathered one fruit anotherappeared in its place. This lovely spot was ornamented bygreen arbours, rendered delicious by the shade and fragranceof the flowering shrubs that formed them, and the songs ofthe thousand birds that frequented them.

When the Fairies had placed Galantine in the tower, witha governess named Bonnette, they remounted the whale thathad taken them there, and retiring a certain distance from[Pg 345]this grand edifice, Fairy Grave, by a tap of her wand on thewater, assembled two thousand of the most ferocious sharks [30]in the ocean, and ordered them to keep strict watch aroundthe tower, and tear in pieces every mortal who should berash enough to approach it; but as ships are not muchafraid of sharks, she also sent for a quantity of remoras,[31]and commanded them to form an advanced guard, and stop,without exception, every vessel that by design or accidentshaped its course in that direction.

Fairy Grave felt so fatigued with having done so much inso short a time, that she requested Fairy Rèveuse to fly tothe top of the tower and enchant the air about it so powerfullyand completely that not even a bird should be able togo near it. The Fairy obeyed; but as she was an exceedinglyabsent being, she forgot some of the necessary ceremonies,and made some few mistakes. If the enchantment of thewater had not been more perfect than that of the air, thesafe keeping of Galantine, which they took so much troubleabout, would have been greatly endangered by sea.

The good governess occupied every instant of her time inthe proper education of Galantine; and although she lookedupon all the accomplishments that the Princess acquired ascompletely thrown away on one who would never have anopportunity of displaying them to the world, she neglectednothing that could tend to the improvement of her mind andthe cultivation of her talents, in all imaginable arts andsciences.

When the Princess had attained the age of twelve sheappeared to the governess a perfect prodigy. All the finequalities she discovered in her caused her deeply to deplorethe sad fate imposed on so amiable a person. Galantine, whoknew nothing about herself, perceiving her one day moremelancholy than usual, entreated to know the reason of it sourgently, that Bonnette related to her all her own historyand that of the Queen her mother.

Galantine was thunderstruck at this recital. "I had neverbefore," she exclaimed, "reflected on my position. I fanciedthat when I was old enough I should leave this retreat: butif I am condemned never to do so, of what value is life tome? Better surely would it be for me to die." The Princess,after this burst of grief, remained silent for some time,then added, "You say, my dear Bonnette, that the spellwhich is cast upon me cannot be broken until I shall lovesome one who loves me. Is this so difficult a matter? Idon't know what it may be, but I would endure anythingthat could assist to release me from this prison." Bonnettecould not help smiling at the simplicity of Galantine, andthen answered, "To love and to be beloved, it is necessarythat some young Prince should enter this tower to see andbe seen by you, and that he should be one who intends tomarry you, otherwise his appearance here would not be correct;now you know that it is not possible for any man to approachthese walls. Have I not told you all the precautions thathave been taken by sea and by sky. You must, therefore,my dear Galantine, make up your mind to pass your days inthis solitude."

This conversation produced a great change in the Princess.No amusements had charms for her any longer. Her melancholybecame excessive. She passed her days in weeping andin devising plans to escape from the tower.

One day that the Princess was sitting in her balcony, shesaw an extraordinary figure emerge from the water. Shecalled Bonnette immediately to come and observe it. It hadthe appearance of a man with a bluish countenance, and ill-curledhair of a sea-green colour. He approached the tower,and the sharks made no opposition to his progress. "Inmy opinion," said the Governess, "it is a Mer-man." "Aman do you say," exclaimed Galantine; "let us go down tothe gate of the tower, we shall see him better there." Assoon as they reached the gate, the Mer-man stopped to gazeon the Princess, and at her sight made several signs of admiration.He said something to her in a very hoarse voice; butas he found his language was not understood, he had recourseagain to signs. He had in his hand a little rush-basket filledwith the rarest shells. He presented it to the Princess, whotook it, and in her turn made signs to thank him; but as[Pg 347]night was coming on she retired, and the Mer-man plungedunder water.

As soon as Galantine had reached her own apartment,she said to her Governess, sorrowfully, "I think that manfrightful. Why did the villainous sharks who guard meallow such an ugly man to pass them, in preference to onewho was better looking? for I suppose they are not all likehim." "Not any like him, I should say," replied Bonnette;"and as to the sharks allowing him to pass, I presume that,being inhabitants of the same element, they do not harmeach other. They may even be his relations, or at leastfriends."

A few days after this first adventure, Bonnette and Galantinewere attracted to one of the windows of the tower bywhat appeared to them a singular sort of music, and whichindeed proved to be so. There was the same Mer-man that theyhad already seen, who, always up to his waist in the water,and his head covered with reeds, blew with all his might aspecies of conch-shell, the sound of which was something likethat of our ancient goat's horns. The Princess again descendedto the gate of the tower, and courteously accepted the coraland other marine curiosities which he presented to her. Afterthis second visit, he came every day under the windows of thePrincess, diving and grimacing, or playing on the charminginstrument I have described to you. Galantine contentedherself with curtseying to him in the balcony; but no longercame down-stairs, notwithstanding the signs by which theMer-man implored her.

Some days afterwards, the Princess saw him appear in companywith another of his species of the other sex. Her hairwas dressed with much taste, and her voice was charming.

This addition to the company induced Galantine andBonnette to descend again to the gate of the tower. Theywere much surprised when the lady (whom they now saw forthe first time) after having tried several languages, spoke tothem in their own, and complimented Galantine on her beauty.She perceived that the basement story, or bath-room, of whichI have spoken, was open and full of water. "Here," said she,"is a place made expressly for our reception; for it is impossiblefor us to live entirely out of our element." She immediatelyentered, and reclined as one does in a bath, and her[Pg 348]brother (for she was the sister of the Mer-man) placed himselfbeside her in a similar attitude. The Princess and her governesssat down on the steps which were continued round theapartment.

"I suspect, madam," said the Syren, "that you haveabandoned your residence on the earth in consequence ofbeing beset by crowds of lovers. If that be really the causeof your retirement, you will not obtain your object here; formy brother is already dying for love of you, and when theinhabitants of our great city have perceived you, he will certainlyhave them all for his rivals."

The brother, who imagined she was speaking of him, at thatmoment made signs of assent with his head and his hands, andcontinued to do so when she was not speaking of him at all.

The Syren expressed to her the regret of her brother at notbeing able to make himself understood. "I am his interpreter,"she continued, "thanks to the languages which Iwas taught by a fairy." "You have fairies, then, also amongstyou?" said Galantine, accompanying the question with aheavy sigh. "Yes, madam," replied the Syren, "we havea few; but, if I am not deceived, you have suffered someinjuries from those who inhabit the earth? At least the sighwhich escaped you would justify me in so believing." ThePrincess, who had not been enjoined secresy on the subject,recounted to the Syren all that Bonnette had told her.

"You are much to be pitied," said the Syren, when Galantinehad finished her story. "Nevertheless your misfortunesmay not be without a remedy; but it is time to terminatemy first visit." The Princess, delighted at the hope she heldout to her, said a thousand kind things to her, and theyseparated with a promise to see one another frequently.

The Princess appeared charmed with this adventure.Independently of the hope the Syren had inspired her with,it was much to have found some one with whom it was possibleto enjoy a little society. "We shall make the acquaintance,"said she to her governess, "of several of these Mer-men,and they may not all be as hideous as the first we have seen.At any rate we shall not be always alone." "Good heavens,"said Bonnette; "how easily young people do flatter themselves.I tell you I am afraid of those folks. But what say you,"continued she, "to the handsome lover of whom you have made[Pg 349]a conquest?" "I say that I shall never love him," repliedthe Princess, "and that he is exceedingly disagreeable to me;but," pursued she, "I would fain discover if he cannot, bymeans of his relative the Fairy Marine, contrive to do mesome service." "I repeat to you," insisted Bonnette, "thatthose odd-coloured faces and great fish-tails are alarming." ButGalantine being younger, was consequently bolder and lessprudent.

The Syren came to see her several times, and always talkedto her of her brother's affection; the Princess, constantly occupiedby her ideas of escaping from prison, encouraged theconversation, and at length induced the Syren to promise shewould bring the Fairy Marine to pay her an early visit, andthat she would instruct her what to do.

The Fairy came with the Syren the very next morning;the Princess received her as her liberator. Some short timeafter her arrival she requested Galantine to show her overthe Tower, and to take a turn with her in the garden, for(with the assistance of two crutches) she could manage towalk about, and as she was a Fairy, she was able to remainout of the water as long as she pleased, only it was necessaryfor her to moisten her forehead occasionally, for which purposeshe always carried a little silver fountain suspended from hergirdle.

Galantine acceded to the request of the Fairy, and Bonnetteremained in the hall to entertain the rest of the company.When the Fairy and the Princess had entered the garden, theformer said, "Let us lose no time. Let us see if there isanything I can do to serve you." Galantine told her all herhistory, not omitting the smallest details; and the Fairythen said to her, "I can do nothing for you, my dearPrincess, on the land, my power does not extend beyond myown element; but you have a resource, and one in which Ican assist you with all the art I possess. If you will doGluatin the honour to marry him, an honour which he mostardently aspires to, you can come and live with us. I willteach you in a moment to dive and to swim as well as we do.I will harden your skin without blemishing its whiteness, andso prepare it, that the coldness of the water, in lieu of inconveniencingyou, shall give you the greatest pleasure. Mycousin," added she, "is, as you may suppose, one of the best[Pg 350]matches in the ocean, and I will do so much for him in considerationof your alliance that nothing shall have everequalled your mutual happiness."

The Fairy spoke with so much fervour, that the Princesshesitated to refuse, and requested a few days to consider. Asthey were about to rejoin the company, they perceived avessel in the distance. The Princess had never before seenone so distinctly, as none had ever ventured to come so nearthe Tower. They could easily distinguish on the deck of thisship a young man reclining under a magnificent pavilion, andwho appeared to be very attentively surveying the Tower bymeans of a telescope; but the distance was still too great forthem to see anything more.

The vessel beginning to recede, Galantine and the Fairyreturned to the company, the latter much pleased at theprogress of her negotiation. She told the Princess, on leavingher, that she should shortly come again to know heranswer.

As soon as the Fairy was gone, Galantine related to hergoverness all that had passed between them. She was verysorry to see that her pupil was half inclined to yield to theFairy's persuasions. She was dreadfully afraid of being compelledin her declining years to become an old Syren herself.To avert all the misfortunes she foresaw, she hit upon thefollowing idea. As she could paint miniatures to perfection,she set to work, and by the next morning produced one of ayoung man with fair hair, dressed in large curls, the finestcomplexion in the world, blue eyes, and his nose slightlyretroussé; in fact, presenting an assemblage of all the featuresthat could compose a charming portrait, and we shall see inthe end that some supernatural power must have assisted herin a work which she had undertaken solely to show Galantinethe difference between a man of the world and her marineadorer, and so dissuade her from a marriage which was not atall to her taste.

When she presented her work to her, the Princess wasstruck with admiration, and asked her if it were possiblethat any man on earth could resemble that portrait. Bonnetteassured her that there were many such, and someeven handsomer. "I can scarcely believe it," replied Galantine,"but alas, neither the original of this portrait, nor any one[Pg 351]like him, can ever be my husband. They will never seeme, nor I them as long as I live. Oh, how miserable is myfate!"

Nevertheless, Galantine passed the whole day in gazing onthis miniature. It had the effect Bonnette anticipated. Itruined Gluatin's affairs, which had previously been put inpretty good train; but the governess almost repented havingpainted so handsome a face, as the Princess gave up eatingand drinking in order to have more time to gaze upon it. Ifever a portrait was capable of inspiring a real passion, it wasassuredly in this case and under the circumstances hererelated.

The Fairy Marine returned a few days after the visit wehave described, to ascertain what were the intentions ofGalantine; but this young creature, engrossed by her newpassion (for she was positively in love with the portrait),could not control herself as prudence would have suggested.She not only broke off with the Fairy abruptly, but, whatwas worse, she exhibited so much contempt and aversionfor Gluatin, that the Fairy, indignant at the style ofher refusal, left the Princess with a determination to berevenged.

In the meanwhile the Princess had made a conquest shewas unconscious of. The vessel she had seen so near herresidence had on board the handsomest Prince in the world.He had heard of the Enchanted Tower, and determined to gonearer to it than any one had yet done. He possessed suchexcellent glasses, that in surveying the Tower, simply from amotive of curiosity, he caught sight of the Princess, and thebest proof of the goodness of his glass, and that he musthave seen her distinctly is, that he fell desperately in lovewith her.

Like a young man and a new lover, two conditions in whichnothing is thought too hazardous, he was eager to cast anchornear the Tower, lower a boat, and encounter all the dangersthat the enchantment could threaten him with; but all hiscrew upon their knees implored him not to venture. HisEquerry, who was more frightened than any, or whose knowledgeof the circumstances rendered him more competent toform an opinion, was most eloquent. "You would lead us allto certain death, my Lord," said he; "deign to return on[Pg 352]shore, and I promise you to go in search of the Fairy Commode.She is a relation of mine, and has always been very fond ofme. I will answer for her zeal and her skill. I am perfectlysure she will do you good service." The Prince yielded, butvery reluctantly, to so many good arguments. He landedtherefore on the nearest point of land, and despatched hisEquerry to find his relative, and implore her protection andassistance. In the meanwhile he ordered a tent to be pitchedon the sea shore, and, glass in hand, sat incessantly lookingeither at the Princess or at her prison, and his imaginationbecoming more and more excited, often presented to him itsown creations for realities.

At the end of a few days the Equerry returned with the FairyCommode. The Prince received her with the greatest demonstrationsof affection. The Equerry had informed her duringtheir journey of the state of the case. "In order to lose notime," said she to the Prince, "I will send a white pigeon, inwhich I place implicit confidence, to examine the enchantment.If he finds a flaw in it anywhere, he shall enter the gardenthat crowns the Tower, and I will order him to bring backsome flowers as a proof that he succeeded in finding an entrance.If he can get in, I will soon find a way to introduceyou." "But," said the Prince, "can I not, by means ofyour pigeon, send a note to the Princess, declaring thepassion with which she has inspired me?" "Certainly youcan," said Commode, "and I advise you to do so." ThePrince immediately wrote the following letter:—

When this note was written, they tied it round the neckof the Pigeon, who only awaited his dispatches, for he hadalready received his instructions. He rose gracefully into theair, and flew off as fast as his wings would carry him; butwhen he approached the tower there issued from it a furiouswind that repelled him violently. He was not, however, tobe disheartened by such an obstacle, and after making many[Pg 353]circles round and round about the building, he discovered theweak point which the Fairy Rèveuse had left in the enchantment.He slipped through it instantly, and flew down intothe garden to wait for the Princess and to rest himself.

The Princess generally took her walk alone; from inclination,because a passion engrossed her heart; from necessity,because the Governess could no longer ascend to that heightwithout great fatigue. As soon as the Pigeon saw her appear,he flew to her in the most flattering manner. Galantinecaressed him, and seeing a rose-coloured ribbon round hisneck, she wondered what it was put there for. How greatwas her surprise when she perceived the note! She read it,and this was the answer she returned by the Pigeon:—

She fastened this letter in the same manner as they haddone that which she had just received, and dismissed thePigeon, who did not forget that he was ordered to bring backa flower from the garden; but as he was well aware of theimportance lovers often attach to trifles, he stole one from abouquet the Princess wore in her bosom, and flew away.

The return of this bird gave the Prince such extremedelight, that, but for the anxiety he was still under, he mightperhaps have lost his senses. He wanted to send the Pigeonback instantly with a miniature of himself, which, by thegreatest chance in the world, he happened to have amongsthis baggage; but the Fairy insisted on an hour's rest for hercourier, which the Prince employed in writing verses to sendwith his portrait.

The Pigeon, duly furnished with miniature and verses, setout once more for the tower. The Princess was not certainhe would return so soon, but she was looking out for him, notwithstanding.She was in the garden, and had said nothingof this last adventure to her Governess, for she began to feelthat love of mystery and reserve with which a first passion[Pg 354]usually inspires one. She eagerly detached the miniaturefrom the Pigeon's neck, and her surprise was infinite when,on opening the case, she discovered that the portrait of PrinceBlondin perfectly resembled that which Bonnette had paintedfrom fancy. It was one of those fortunate accidents which itis impossible to account for.

The delight of Galantine was extreme at making this agreeablediscovery; and to express in the prettiest possible wayher own sentiments, she took the Prince's miniature out of itscase, put in its place the one she thought best of the manywhich Bonnette had painted of her, and immediately sent thePigeon back with it, who began to be rather fatigued, andwould not long have been able to serve two lovers who keptup a correspondence so uncommonly active.

Prince Blondin had kept his eyes constantly turned in thedirection of the tower, awaiting the return of his courier. Atlength he saw the blessed Pigeon approaching; but whatwere his feelings as soon as he could discern that the bird hadfastened round his neck the same case that he had taken awaywith him! He was nearly dying with grief. The fairy, whohad never left him, consoled him as well as she could, andtook herself from the Pigeon's neck the case, which he evenrefused to look at. She opened it, and pointed out to him hiserror. In an instant he went into a transport of joy thatcould only be compared for its intensity to that he had justendured of affliction. "We will lose no time," said Commode;"I can only make you happy by changing you into abird; but I will take care that you shall be re-transformed atthe right moment." The Prince, without hesitation, consentedto the transformation, and to anything else whichcould assist him to approach the person he adored. The goodCommode thereupon touched him with her wand, and hebecame in an instant the prettiest little Humming-bird in theworld, joining to the attractions which nature has bestowedon that charming bird that of being able to speak in the mostagreeable way possible.

The Pigeon received fresh orders to conduct him to thegarden. Galantine was astonished to see a bird she had noknowledge of; but his being accompanied by the Pigeon puther heart in a flutter, and the Humming-bird, flying to her,said, "Good morning, beautiful Princess." She had never before[Pg 355]heard a bird speak, and this novelty increased the gratificationwith which she received this one. She took him on her finger,and he immediately said to her "Kiss, kiss Colibri." She didso with great pleasure, over and over again. I leave you toimagine if the Prince was delighted, and if he was not at thesame time very much vexed that he was only a Humming-bird,for lovers are the only persons in the world who are happyand miserable at the same time.

Commode, however, knew by her art that this was exactlythe moment to restore the Prince to his natural form, whichshe did so quickly that the Princess, in the twinkling of aneye, found herself pressed to the heart of a lover whom sheloved.

The spell was broken. That instant the tower trembledand rocked to his foundations. Its walls even began toopen. Bonnette, who was below-stairs, in the greatest alarmascended to the terrace, at least to perish with the Princess.The rocking of the tower increased as she mounted the staircase,and when she arrived at the top and saw the wholebuilding lean over and on the verge of falling into the sea,she fainted outright.

At the same moment the two fairies, Commode and Paisible,arrived in a chariot of Venetian glass, drawn by six eagles ofthe largest size. "Save yourselves quickly," they cried to thetwo lovers. "The tower is falling, and you will perish with it."They leapt into the fairy car, without having had time to saya word to each other; but the Prince managed at the samemoment to fling the Governess, still in her swoon, into thebottom of the car. Scarcely had they begun to rise in theair, when the tower toppled over, and, with a horrible noise,fell, a mass of ruins, into the sea. The Fairy Marine, Gluantin,and his friends, in order to be revenged on the Princess, hadsapped the foundations.

Marine, perceiving that her designs were foiled by theintervention of the two Fairies, determined to try if she couldnot by open war obtain possession of Galantine. She suddenlyformed an immense chariot out of some exhalations,and, entering it with all her family, filled every availablespace in it with oysters in their shells, fragments of rock,stones, and other trifles of that description. With thischariot and this ammunition she caused herself to be wafted[Pg 356]by a high wind to the sea-shore, to intercept the car of glass.She did even more—she commanded all the wild ducks andsea-fowl of every sort for ten leagues round to come in flocksto darken the air, and oppose the landing of the Fairies.This order was executed with a quacking and squalling thatwas insupportable.

Our two lovers thought themselves lost; but as they hada taste for the destruction of enchantments, they wished totry what they could do against this. The Fairies, however,did not consider it necessary. Commode produced from thebox-seat of the car a great quantity of petards and rockets,which she had provided apparently for the purpose of makinga display of fireworks. But whatever might have been herreason for bringing them, she now used them with mucheffect, for she directed so many against these troublesomefowl, that they were compelled to disperse. The enemy inthe chariot then had recourse to their last weapons. Notone of the Marine party doubted that, with the oysters andstones, they should shatter the glass car to fragments in afew moments. It was not a bad idea, and we may evenpresume that they would have achieved their object if theFairy Paisible had not taken out of her pocket a burning-glasswhich she always carried about with her.

It is best to be candid. I frankly admit that I never veryclearly understood for what purpose she constantly carried thatparticular utensil. But she placed it, however, on this occasion,in such a position that it speedily warmed her enemiesafter a fashion as new as it was disagreeable. They utteredthe most fearful shrieks, and the exhalations being dispelledby the power of the sun, all the Marine family, with theFairy herself, were precipitated pell-mell into the ocean,leaving our two victorious Fairies to continue their journeyto the dominions of Queen Mutine.

On arriving in them they found she was dead. She hadendeavoured, partly from fear of some new punishment, partlyfrom conviction, to control her temper. In this attempt shehad swallowed so many violent expressions, and stifled somany wicked impulses, that these prodigious and continuedefforts, after causing her several severe fits of illness, at lengthterminated fatally.

She had been dead, indeed, some years. The good king[Pg 357]who had married her, quietly enjoyed the sweets of hiswidowhood; and though he had no other children than thedaughter whom he never expected to see again, nothing inthe world could have induced him to marry a second time.He governed his estates very peacefully, and the good KingPrudent, Galantine's grandfather, had just arrived, notwithstandinghis great age, to pass the holidays with him.

What joy for these two worthy sovereigns. The wholeCourt soon participated in it, as the news spread of thearrival of the Fairies with a charming Princess, who was theirKing's daughter.

The marriage of the two lovers was fixed for the nextmorning. Couriers were instantly dispatched in all directions,to beg the Fairies generally to honour the nuptials with theirpresence. You may believe that Fairy Grave was not forgotten.In short, they arrived from all quarters. Festivities,balls, tournaments, grand banquets, succeeded each other formany days. They bantered, and at the same time thanked,Fairy Rèveuse, for the blunder she had made in her enchantments.She defended herself by observing that lovers werealways more ingenious than magicians were skilful, and thatto prevent their success it would require an enchantment thatwas impossible.

I forgot to tell you that the Governess recovered from herswoon immediately on her arriving at the Palace. In short,everybody was satisfied, and the Fairies, after sharing in thefestivities for several days, departed, each to manage herown affairs, or to enjoy new pleasures. Our lovers werealways constant, and became the happiest sovereigns on theface of the earth.

BLEUETTE AND COQUELICOT.

There was once upon a time a Fairy named Bonnebonne,who became weary of the great offices in Fairy Land to whichher character and talents had elevated her. She retired fromstate affairs, and chose for her retreat an island situated inthe midst of a very beautiful lake, bordered by the most rich,smiling, and luxuriant scenery. This charming retreat wascalled the "Island of Happiness." It is known to haveexisted; it is even believed by some to be always in thecountry adjoining their own; but the geographers have notyet laid it down in any map, and I have never read of anytraveller fortunate enough to land on it. It is sufficient forus, however, that we have a full account of it in the annals ofthe Fairies.

Bonnebonne, as we have already stated, weary of theworld, and not caring to pay court to it, demanded of theQueen of the Fairies permission to withdraw from it altogether,and went to reside in the Island of Happiness. Itwas there that, with the finest library and all the knowledgeshe had acquired in the world, she became the most clever ofall the fairies. She made all her neighbours happy, andgratitude was the foundation of her authority. Independentlyof a natural inclination to oblige, a sentiment whichretirement from the great world by no means tends to diminish,there is a great satisfaction in seeing those around us happy.

In order to enjoy this real pleasure, and at the same timeto avoid being overwhelmed with foolish petitions, she hadplaced, at short distances from each other, columns of whitemarble, to which those addressed themselves who had either[Pg 359]requests or complaints to make. These columns were constructedin such a manner that, on speaking in a whisper tothem, they repeated every word distinctly, and in the sametone of voice, in a cabinet of the castle. Bonnebonne hadlodged in this cabinet a niece whom she had brought up as afairy, and who gave her an account every evening of all thatthe columns had reported, and the Fairy then pronouncedher decisions.

The principal occupation of Bonnebonne was to educate andmake children happy: she gave them for breakfast as well asfor luncheon everything they could wish for in sweetmeatsand pastry; but when they had been a fortnight in thishappy dwelling, they cared no more for sugar-plums, butpassed the day in running on the grass, gathering nuts in thewoods, or flowers in the gardens. They went on the lake inpretty boats, which they rowed themselves—in short, theydid all day just whatever they liked, and happiness consistsprincipally in liberty. It is true that they had nurses andtutors, but they were generally invisible. They informedBonnebonne of anything their pupils had done that was wrong,and for this she reprimanded the offender, but always withmildness, for she was the most kind-hearted woman in theworld.

Sometimes the nurses and preceptors made themselvesvisible, and on these occasions they might be seen suppingall together on the turf, or dancing and singing, or amusingthemselves in making toys and dolls; in short, nothing hadan air of severity in this happy abode, and no one left itwithout the greatest regret. But as all must submit to fate,and the Fairies themselves are obliged to obey it, when theyoung people had attained a certain age—that is to say,twelve or fifteen years,—and when the lessons of the Fairyhad made a sort of impression on the minds of her pupils, andshe considered them sufficiently well informed to enter intothe world, she was obliged to send them home, which shealways did laden with caresses and presents, and assurances ofa friendship the proof of which she frequently gave them inthe after course of their lives.

Amongst the number of children confided to her care bytheir parents, there was a little girl named Bleuette, so prettyand so good that Bonnebonne preferred her to all the rest,[Pg 360]and loved her to distraction. She was affectionate withoutbeing troublesome, and lively without being fatiguing; herface expressed the sweetness of her character: her beautyincreased with her age, and possessed that peculiar brilliancywhich is so dazzling. It is to her rare beauty that we owethe familiar saying, still in use amongst us, when we speak ofanything which has dazzled us, "J'ai vu des Bleuettes."

A boy, about two years older than Bleuette, also inhabitedthe Island of Happiness; he was called Coquelicot: his facewas charming, it was as bright as his mind, and his prettylittle graceful ways were equally pleasing to Bonnebonne.That which rendered both more charming was, that in theirinfancy they became inseparable, and that the vivacity of theone was tempered by the mildness and tenderness of the other.Bonnebonne daily enjoyed observing the impression and progresswhich true love makes upon innocence and ingenuousness.She was constantly occupied in the study of it, andfelt that all other happiness, which she knew so well how toprocure, could not be compared to it; indeed, what felicitycan be placed in the balance with that of two hearts whichlove has united by similarity of taste and temper?

Coquelicot, quick as he was, perhaps, indeed, too soon excited,was moderate and even mild in all that regarded Bleuette,who on her part, was only animated and vivacious in matterswhich concerned Coquelicot. The birth and progress of thesesentiments had been their delight; the sweet emotions whichthey exhibited were the charm of Bonnebonne's existence,for she said to herself a hundred times, "Good Heavens! howpretty are these poor children! How they love each other!How happy they are; they never think of leaving my Island.Never have more happy subjects inhabited my empire!"

On an evening of one of the most beautiful of summerdays, all the lovely children were playing and amusing themselvesin different parts of this enchanted residence, whenall at once there appeared in the air a car drawn by six flame-colouredgriffins: the car was of the same colour, relieved withblack ornaments: it bore the Fairy Arganto. Her hair waspowdered brown with a slight sprinkle of red.[32]

Her dresswas of the same colour as the car. Her griffins alighted atthe portico of the castle, whither Bonnebonne and her niecehad repaired to do the honours to the Fairy, and assist her todescend. After the first compliments, Arganto confessed toBonnebonne that not being able to understand the pleasuresof retirement, and disgusted by some disagreements at Court,she had wished to judge for herself of the pleasures and caresof a life like hers, and that, in order to be perfectly enlightenedon the subject, she had come to the resolution of passing somedays with her.

Bonnebonne kindly replied that she would willingly satisfyher, and hide nothing from her. "The beauties of nature,"added she, "are the pictures which I study; its fruits are mytreasures; its secrets the object of my researches, and mypleasures are solely dependent on the happiness of others.Infancy is the state of humanity which can be made the mosthappy; you will find me, therefore, only surrounded by theprettiest children nature has produced."

So saying, she led Arganto further into the Island, at eachstep encountering troops of little children of both sexes andall ages, whose natural manners inspired true gaiety; somedanced, others played at blindman's-buff, some amused themselvesplaying at "ladies and gentlemen," in short they passedquickly from one fancy to another; their characters werethus developed, and it was easy to imagine what each wouldbecome at a more advanced age. Arganto thought thisrecreation of Bonnebonne very poor; she judged of it as aperson of fashion, that is to say, with contempt. She toldher companion that she could not conceive the pleasure ofsuch amusements, unless some ingenuity was employed toimprove them: it was in vain that Bonnebonne eulogizedthem. She would not be persuaded; at length, continuingtheir walk, they met Bleuette and Coquelicot, conversingtogether, who saw nothing but themselves in nature, andwho had no pleasure, no wish, no occupation nor will but incommon.

Bonnebonne called them, and they ran towards her withthat confidence and affection which her goodness and theirgratitude had inspired them with. Arganto was struck withthe charms of their countenances, and said as much to them;they blushed, and thanked the Fairy for each other. "I[Pg 362]agree," said she to Bonnebonne, "that nature could notpresent a more agreeable picture than that of these lovelychildren; but," continued she, "are they as intelligent astheir features would seem to denote?" "Most assuredly,"replied Bonnebonne, "it may not be perhaps the kind of intelligenceto please you, for it is quite natural. Besides this,they love each other more than they choose to acknowledge,especially to a stranger." The Fairies then embraced thema thousand times, and left them together.

Bonnebonne agreed with Arganto not to trouble herselfabout her during her stay, but to occupy herself as usual withher studies; but the latter could not help speaking of theimpression which Bleuette and Coquelicot had made on her,and she requested they might keep her company.

Arganto was born wicked, and wickedness looks with impatienceon the happiness of others, and is always at work todestroy it, even if with no other motive but that of doingmischief. Upon these fearful principles, she employed thetime of her visit in pointing out to her young companionsthe poverty and insipidity of the place they inhabited; they,whom nature had formed for the delight and ornament of themost brilliant Court; and then she gave them a glowingdescription of the abodes of kings. "You are enchanted,"said she, continually, "with the life which you lead; but doyou know any other? The splendour of the world, the fêteswhich are given to beauty alone, the preference which is atall times accorded to it, are the real triumphs of a pretty girl;"it was thus she spoke to Bleuette. "And you," addressingherself to Coquelicot, "with the spirit you possess, whatwould you not do at Court? You certainly must be brave;and of what are you not capable?"

This wicked discourse made by degrees the impressionwhich Arganto wished upon the minds of these amiablechildren. They sought each other's company as usual, butthey found each other no longer occupied with themselvesalone: they began by self reproaches, and at length madereciprocal confessions, for they could no longer talk of anythingelse but the opinions of the Fairy. Love, and thehope of not being separated, it is true, were the foundationof their projects; but curiosity, and the novelty of all whichArganto had told them, and above all, self-love, the poison of[Pg 363]life, perverted at length their innocent minds; they abandonedthemselves to the wicked fairy, who, in order to makethem fall more easily into the snare she had laid for them,did not neglect to destroy the respect and gratitude theyentertained for Bonnebonne, by telling them, "She is aprovincial fairy, whose taste is not at all refined. Her characternot suiting the Court, she is too happy to be able tokeep you with her; she sacrifices your fortunes to the pleasureand use which you are of to her." It was by such discourseas this that she induced these children to become ungrateful:she promised them not to forsake them, and assured themthat, being a more powerful fairy than Bonnebonne, theyneed not be anxious about anything. She did even more,—shewarned them of all that the good fairy would say to themwhen she should learn the resolution they had taken: inshort, they promised to follow her after she had again giventhem her word that they should not be separated.

When Arganto was well assured of the part they had taken,she said to Bonnebonne that it was time she should cease totrouble her in her retreat, and begged her, at the same time,to allow her to take with her Bleuette and Coquelicot. Thegood Fairy, who had perceived nothing, and who had no suspicionof the designs of Arganto, as she had herself orderedthem to pay court to and obey the Fairy, whilst she wasoccupied in her cabinet, and above all, because a good heartcannot imagine ingratitude: Bonnebonne, as I said before,consented to Arganto's request, with the understanding, however,that the proposition should please the young couple,feeling quite convinced that they would never wish to leaveher. The question was put to them on the spot. Whatwas the astonishment of Bonnebonne when they accepted theproposal to abandon her and follow the Fairy! They set atnought all her reasonings, so full of friendship and goodadvice; they were too deeply prejudiced against her. Bonnebonnethen said to them, with mildness, "It is convictionwhich makes happiness. You would cease to be happy inthis abode, because you imagine greater felicity awaits you inanother country: depart, let nothing detain you," said she,with tears in her eyes, "may you be contented."

Bleuette and Coquelicot were moved by this tender discourse,and on the point of falling at the feet of this adorable[Pg 364]fairy, and conjuring her to forget that they had ever had theidea of separating from her; but the emotion they felt at themoment made them both faint away, so that the wickednessof Arganto was not required to counteract this return ofgood feeling. She herself was touched by so tender a scene,and at the moment almost repented having caused so muchsorrow to three persons, who were only to blame for placingtoo much confidence in her. Not knowing exactly what todo, she prepared to set out alone, when Bonnebonne said,"I might complain of the manner in which you have abusedthe reception I have given you: but the great fruit ofstudy and of solitude is forgiveness of injuries. I amnot, therefore, at all affected by it myself, but I feel forthe misfortune of these young people—I love them both.""I will not take them away, then," replied Arganto; "yousee they have refused me, and you cannot doubt the attachmentthey feel for you." "No," replied Bonnebonne, "Ifeel myself compelled to beg you to take with you those Iloved best in my retreat; you have perverted them, theirhearts are no longer what they were: they would henceforthonly live with me out of compliment. If they had sufficientart to disguise it from me, could I be ignorant of theirthoughts? Take them, then, I conjure you, and at leastprotect them amongst the dangers to which you expose them.""As you absolutely wish it," replied Arganto, "I will do so."She then carried them, fainting as they were, both into hercar, and her griffins flying at a rapid pace speedily landedthem in the Kingdom of Errors.

The King who governed it at that time thought himselfthe greatest of princes. Flattery had persuaded him that hewas descended from the gods. In consequence of this ideahe caused himself to be worshipped by his subjects. Histhrone of gold and precious stones, upon which he only appearedonce a month, was surrounded by tigers and elephants,bound with chains of the same precious materials, and coveredwith superb embroidery. Without entering into furtherdetails of the ceremonies of this court, suffice it to say, theKing exhibited upon every occasion all the ostentation withwhich a crown could inspire him. Arganto was his bestfriend, the partaker of his pleasures, and it was into thesuperb palace which she possessed at his court that she conductedBleuette and Coquelicot.

The moment they recovered from their swoon they had thepleasure of seeing each other. The magnificence of theplace in which they found themselves astonished them. Theiruncertainty did not last long: Arganto entered to dissipateit. They immediately asked her to give them some news ofBonnebonne. The Fairy informed them that Bonnebonnehad consented to their advancement, and had herself conjuredher to take them away. Bleuette and Coquelicot were comfortedby this account, for they had been afraid of displeasingher. Arganto then said to them, "Here, Bleuette, is theapartment prepared for you; your household shall be formedto-night. Meanwhile, here are your waiting-women: let mepresent them to you."

At these words, there appeared a dozen handsome youngpersons, carrying all the innumerable trifles which havebecome so necessary to a lady's toilet. They were followedby an equal number of valets-de-chambre, bearing boxes andcaskets, and who in a few moments fitted up and set out amost superb dressing-table. Garments adapted to the seasonthen appeared in such great profusion that they covered allthe chairs, beds, and couches in this large apartment. Wheneverything was arranged according to the Fairy's pleasure, shesaid to Bleuette, "This all belongs to you, and you havenothing to study but how to avail yourself of it." She thenshowed her a basket full of ornaments and a jewel-casecrammed with precious stones as perfect in themselves asthey were tastefully set, saying to her, "Beautiful Bleuette,this little jewel-box will amuse you, but let us now proceed tothe apartment I destine for Coquelicot." Bleuette followedthe Fairy without being able to reply; her surprise and astonishmentappeared to her like a beautiful dream. They allthree passed into another apartment. It was plain, but neat.Four valets-de-chambre, who were in the second room, steptforward and presented him with clothes as tasteful as theywere superb, in order that he might select those in which hewished to appear that day. They then opened the door of asort of large cabinet, containing all kinds of musical instruments,also a library well stocked with historical works, butmore particularly with romances and fairy tales.

"Behold," said Arganto, "what will amuse you when youare weary of the pleasures of society, or require rest afterexercise." She then commanded the person she had chosen for[Pg 366]his equerry to appear. "You may," said she to Coquelicot,"take his advice; he is a man to be depended on, and a goodcompanion. Show," continued she to this gentleman, "thethings of which you have the charge." There then appearedservants in livery, who carried the most magnificent andperfect arms for war and the chase. And even this was notall: "Let us," said Arganto, "look out of the window."They obeyed her, and perceived fifty saddle-horses, led by five-and-twentygrooms, superbly clothed and well mounted."There," said she, "are your horses for hunting and riding."She then ordered out the carriages: berlins, berlingots,vis-à-vis, calêches of all kinds, defiled under the windows,drawn by the prettiest and best groomed horses in the world,with their manes tastefully plaited. Coquelicot, as much astonishedas Bleuette, observed also the same silence. "Learn,both of you," said Arganto, "to make good use of what Ihave just given you; you are both charming, but believe me,dress is necessary to beauty." She then left them in theirseparate apartments, questioning their new domestics on theparticular use of all the novelties that surrounded them, forthey dared not yet give any orders. They at length dressedthemselves, and Coquelicot proceeding to the apartment ofBleuette, they were mutually astonished at the agreeableeffect of their attire, and uttering a hundred praises of thegood taste of Arganto, they became more than ever convincedof the truth of what she had told them respectingBonnebonne, for whose simplicity they began to blush.

All the Court learning the arrival of Bleuette and Coquelicot,either from curiosity or the desire to please the Fairy, camewith great eagerness to pay her a visit. The King himselfdid her this honour. The praises of the men of Bleuette, andthose of the women of Coquelicot, gratified both exceedingly.They found that the language spoken in this country had anagreeable style hitherto quite unknown to them; they werestruck by it, and thought of nothing but imitating it. Bleuette,from the first day, perceived that Coquelicot was not made forhis fine clothes, and that he had a borrowed air which theother young men who surrounded her had not: in short, bothwere occupied by a thousand new fancies. They saw eachother every day, it is true, but they sought each other less;and the tender conversations, in which simplicity, ingenuousness,[Pg 367]candour, and truth had formerly so large a share, nolonger took place between them; they were only anxious nowto place their words and turn their phrases according to thestyle which they had been so much struck with in their newresidence.

The dress, the magnificence, and the brilliancy with whichthey dazzled the whole court caused every one to give themthe titles of prince and princess. They knew well that theydid not deserve them from their low birth; but the mistakeof others gratified their vanity. They agreed between themto keep their real condition secret, and hoped privately thattheir beauty and merit would in time really raise them tothat dignity.

Coquelicot had perfectly handsome features and a charmingfigure. He performed all kinds of feats with marvellous success;almost all the ladies were pulling caps for him. Bleuette wasnot in the least jealous of his conquests, and although insuch situations one is not always just, she had at least thegenerosity not to reproach him in any way. In fact, she deservedreproaching equally herself, for the Court and its grandairs had changed her heart and mind as much as his. Bleuette,on her part, thinking of nothing but how to attract admirationand to outvie all the other beauties of the Court, becamea practised coquette. You may easily judge, knowing whatI have told you, how long she was in availing herself of allthe presents of the Fairy. She very soon invented fashions,which all the other ladies, handsome or ugly, were, in spite ofthemselves, obliged to follow. During some time this gratificationof her vanity only presented to her view jealous rivals,men captivated and admiring, flattered or plunged into despair,by her glances and her deceptive and provoking speeches; butBleuette was so beautiful, she had so much wit and grace,that, even when making them most miserable, she was thetheme of their praises and the object of attraction to all thefinest people of the Court. She also conducted herself withso much prudence that no one could cast the least slur onher.

Coquelicot, on his part—"fickle adorer of a thousand differentobjects"—flattered his vanity without ever satisfyinghis heart.

Such was the true and unhappy situation in which these[Pg 368]two persons, formerly the most loving and amiable possible,found themselves, when this same vanity, the shoal on whichso much happiness has been wrecked, was itself violentlyoffended.

It must be remembered that, dazzled by the splendour whichsurrounded them, they had both received with pleasure thetitles of princes; but nothing is unknown to the world, and suchvanity would awaken a contempt for falsehood, in those whohave no higher motive for despising it. A youth, brought up,as they had been, by Bonnebonne, in the Island of Happiness,having wandered from it, as many others had done, in passingthrough several countries, had been attracted to the Courtinhabited by Bleuette and Coquelicot. He was astonished tohear the grand titles of prince and princess added to theirwell-known names, he ran, however, to the Fairy's palace toembrace them; but far from receiving him kindly, they didnot condescend even to recognise him. He complained toeverybody who would listen to him, and all the Court were verysoon informed that Princess Bleuette and Prince Coquelicotwere the children of, 'twas true, very honest people, but whowere nothing but poor shepherds. The Court is a region inwhich nothing is forgiven, and where anything ridiculous issought for with the greatest eagerness; therefore, it profited bythis affair. Songs and epigrams were circulated in a moment;and the objects of their attack could not pretend ignorance ofthem, for, according to the praiseworthy custom of the authorsof such works, the first copies were addressed to the personsmost interested. Coquelicot was bantered by one of the witsof the Court; but he demanded very prompt satisfaction, andthe combat, in which he killed his adversary, brought himhonour in a place where truth is so rare, notwithstanding thata falsehood is never pardoned. They rendered justice tohis valour, but they no longer paid him the same attentions;for in short, although riches can obtain everything,the ridicule attached to low birth combined with vanity israrely overlooked at Court. As for Bleuette, whom woundedpride rendered still more haughty than ever, and who hopedby her beauty and accomplishments to stifle the disagreeablereports which had been spread about her former pastoral condition—Bleuette,I must tell you, had, in addition, the mortificationto see some letters which she had had the imprudence[Pg 369]to write handed round amongst her acquaintances. Herattraction diminished and her reputation tarnished (howeverunjustly) hurt her deeply, and induced her to reflect seriously.Recalling then the remembrance of her former happiness, thewords of Bonnebonne presented themselves to her mind.

Bleuette being thus agitated by all the recollections whichled her back to her first sentiments for Coquelicot, lookedonly with regret upon the conduct she had pursued towards himsince she had been at Court. She was ashamed of it, but itwas not possible for her to speak to him openly on the subject."He will consider," said she, "my most sincere repentanceto be caused either by coquetry or jealousy; and I cannotcomplain, or he will believe that my birth being known andmade public in this country, has deranged my projects ofadvancement, and that I am brought back to him only by afeeling of shame and necessity." "No," continued she, "Iwill not betray to him all the weakness of my heart, or allthe pain which the false friendship of Arganto has causedme."

Similar ideas tormented Coquelicot. He thought all thosewho treated him, as formerly, like a prince, did so in mockery,and to ridicule him, and felt satisfied that those whose conductwas changed by the reports which had been spreadrespecting him would give him continual annoyance; thissituation, distressing as it really could well be, was not thesole evil which oppressed him. The remembrance of Bleuette,tender, faithful, simple, and innocent; the recollection of theresidence of Bonnebonne, and that of the charm and peacethat pervaded it, awoke in his soul so great a disgust for allthat the world calls pleasure, and which he had himself takenfor happiness, that he determined to fly from the Court.They had but to speak to one another, and they would havebeen convinced and consoled; but still young and inexperienced,they determined on the thing of all others to beavoided in love and friendship—silence: for want of confidenceincreases and envenoms the wound we have received,as well as that which we have inflicted on others; thus, therefore,not daring to look at each other (so much had the shameof their proceedings made an impression on their hearts),they each separately, and without communicating their intentionsto any one, made up their minds to quit the Court.[Pg 370]Solitude appeared to offer them the only chance of consolation.They departed the same morning, just as if they had beenacting in concert. They chose the plainest dresses theycould find, not without regretting those they had broughtwith them to the Court; they would have felt still nearerapproaching their former innocence, in habits so vividlyrecalling the scenes of their past felicity. They took nothingaway with them but the portraits which Arganto had hadpainted of them in miniature, representing them as they werewhen they left the Island of Happiness.

They set out by very different roads; but in proportion asthey left the Court behind them, nature spoke to their hearts.The song of the birds, the serenity of the air, the view of thecountry, that sweet freedom which it inspires,—all recalledtheir former happiness, all softened them, and drew themtowards each other. "But how shall we ever find each otheragain," said they unceasingly to themselves. "I should haveconvinced him," thought Bleuette. "She would have pardonedme," sighed Coquelicot: "I will return to the Court.But how can I reappear there (for each thought the other hadremained in the palace) in this miserable condition?" Theremembrance of Bonnebonne again presented itself to theirmind. It is friendship we invoke in adversity. They resolvedthen to have recourse to her kindness. If they had not themselvesknown the delights of the Island of Happiness, if theyhad not been anxious to revisit the scenes of their formerfelicity, it is so natural to desire a similar habitation, that weoften set out in search of it on the description of others.Each, therefore, turned their steps in the direction of theIsland. It was very easy for them to find the way, they whohad once so worthily inhabited it. They intended to addressthemselves to one of the columns of which I have spoken,and which conveyed to the ears of the Fairy all the requestsof her petitioners. What was their surprise, or rather whatwas their delight, to meet with each other again on a spotand in a dress which explained everything! After the firsttransports, in which the eye hardly sufficed to satisfy the soul,the first words they uttered were, "Pardon me, I cannot livewithout you." The pardon which is mutually sought is soongranted; and it was no longer necessary to implore the aid ofthe Fairy. The unison of their desires had already transported[Pg 371]them into the most beautiful spot in the Island. Theywere anxious to excuse themselves, and request the forgivenessof Bonnebonne; but she prevented them. "I know allthat has happened to you," said she, "I have shared yourtroubles, although they were deserved. Enjoy the happinessof my empire, you are now better able to appreciate itsdelights."

They lived happily because they never ceased to love eachother, and they died at the same moment. Bonnebonnebestowed their names upon two wild flowers [33] in order to immortalizetheir memory.

MADEMOISELLE DE LUBERT.

THE PRINCESS CAMION.

There was once upon a time a King and Queen who hadbut one son, who was their only hope. Fourteen years hadelapsed from the time of his birth, and the Queen had had noother children. The Prince was marvellously handsome, andlearnt with facility everything they wished him to know.The King and Queen loved him to distraction, and theirsubjects placed all their affections on him, for he was affableto everybody, and yet he knew well how to distinguishbetween the people who approached him. His name wasZirphil. As he was an only son, the King and Queen resolvedhe should marry as early as possible, in order to secure thesuccession to the crown should they unhappily be deprivedof Zirphil.

They therefore sought on foot and on horseback a Princessworthy of the heir-apparent,[34] but none was found suitable.At length, after a most diligent inquiry, the Queen wasinformed that a veiled lady desired a private audience of herMajesty, on business of importance. The Queen immediatelyascended her throne in the audience-chamber, and ordered thelady to be admitted. The lady approached, without removingher white crape veil, which reached to the ground. When shearrived at the foot of the throne, "Queen" said she, "I amastonished that, without consulting me, you have thought ofmarrying your son. I am the Fairy Marmotte, and myname is sufficiently celebrated to have reached your ears.""Ah, Madam," said the Queen, quickly descending from herthrone, in order to embrace the Fairy, "you will easily pardonme my fault when you learn that I have only listened to allthe wonders which have been told me about you as to anursery tale; but now that you do me the favour to come tomy palace, I no longer doubt your power, and beg you willhonour me with your advice." "That is not a sufficientanswer to a Fairy," replied Marmotte. "Such an excusemight perhaps satisfy a common person, but I am mortallyoffended; and to begin your punishment, I command you tomarry your Zirphil to the person I have brought with me."

At these words she felt in her pocket, and, drawing out atoothpick case, she opened it, and out of it came a little ivorydoll, so pretty and so well made that the Queen, despite hergrief, could not help admiring it. "This is my goddaughter,"said the Fairy, "and I have always destined her for Zirphil."The Queen was bathed in tears. She conjured Marmotte, inthe most touching words, not to expose her to the ridicule ofher people, who would laugh at her if she announced to themsuch a marriage. "Laugh, indeed, will they, Madam?" saidthe Fairy. "Ah, we shall see if they have reason to laugh,Madam. Ah, we shall see if they will laugh at my goddaughter,and if your son ought not to adore her. I can tellyou that she deserves to be adored. She is small, it is true;but she has more sense than there is in all your kingdom puttogether. When you hear her talk, you will be surprisedyourself; for she can talk, I promise you. Now, then, littlePrincess Camion," said she, to the doll, "speak a little toyour mother-in-law, and show her what you can do." Thenthe pretty Camion jumped upon the Queen'spalatine,[35] andpaid her a little compliment so tender and so sensible thather Majesty suspended her tears to give the Princess Camiona hearty kiss.

"Here, Queen," said the Fairy, "is my toothpick-case;replace your daughter-in-law in it. I wish your son to getwell accustomed to her before marrying her. I think it willnot be long first. Your obedience may soften my anger; butif you act contrary to my orders, you, your husband, your son,and your kingdom, shall all feel the effect of my wrath.Above all, take care to replace her in her case early in theevening, for it is important that she should not be out late."

At these words she raised her veil, and the Queen faintedwith fright when she perceived an actual live Marmot [36]—black,sleek, and as large as a human creature. Her women cameto her assistance, and, when she recovered from her swoon, shesaw nothing but the case that Marmotte had left with her.

They put her to bed, and went to inform the King of theaccident. He arrived in a great fright. The Queen sentevery one away, and, with a torrent of tears, she related heradventure to the King, who would not believe it till he sawthe doll that the Queen drew from the case. "Just heaven!"cried he, after having meditated a little, "is it possible thatkings should be exposed to such great misfortunes? Ah! weare only placed above other men in order to feel more acutelythe cares and afflictions attached to our existence." "And inorder to give the greater example of fortitude, sire," addedthe Doll, in a small, sweet, and distinct voice. "My dearCamion," said the Queen, "you speak like an oracle."

At length, after a conversation of an hour between thesethree persons, it was decided that they should not yet divulgethe contemplated marriage, and that they should wait untilZirphil, who was gone hunting for three days, should havereturned, and consented to obey the command of the Fairy,which the Queen undertook to communicate to him. In theinterim, the Queen, and even the King, shut themselves up,in order to converse with the little Camion. She had ahighly-cultivated intellect, she spoke well, and with a singularturn of thought which was very pleasing. But although shewas animated, her eyes had a fixed expression which was notagreeable, and the Queen was annoyed by it, as she began tolove Camion, and feared that the Prince might take a disliketo her.

More than a month had elapsed since Marmotte hadappeared, but the Queen had not yet dared to show Zirphilhis intended. One day he entered her room whilst she wasin bed. "Madam," said he, "the most singular thing in theworld occurred to me some days since whilst I was hunting.I had wished to conceal it from you, but at length it hasbecome so extraordinary, that I must positively tell you of it.

"I followed a wild boar with great ardour, and had pursuedit into the midst of a forest without observing that I was alone,when I saw him throw himself into a hole which opened inthe ground. My horse having plunged in after it, I continuedfalling for half an hour, and at length found myself at thebottom, without any hurt. There, instead of the boar, whichI confess I feared to find, I saw a very ugly woman, whobegged me to dismount from my horse and follow her. I didnot hesitate, and giving her my hand, she opened a little doorwhich had previously been hidden from my view, and I enteredwith her a saloon of green marble, where there was a goldenbath, covered with a curtain of very rich stuff; the curtainrose, and I saw in the bath a person of such marvellous beautythat I thought I should have fallen to the ground. 'PrinceZirphil,' said the lady, who was bathing, 'the Fairy Marmottehas enchanted me, and it is by your assistance alone that Ican be released.' 'Speak, Madam,' said I to her: 'whatmust I do to help you?' 'You must either,' said she,'marry me instantly or skin me alive.' I was as much surprisedat the first proposition as alarmed at the second. Sheread in my eyes my embarrassment, and said, 'Do not imaginethat I jest, or that I propose to you an act of which you mayrepent. No, Zirphil, dismiss your fears; I am an unfortunatePrincess to whom the Fairy has taken an aversion; she hasmade me half-woman, half-whale because I would not marryher nephew, the King of the Whiting, who is frightful, andeven more wicked than he is hideous. She has condemnedme to remain in my present state until a Prince named Zirphilshall fulfil one of the conditions that I have just proposed toyou; to expedite this matter, I caused my maid of honour totake the form of a wild boar, and it is she who has led you hither.I must now tell you that you cannot leave this spot until youshall have fulfilled my desire in one manner or the other. Iam not mistress here; and Citronette, whom you see with me,will tell you that it cannot be arranged otherwise.'

"Imagine, Madam," said the Prince to the Queen, wholistened attentively, "in what a state this discourse left me."Although the face of the Whale-Princess pleased me excessively,and her charms and misfortunes rendered her extremelyinteresting, her being half a fish horrified me exceedingly; andthe idea of skinning her alive threw me into utter despair. 'But,Madam,' said I to her, at length (for my silence becameas stupid as insulting), 'is there not a third way?' I[Pg 379]had hardly uttered those unlucky works, than the Whale-Princessand her attendant uttered shrieks and lamentationswhich were enough to pierce the vaulted roof of the saloon.'Ungrateful wretch! cruel tiger! and everything that is mostferocious and most inhuman!' exclaimed the former. 'Thouwouldst, then, that I should also be condemned to the tortureof seeing you expire? For if thou dost not resolve to grantmy request, the Fairy has assured me thou wilt perish, and Ishall remain a whale all my life!'

"Her reproaches pierced my heart; she raised her beautifularms out of the water, and joined her charming hands toimplore me to decide quickly. Citronette was at my knees,which she embraced, screaming loud enough to deafen me.'But how can I marry you?' said I; 'what sort ofceremony can be performed?' 'Skin me,' said she tenderly,'and do not marry me, I prefer that.' 'Skin her!' screamedthe other, 'and fear nothing.' I was in a state of perplexitywhich I cannot describe; and while I considered what Iought to do, their shrieks and tears were redoubled, till Iknew not what would become of me. At length, after athousand and one struggles, I cast my eyes once more on thebeautiful Whale, and I confess that I found in her featuresan inexpressible charm. I threw myself on my knees close tothe bath, and taking her hand, 'No, divine Princess,' said Ito her; 'I will not skin you, I would rather marry you!'

"At these words joy lighted up the countenance of thePrincess, but a modest joy, for she coloured, and casting downher beautiful eyes, 'I shall never forget,' said she, 'theservice that you render me; I am so penetrated with gratitude,that you may expect anything of me after this generousresolution.' 'Do not lose time,' cried the insupportableCitronette; 'tell him quickly all that he must do.' 'It issufficient,' said the Whale-Princess, blushing again, 'thatyou give me your ring, and that you should take mine; thereis my hand, receive it as a pledge of my faith.' I had hardlymade this tender exchange, and kissed the beautiful handwhich she presented to me, when I found myself again uponmy horse in the midst of the forest. Having called my people,they came to me, and I returned home without being able toutter a word, I was so completely astounded. Since then, Iam transported every night without knowing how, into thebeautiful green saloon, where I pass the night near an invisible[Pg 380]person; she speaks to me, and tells me that the time is notyet come for me to know who she is."

"Ah, my son," interrupted the Queen, "is it possible,then, that you are really married to her?" "I am, Madam,"replied the Prince; "but although I love my wife infinitely,I would have sacrificed this affection if I could have escapedfrom the saloon without resorting to that alternative." Atthese words, a little voice, proceeding from the Queen'spocket, said, "Prince Zirphil, you should have flayed her;perhaps your pity may be fatal to you."

The Prince, surprised at this voice, remained speechless.The Queen in vain tried to conceal from him the cause of hisastonishment; he felt quickly in her pocket, which was hangingupon the arm-chair near the bed, and drew from it thetoothpick-case, which the Queen took from his hand andopened. The Princess Camion immediately came out of it,and the astonished Prince threw himself on his knees by thebed-side of the Queen to inspect her nearer. "I vow, Madam,"cried he, "that this is my dear Whale in miniature. Is thissome pleasantry, and have you only wished to frighten me,by allowing me so long to believe that you would not approveof my marriage?" "No, my son," at length the Queenreplied; "my grief is real, and you have exposed us to themost cruel misfortunes by marrying that Whale, for, in fact,you were promised to the Princess Camion whom you see inmy hands." She then related to him what had passed betweenher and the Fairy Marmotte, and the Prince allowed her to sayall she wished without interruption, so much was he astonishedto find that she and his father had agreed to a propositionwhich was, on the face of it, so ridiculous. "Heaven forbid,Madam," said he at length, when the Queen had finished,"that I should ever oppose the designs of your Majesty, orthat I should act contrary to the wish of the King, my father,even when he commands me to do anything as impossible asthis appears to me to be; but had I consented, could I evenhave fallen in love with this pretty Princess, would yoursubjects ever have——" "Time is a great teacher, PrinceZirphil," interrupted Camion; "but it is done; you cannotnow marry me, and my godmother appears to me a personwho will not patiently suffer any one to break their wordwith her. Diminutive as I am, I feel as acutely as the largest[Pg 381]woman would the disagreeable nature of this adventure; butas you are not so much to blame, except perhaps for havingbeen a little too hasty, I may persuade the Fairy to mitigatethe punishment."

After these words Camion was silent, for she was exhaustedwith having said so much. "My dear darling," said theQueen, "I implore you to take some repose for fear youshould be ill and not in a condition to speak to the Fairywhen she comes to afflict us; you are our consolation,and however she may punish us, I shall not feel it so deeplyif Marmotte does not take you from us." The PrincessCamion felt her little heart beat at these words of the Queen:but being quite overcome, she could only kiss her hand, andlet fall upon it some tiny tears. Zirphil was moved at thisincident, and begged Camion to permit him to kiss her handin his turn: she gave it him with much grace and dignity,and then re-entered her case. After this tender scene theQueen rose, in order to go and tell the King what had passed,and take every rational precaution against the anger of theFairy.

The following night Zirphil, in spite of the guard whichthey had doubled in his apartment, was carried off at midnight,and found himself, as usual, in the company of hisinvisible wife; but instead of hearing any of those sweet andtouching things which she was accustomed to say to him, heheard her weep, and found she kept aloof from him. "Whathave I done?" said he at last, when quite tired of pursuingher. "You weep, dear Princess, when you ought to consoleme for all the peril I may have incurred, as the effect of mytenderness." "I know all," said the Princess, with a voiceinterrupted by sobs—"I know all the misery that may happento me; but, ungrateful man! it is of you I have most tocomplain." "Oh, heavens!" cried Zirphil, "what have youto reproach me with?" "The love which Camion bears toyou," replied the voice, "and the tenderness with which youhave kissed her hand." "The tenderness," replied the Prince,quickly; "oh! divine Princess, do you know so little of thatI feel for you as to accuse me so lightly. Besides, even ifCamion could love me, which is impossible, as she only sawme for a moment, can you be alarmed, knowing my love foryou, and after the proofs which I have given you of my[Pg 382]attachment? It is you whom I should accuse of injustice:for if I have looked at her with any attention, it is becauseher features reminded me of yours, and that being deprivedof the pleasure of beholding you, anything which resembledyou gave me the greatest gratification. Be visible again, mydear Princess, and I will never look on any other woman."

The invisible lady appeared to be consoled by these words,and approaching the Prince, said, "Pardon me this littlemovement of jealousy. I have too much reason to fear theywill separate me from you, not to feel afflicted by a circumstancewhich appeared to me to announce the commencementof that misfortune." "But," said the Prince, "may I notknow why you are no longer permitted to show yourself?For if I have delivered you from the tyranny of Marmotte,how is it possible that you should be again subjected to it?""Alas!" said the invisible Princess, "if you had decided toflay me we should have been very happy; but you had sucha horror of that proposition, that I did not dare press youfurther on the subject." "By what chance," interrupted thePrince, "was Camion informed of this adventure, for she toldme nearly the same thing?"

Hardly had he finished these words, when the Princessuttered a frightful shriek. The Prince, in surprise, rose hastily.But what was his alarm when, in the middle of theapartment, he perceived the hideous Marmotte, who held bythe hair the beautiful Princess, now no longer either half awhale or invisible! He was about to seize his sword when thePrincess, in tears, begged him to moderate his anger, for itwould be of no avail against the power of the Fairy; andthe horrible Marmotte, grinding her teeth, emitted throughthem a blue flame which scorched his beard. "Prince Zirphil,"said she to him, "a fairy who protects thee preventsme from exterminating thee, thy father, thy mother, andall that belong to thee: but thou shalt suffer at least inall that is most dear to thee, for having married withouthaving consulted me, and thy torment shall never finish,nor that of thy Princess, until thou shalt have obeyed mycommands."

In finishing these words the Fairy, the Princess, the chamber,and the palace, all disappeared together, and he foundhimself in his own apartment, in his night-dress, and his[Pg 383]sword in his hand. He was so astonished, and so transportedwith rage, that he did not feel the severity of the cold,though it was in the depth of winter. At the noise whichhe made his guards entered the room and begged him to goto bed, or to allow them to dress him. He took the lattercourse, and went to the Queen's chamber, who, on her part,had passed the night in the most cruel state of anxiety. Shehad not been able to sleep after going to bed, and in order toinduce slumber she had wished to talk over her grief withlittle Camion; but she sought in vain for her in her case:Camion was no longer there. She feared she might have losther in the garden: she rose, and having ordered flambeauxto be lighted, went in search of her, but without success—shehad entirely disappeared, and the Queen retired to bedagain in an alarming state of affliction; she gave fresh ventto it as her son entered. He was so distressed himself thathe did not perceive the tears of the Queen. She, on her part,observing his agitation, exclaimed, "Ah! without doubt, youhave come to announce to me some dreadful tidings!"

"Yes, Madam," replied the Prince; "I come to tell youthat I shall die if I do not find my Princess." "How!" saidthe Queen; "do you already, my dear son, love that unhappyPrincess?" "What, your Camion?" said the Prince: "canyou suspect me, Madam, of such a thing? I speak of my dearWhale-Princess who has been torn from me; it is for heralone that I live, and it is Marmotte, the cruel Marmotte,who has carried her away!" "Ah, my son," said the Queen,"I am far more unhappy than you, for if they have takenyour Princess away from you, they have robbed me of myCamion. Since last evening, she has disappeared from hercase!"

They then related to each other their respective adventures,and wept together over their common misfortunes. TheKing was informed of the cries and despair of the Queen, andthe grief of his son. He entered the apartment in whichthis tragic scene was passing, and as he was an exceedinglyclever man, the thought occurred to him immediately ofadvertising Camion, with the offer of a large reward to whoevershould bring her back. Everybody agreed this was acapital idea, and even the Queen, in spite of her great grief,was obliged to confess that no one of ordinary capacity could[Pg 384]have imagined so singular an expedient. The handbills wereprinted, and distributed, and the Queen became rather calmin the hope of soon hearing some tidings of her little Princess.As for Zirphil, the loss of Camion interested him no morethan her presence; he resolved to seek a fairy of whom hehad heard speak. He asked permission of the King and Queen,and departed with a single equerry in attendance on him.

It was a great distance from that country to the one inhabitedby the Fairy; but neither time nor obstacles couldcheck the fond impatience of the youthful Zirphil. He passedthrough states and kingdoms without number: nothing particularhappened to him because he did not desire it; for beinghandsome as Cupid and brave as his own sword, he would havehad no lack of adventures had he sought for them.

At length, after a year's travelling, he arrived at the commencementof the desert wherein the Fairy had fixed herabode; he dismounted from his horse, and left his equerry ina little cottage, with orders to await him there, and not to beimpatient. He entered the desert, which was frightful fromits solitude; screech-owls alone inhabited it, but their criesdid not alarm the valiant spirit of our Prince.

One evening, he perceived at a distance a light which madehim think he was approaching the grotto; for who but afairy could live in such a horrible desert. He walked allnight long; at length, at break of day, he discovered thefamous grotto; but a lake of fire separated him from it, andall his valour could not protect him from the flames, whichspread right and left. He looked about for a long time tosee what he could do, and his courage nearly failed him whenhe found that there was not even a bridge. Despair provedhis best friend, for in a frenzy of love and anguish, he resolvedto end his days in the lake, if he could not traverse it. Nosooner had he taken this strange resolution than he put itin execution, and throwing himself bodily into the flames, hefelt a little gentle warmth which did not even inconveniencehim, and passed without the least trouble to the other side.Hardly had he landed, when a young and beautiful Salamanderemerged from the lake, and said, "Prince Zirphil, ifyour love be as great as your courage, you may hope foreverything from the Fairy Lumineuse; she favours you, butshe wishes to prove you."

Zirphil made a profound bow to the Salamander in acknowledgment,for she did not give him time to speak; sheplunged again into the flames, and he pursued his way. Hearrived at length at the foot of a rock of prodigious height,which from its great brilliancy appeared all on fire. It wasa carbuncle, so large that the Fairy was very commodiouslylodged in the inside. As soon as the Prince approached,Lumineuse came out of the rock; he prostrated himselfbefore her, she raised him, and made him enter the grotto.

"Prince Zirphil," said she, "a power equal to mine hasneutralized the benefits I bestowed on you at your birth; butyou may hope for everything from my care. It requires asmuch patience as courage to foil the wickedness of Marmotte;I can tell you nothing more." "At least, madam," repliedthe Prince, "do me the favour to inform me if my beautifulPrincess is unhappy, and if I may hope to see her againsoon?" "She is not unhappy," replied the Fairy: "but youcannot see her till you have pounded her in the mortarof the King of the Whiting." "Oh! heavens!" cried thePrince; "is she in his power; and have I to dread notonly the consequences of his passion, but the still greaterhorror of pounding her with my own hands?" "Summonup your courage," replied the Fairy, "and do not hesitate toobey; upon that depends all your happiness, and that of yourwife." "But she will die if I pound her," said the Prince,"and I would rather die myself." "Away," said the Fairy,"and do not argue; each moment that you lose adds to thefury of Marmotte. Go and seek the King of the Whiting;tell him you are the page I promised to send him, and relyon my protection."

She then pointed out to him on a map the road he musttake to reach the dominions of the King of the Whiting;and took her leave of him, after having informed him thatthe ring which the Princess had given him would show him allhe had to do whenever the King commanded him to executea difficult task.

He departed, and after some days' travelling arrived in ameadow which stretched down to the sea, to the shore ofwhich was moored a small sailing-vessel of mother-of-pearland gold. He looked at his ruby, and saw himself in itgoing on board the vessel. He therefore stepped into it, and[Pg 386]after having cast off, the wind took it out to sea. After somehours' sail, the vessel brought up at the foot of a crystal castle,built upon wooden piles. He jumped ashore, and entered acourt-yard which led through a magnificent vestibule toapartments without number, the walls of which were of rockcrystal, admirably cut, and which produced the most beautifuleffect in the world. The castle appeared to be inhabited onlyby men with fishes' heads of all species. He felt convincedthis was the dwelling of the King of the Whiting, andshuddered with rage; but he restrained himself so far as toinquire of a turbot, who had the air of being a captain of theguard, how he could manage to see the King of the Whiting.The man-turbot very gravely made him a signal to advance,and he entered the guard-chamber, where he saw under armsa thousand men with pikes' heads, who formed in line for himto pass.

At length, after making his way through an infinitecrowd of men-fish, he came to the throne-room. There wasnot much noise, for the courtiers were all dumb, the greaterpart having whiting's heads. He saw several who appearedof more consequence than the rest, from the crowd whichsurrounded them, and by the air which they assumed withthe others. They arrived at the King's cabinet, out of whichhe saw the council issue, composed of twelve men who hadsharks' heads. The King at length appeared himself. He hada whiting's head, like many of the others; but he had fins onhis shoulders, and from his waist downwards he was a veritablewhiting. He could speak, and wore only a scarf madeof the skin of goldfish, which was very brilliant, and a helmetin the form of a crown, out of which arose a codfish's tail,which formed the plume. Four whiting carried him in a bowlof Japanese porcelain, as large as a bath, full of sea water.His greatest pride consisted in causing it to be filled twice aday by the dukes and peers of his kingdom. This office wasextremely sought after.

The King of the Whiting was very large, and had morethe air of a monster than of anything else. When he hadspoken to some of those who had presented him with petitions,he perceived the Prince. "Who are you, my friend?"said he to him. "By what chance do I see a man here?""My lord," said Zirphil, "I am the page the Fairy Lumineuse[Pg 387]has promised you." "I know what she means," saidthe King, laughing, and showing his teeth, like those of asaw. "Lead him into my seraglio, and let him teach mycrayfish to talk." Immediately a troop of whiting surroundedhim, and conducted him according to the King'sorders. In returning through the apartments all the fish,even those the highest in favour, professed, by various signs,a great deal of friendship for him. They led him through adelicious garden, at the end of which was a charming pavilion,built entirely of mother-of-pearl, and ornamented with greatbranches of coral. The favourite Whiting introduced himinto an apartment similarly adorned, the windows of whichoverlooked a magnificent piece of water. They made himunderstand that that was to be his residence, and afterhaving shown him a little chamber at one corner of the saloon,which he understood was to be his bed-room, they retired,and he remained alone, very much astonished to find himselfsomething very like a prisoner in the palace of his rival.

He was meditating on this position of affairs, when he sawthe doors of the chamber open, and ten or twelve thousandcrayfish, conducted by one larger than the rest, entered, andplaced themselves in straight lines, which nearly filled theapartment. The one which marched at their head mountedupon a table near him, and said, "Prince, I know you, andyou owe much to my care; but as it is rare to find gratitudein men, I will not tell you what I have done for you, for fearyou should destroy the sentiments with which you haveinspired me. I have only, therefore, to inform you thatthese are the crayfish of the King of the Whiting, that theyalone speak in this empire, and that you are chosen to teachthem refined language, the customs of the world, and themeans of pleasing their sovereign. You will find them intelligent;but you must every morning choose ten to pound inthe King's mortar, to make his broth."[37]

The Crayfish having ceased speaking, the Prince replied,"I had no idea, Madam, that you had interested yourself inmy concerns. The gratitude I already feel towards you shouldinduce you to abandon the bad opinion you have conceived ofmen in general, since on the bare assurance which you havegiven me of your friendship, I feel deeply obliged to you.[Pg 388]But what I am very anxious to learn is, the course I shouldtake in reasoning with the persons whose education you wouldconfide to me. If I were sure that they had as much intellectas you, I should have no trouble, and I should feel a pride inthe task; but the more difficult I should find them to teach,the less should I have the courage to punish them for faults forwhich they are not responsible. And having lived with them,how can I have the heart to deliver them to a torture?" "Youare obstinate and a great talker," interrupted the Crayfish;"but we know how to subdue you." So saying, she rosefrom the table, and jumping to the ground, took her realform of Marmotte (for she was that wicked fairy). "Oh,heavens!" cried the Prince; "so this is the person who boastsof the interest she takes in my affairs—she who has donenothing but make me miserable. Ah, Lumineuse," continuedhe, "you abandon me!" He had hardly finished these words,when Marmotte precipitated herself by the window into thereservoir and disappeared, and he remained alone with thetwelve thousand crayfish.

After having meditated a little as to how he should proceedto educate them, during which time they waited in completesilence, it occurred to him that he might very probably findamongst them his beautiful and unfortunate Princess, becausethe hideous Marmotte had ordered him to pound ten of themevery morning. "And why should I be selected to poundthem," said he, "if it be not to drive me distracted? Nevermind, let us look for her," continued he, rising; "let us atleast try to recognise her, even if I die of grief before her eyes."Then he asked the crayfish if they would kindly permit himto search amongst them for one of his acquaintance. "Weknow nothing about it, my Lord," said the first who spoke;"but you can make what inquiry you please up to the timeof our return to the reservoir, for we must positively passthe night there." Zirphil commenced his inspection; themore he sought, the less he discovered, but he surmised,from the few words which he drew from those he interrogated,that they were all princesses transformed by the wickednessof Marmotte. This caused him inconsolable grief, for he hadto choose ten for the King's broth.

When evening came, they repeated that they must retireto the reservoir, and it was not without pain that he relinquished[Pg 389]the sweet occupation of seeking the Princess.He had only been able in the whole day to interrogatea hundred and fifty; but as he was certain at least that shewas not amongst them, he determined to take ten fromthat number; he had no sooner chosen them than heproceeded to carry them to the King's offices; but he wasarrested by the most astonishing peals of laughter fromthe victims he was about to immolate; he was so surprisedby it, that he was some time without speaking; atlength he interrupted them to inquire what it was they foundso amusing in their present circumstances? They renewedtheir shouts of laughter so heartily that he could not help, inspite of his own sorrows, partaking in their mirth. Theywanted to speak, but could not for laughing; they could onlyejaculate, "Oh, I can say no more!" "Oh, I shall die of it!""No, there is nothing in the world so amusing!" and thenroared again. At length he reached the Palace with them alllaughing together, and having shown them to a pike-headedman, who seemed to be the principal cook, a mortar of green porphyry,ornamented with gold, was set before him, into whichhe put his ten crayfish, and prepared to pound them. At thatmoment the bottom of the mortar opened, emitted a brilliantflame, which dazzled the Prince, and then closing up again,appeared perfectly empty; even the crayfish had vanished.This astonished, but at the same time gratified him, for he wasvery reluctant to pound such merry creatures. The man-pike,on the contrary, seemed sadly distressed at this adventure, andwept bitterly. The Prince was as much surprised at this ashe was at the laughter of the crayfish, and he could notascertain the cause, as the pike's-head was dumb.

He returned, much disturbed by his adventure, to hispretty apartment, where he no longer found the crayfish, forthey had returned to the reservoir. The following morning,they re-entered without Marmotte; he sought for his Princess,and still not discovering her, he again chose ten of the finestfor pounding. The same adventure occurred—they laughed,and the man-pike wept when they disappeared in the flame. Forthree months this extraordinary scene was daily repeated; heheard nothing of the King of the Whiting, and he was onlyuneasy at not discovering his beautiful Princess.

One evening, returning from the kitchen to his own apartments,[Pg 390]he traversed the King's gardens, and passing near apalisade which surrounded a charming plantation, in themidst of which was a little sparkling fountain, he heard someone speaking; this surprised him, for he believed all the inhabitantsof that kingdom to be as dumb as those he hadseen. He advanced gently, and heard a voice, which said,—"ButPrincess, if you do not discover yourself, your husbandwill never find you." "What can I do?" said the othervoice, which he recognised as that he had so often heard."The cruelty of Marmotte compels me to remain silent, andI cannot discover myself without risking his life as well asmy own. The wise Lumineuse, who aids him, conceals myfeatures from him in order to preserve us to each other: hemust absolutely pound me, it is an irrevocable sentence.""But why should he pound you?" inquired the other. "Youhave never yet told me your history; Citronette, your confidante,would have related it to me had she not last week beenchosen for the King's broth." "Alas!" replied the Princess,"that unfortunate has already undergone the torture which Iawait; would that I were in her place, for assuredly by thistime she is in her grotto." "But," rejoined the other voice,"as it is such a beautiful night, tell me now why you are subjectedto the vengeance of Marmotte. I have already toldyou who I am, and I burn with impatience to know moreabout you." "Although it will renew my grief," replied thePrincess, "I cannot refuse to satisfy you, especially as I mustspeak of Zirphil, and I take pleasure in all that relates tohim."

One may easily judge of the delight which the Prince feltat this fortunate moment; he glided gently into the plantation,but as it was very dark he saw nothing; he listened,however, with all his ears, and this is word for word what heheard:—

"My father was King of a country near Mount Caucasus;he reigned to the best of his ability over a people of incrediblewickedness; there were perpetual revolts, and often thewindows of his Palace were broken by the stones which theyhurled against them. The Queen, my mother, who was avery accomplished woman, composed speeches for him tomake to the disaffected; but if he succeeded in appeasingthem one day, the next produced a new trouble. The judgeswere tired of condemning to death, and the executioners of[Pg 391]hanging. At length things arrived at such a pitch that myfather, seeing all our provinces were uniting against us,resolved to withdraw from the capital, that he might no longerwitness so many disagreeable scenes. He took the Queen withhim, and left the kingdom to the government of one of hisministers, who was very wise, and less timid than the King,my father. My mother was expecting my birth, and travelledwith some difficulty to the foot of Mount Caucasus,where my father had chosen his habitation. Our wickedsubjects fired the guns for joy at their departure, and next daystrangled our minister, saying that he wished to carry matterswith too high a hand, and that they much preferred their oldSovereign. My father was not at all flattered by their preference,and remained concealed in his little retreat, wherevery soon I saw the light.

"They named me Camion, because I was so very diminutive.[38]Moreover, the King and Queen, tired of the honourswhich had cost them so dear, and wishing to conceal my highbirth from me, brought me up as a shepherdess. At the end often years (which appeared to them like ten minutes, so happywere they in their retreat), the fairies of the Caucasus,indignant at the wickedness of the people who inhabited ourkingdom, resolved to restore order in it. One day that I wastending my sheep in the meadow which adjoined our garden,two old shepherdesses accosted me, and begged me to givethem shelter for the night; they had such a sad dejected airthat my soul was moved with compassion. 'Follow me,' saidI; 'my father, who is a farmer, will receive you willingly.' Iran to the cottage to announce their arrival to him; he cameto meet them, and received them with much kindness, as didmy mother also. I then brought in my sheep, and set milkbefore our guests. Meanwhile, my father prepared them anice little supper, and the Queen, who, as I before told you,was a clever woman, entertained them wonderfully.

"I had a little lamb which I loved excessively; my fathercalled to me to bring it to him that he might kill it androast it. I was not accustomed to dispute his will, andtherefore took it to him; but I was so distressed at havingto do so that I went and sat down weeping beside my mother,who was so occupied in talking to these good women thatshe took no notice of me. 'What is the matter with littleCamion?' said one of them, who saw me in tears. 'Alas,Madam!' said I to her, 'my father is roasting my pet lambfor your suppers.' 'How?' said the one who had not yetspoken, 'is it on our account that pretty Camion is thusdistressed?' Then rising and striking the ground with herstick, a table rose out of it magnificently covered, and thetwo old women became two beautiful ladies, in dresses so dazzlingwith precious stones, that I was struck motionless, somuch so, indeed, that I paid no attention when my littlelamb bounded into the room, and made a thousand leaps,which much amused the company. I ran at length to him,after having kissed the hands of the beautiful ladies; but Iwas quite amazed to find his wool all of silver purl, andcovered with knots of rose-coloured ribbon.

"My father and mother paid every attention to the Fairies,for such I need not tell you they were both. They raisedthe King and Queen, who had fallen at their feet. 'Kingand Queen,' said she who was the most majestic, 'we haveknown you for a long time past, and your misfortunes haveexcited our pity. Do not imagine that greatness exempts anyone from the ills attached to humanity. You must know byexperience that the more elevated the rank the more keenlyare they felt. Your patience and virtue have raised youabove your misfortunes: it is time to give you your reward.I am the Fairy Lumineuse, and I come to ask what wouldbe most agreeable to your majesties. Speak, and do not fearto put our power to the proof; consult together, your wishesshall be accomplished; but say nothing respecting Camion—herdestiny is apart from yours. The Fairy Marmotte,envious of the brilliant fate which has been promised her,has obscured it for a time: but Camion will better know thevalue of her happiness when she shall have experienced theills of life; we will protect her by softening them: that is allwe are permitted to tell you. Speak; with that exceptionwe can do anything for you.'

"The Fairies, after this harangue, were silent. The Queenturned to the King that he might reply, for she wept to findI was doomed to be unhappy; but my father was no betterable than herself to speak: he uttered piteous exclamations,and I, seeing them in tears, left my lamb to come and weepwith them. The Fairies waited with much impatience, and[Pg 393]in perfect silence, till our tears were ended. At length mymother pushed the King gently to let him know they wereexpecting his reply. He took his handkerchief from his eyesand said, that as it was decided that I should be miserable,nothing they could offer him could be agreeable to him, andthat he refused the happiness which they promised him, as heshould always find it embittered by the idea of what I had todread. The Queen added, seeing that the poor man couldsay no more, that she begged the Fairies to take their liveson the day when my sad destiny was to be fulfilled, for thather only wish was not to be compelled to witness mymisery. The good Fairies, affected by the extreme grief whichreigned in the royal family, spoke together in a whisper. Atlength Lumineuse, who had already addressed us, said to theQueen, 'Be consoled, Madam; the misfortunes which threatenCamion are not so great but that they may terminate happily;for from the moment that the husband destined for her shallhave obeyed the commands of fate, she will be happy withhim, and the malignity of our sister can have no furtherpower over either. The Prince we have selected is oneworthy of her; and all we can tell you is, that you mustabsolutely lower your daughter every morning into the well,and that she must bathe in it for half-an-hour. If youstrictly observe this rule, perhaps she may escape the evilwith which she is threatened. At twelve years old the criticalperiod of her fate will commence; if she reach the age ofthirteen in safety, there will be nothing more to fear. Thatis all which regards her. Now wish for yourselves, and wecan gratify your desires.'

"The King and Queen looked at each other, and after ashort silence, the King asked to become a statue until after Ishould have completed my thirteenth year; and the Queenlimited her request to the modest one that the temperatureof the well in which I was to be dipped should be alwaysaccording to the season. The fairies, charmed at this excessof parental tenderness, added that the water should be orangeflowerwater, and that the King, whenever the Queen shouldthrow this water over him, should resume his natural form,and again become a statue when he pleased. At length theytook leave of us, after having lauded the King and Queenfor their moderation, and promised to assist them whenever[Pg 394]they should require it, by burning a bit of the silver purlwith which my lamb was covered.

"They vanished, and I felt real anguish for the first timein my life, at seeing my father become a great statue of blackmarble. The Queen burst into tears, and I also; but atlength, as everything has an end, I ceased to cry, and occupiedmyself in consoling my mother, for I felt a sudden increaseboth of sense and sensibility.

"The Queen passed her life at the feet of the statue, and I,after having bathed as they had ordered me, went to milk myewes. Upon that food we lived, for the Queen would nottake anything else, and it was only from love to me that shecould be prevailed on to preserve an existence, which to herwas so full of bitterness. 'Alas! my daughter,' said she,sometimes, 'of what use to us have been our grandeur andour high birth? (for she no longer concealed from me myrank.) 'Would it not have been better to have been born ina lower sphere, since a crown draws down on us such great misfortunes?Virtue, and my affection for you, my dear Camion,alone enable me to support them; but there are momentswhen my soul seems impatient to leave me, and I confess Ifeel pleasure in imagining that I shall soon die. It is not forme you should weep,' added she, 'but for your father, whosegrief, still greater than mine, has carried him so far as tomake him desire a worse fate than ceasing to live. Neverforget, my dear, the gratitude you owe him.' 'Alas! Madam,'said I, 'I am not capable of ever forgetting it, and still lesscan I forget that you have wished to live in order to assistme.'

"I was bathed regularly every day, and my mother wassadly distressed to see the King always an inanimate statue.She dared not, however, recall him to life, fearing to inflicton him the pain of witnessing the misfortune with which Iwas threatened. The Fairies not having specified what itwas, we were in mortal fear. The Queen especially fanciedno end of frightful things, because her imagination had anunlimited field to range over. As for me, I did not troublemyself much about it, so true is it that youth is the onlytime when we enjoy the present.

"My mother told me repeatedly that she felt a great desireto bring my father to life again, and I had the same inclination.[Pg 395]At length, after six months, finding that the Fairies'bath had greatly embellished both my person and mind, sheresolved to gratify this longing, if but to give the King thepleasure of seeing my improvement. She therefore desiredme to bring her some water from the well. Accordingly,after my bath, I drew up a vase of this marvellous water, andthe statue was no sooner sprinkled with it, than my fatherbecame a man again. The Queen threw herself at his feet, toask pardon for having troubled his repose. He raised her,and embracing her tenderly, forgave her readily, and shepresented me to him.

"I am ashamed to tell you that he was both delighted andsurprised. For how can you believe me, beautiful Princess?"said the voice, hesitatingly, "me, the most hideous of crayfish?""Alas! I can well believe you," replied the one towhom she spoke; "I also might boast of being handsome, butis it possible to appear so in these frightful shells? Praycontinue, however, for I am eager to hear the rest of yourhistory." "Well, then," said the other voice, "the King wasenchanted with me, loaded me with caresses, and asked theQueen if she had any news to tell him. 'Alas!' said she,'who in this desert should come to tell me any? Besides,being occupied solely in lamenting your transformation, I havetaken little interest in the world, which is nothing to mewithout you.' 'Well,' said the King, 'I will tell you somenews, then; for do not think that I have been always asleep.The Fairies who protect us have disclosed to me the punishmentof my subjects. They have made an immense pond ofmy kingdom, and all the inhabitants are men-fish. A nephewof the Fairy Marmotte, whom they have set up as theirking, persecutes them with unequalled cruelty: he devoursthem for the least fault; and at the end of a certain time aprince will arrive who will dethrone him, and reign in hisstead. It is in this kingdom that Camion will be madeperfectly happy. This is all that I know; and it was not abad way of passing my time' said he, laughing, 'to have discoveredthese things. The Fairies came every night to informme of what was doing, and I should perhaps have knownmuch more if you had let me remain a statue a little longer;but, however, I am so delighted to see you once more, that I donot think I shall very soon wish to become a statue again.'

"We passed some time in the happiest manner possible.The King and Queen, notwithstanding, were rather anxiouswhen they thought of my approaching the age of thirteen.As the Queen bathed me with great care, she hoped that theprediction would not be fulfilled. But who can boast ofescaping their destiny? One morning that the Queen hadrisen early, and was gathering some flowers to decorate ourcottage, because the King was fond of them, she saw comeout from beneath a tube-rose an ugly animal, something like amarmot. This beast threw itself on her, and bit her nose.She fainted with the pain which this bite occasioned her, andmy father, at the end of an hour, not seeing her return, wentto seek her. Judge of his consternation at finding her nearlydead, and covered with blood! He uttered fearful cries. Iran to his assistance, and we together carried the Queen intothe house, and placed her in bed, where she was two hourswithout coming to herself. At length she began to give somesigns of life, and we had the pleasure of seeing her very shortlyrecovered, except from the pain of the bite, which caused hermuch suffering.

"She asked directly if I had been to bathe: but we had quiteforgotten it in our anxiety about her. She was much alarmedat hearing this; however, seeing that as yet no accident hadhappened to me, she became re-assured, and related to us heradventure, which surprised us immensely.

"The day passed over without any other trouble; the Kinghad taken his gun and sought in every direction for the horridbeast without finding it. The next day at sunrise the Queenawoke and came to fetch me, to repair the fault of the precedingmorning; she lowered me into the well as usual, butalas, fatal and unlucky day! at this same instant, althoughthe heavens were quite serene, a dreadful clap of thunder rentthe air, the sky seemed suddenly all on fire, and from a burningcloud there issued a flaming dart which flew into the well.My mother in her fright let go the cord which held me, andI sank to the bottom, without hurting myself, it is true, buthorrified at discovering that I was partially transformed intoan enormous fish which they call a whale. I rose to thesurface again, and called the Queen with all my power. Shedid not reply. I was sadly afflicted and wept bitterly, as muchfor her loss as at my metamorphosis, when I felt that an[Pg 397]invisible power forced me to descend to the bottom of thewell. Having reached it, I entered a grotto of crystal, whereI found a species of Nymph, ugly enough, for she was like animmensely fat frog. However, she smiled at my approach,and said to me—'Camion, I am the Nymph of the BottomlessWell; I have orders to receive thee, and to make theeundergo the penance to which thou art sentenced for havingfailed to bathe; follow me, and do not remonstrate.'

"What, alas, could I do? I was so distressed and so faintat finding myself on dry ground, that I had not the strengthto speak. She dragged me, not without pain, into a saloonof green marble which was near the grotto; she there putme into an immense golden tub filled with water, and I thenbegan to recover my senses. The good Nymph appeared delightedat this. 'I am called Citronette,' said she to me; 'I amappointed to wait on thee; thou canst order me to do anythingthou wilt—I know perfectly well both the past and the present;as for the future, it is not my province to penetrate it. Commandme, and at least I can render the time of thy penanceless irksome to thee.'

"I embraced the good Citronette at these words, andrelated to her the events of my life. I then inquired of herwhat had become of the King and Queen. She was about toreply, when a hideous marmot, as large as a human being,entered the saloon, and froze me with horror. She walkedupon her hind legs, and leant upon a gold wand, which gaveher a dignified air. She approached the tub, in which Iwould willingly have drowned myself, I was so frightened,and raising her wand, with which she touched me—'Camion,'said she, 'thou art in my power, and nothing can release theebut thy obedience and that of the husband whom my sistershave destined for thee. Listen to me, and cast off this fear,which does not befit a person of your rank. Since thineinfancy I wished to take care of thee, and to marry thee tomy nephew, the King of the Whiting. Lumineuse, and twoor three other of my sisters, combined to deprive me of thisright; I was provoked, and not being able to revenge myselfon them, I resolved to punish thee for their audacity. Idoomed thee, therefore, to be a whale for at least half theterm of thy existence. My sisters protested so stronglyagainst what they called my injustice, that I diminished my[Pg 398]vengeance by three-quarters and a half; but I reserved tomyself the right of marrying thee to my nephew in returnfor my complaisance. Lumineuse, who is imperious, and unfortunatelymy superior, would not listen to this arrangement,because she had destined thee, before me, to a Prince whomshe protected. I was compelled then to consent to her plan,in spite of my resentment; all that I could obtain was thatthe first who should deliver you from my claws should be thyhusband. Here are their portraits,' continued she, showingme two gold miniature cases, 'which will enable thee torecognise them: but if one of them come to deliver thee, hemust betroth himself to thee whilst thou art in the tub,and before thou canst leave it, he must tear off the skinof the whale; without that, thou wilt always remain afish. My nephew would not hesitate a moment to executethat order; but the favourite of Lumineuse will consider it ahorrible task, for he has the air of a very delicate littlegentleman. Set, then, thy wits to work to make him skinthee, and after that thou shalt be no longer unhappy, if tobe a beautiful whale, very fat and well fed, and up to the neckin water, can be called unhappiness.'

"To these words I made no reply, but remained verydejected, as much at my present state as by the thought ofscaling to which I must submit.

"Marmotte disappeared, leaving with me the two miniaturecases. I wept over my misfortunes and my situation, withoutdreaming of looking at the portraits, when the good andsympathising Citronette said to me, 'Come, we must notlament over ills which cannot be remedied. Let us see if Icannot help to console you; but first, try not to weep somuch, for I have a tender heart, and I cannot see your tearswithout feeling inclined to mingle mine with them. Let uschase them away by looking at these portraits.'

"So saying, she opened the first case, and showing it to me,we both uttered shrieks like Melusine's [39] at seeing a hideouswhiting's head, painted, it is true, with all the advantageswhich could be given to it; but, in spite of that, never in thememory of man had anything been seen so ugly. 'Takeaway that object,' cried I to her; 'I cannot bear the sight ofit longer. I would rather be a whale all my life than marrythat horrible Whiting!'

"She did not give me time to finish my imprecations onthis monster, but said, 'Behold this darling young man! Oh,as for him, would he but skin you I should be delighted.'I looked hastily to see if what she said was true; I was onlytoo soon convinced. A noble and charming countenance presenteditself to my view; fine eyes full of tenderness embellisheda face which was both mild and majestic; an air ofintellectuality was spread over it, which completed the fascinationof this delightful painting; a profusion of black hair,curling naturally, gave an air to it which Citronette mistookfor indifference, but which I interpreted, and I think rightly,as conveying a precisely opposite sentiment.

"I contemplated this beautiful face with a pleasure ofwhich I was scarcely conscious. Citronette remarked it first.'Without a doubt,' cried she, 'that is the one we willchoose.' This bantering roused me from my reverie, andcolouring at my own ecstasy, 'Why should I trouble myself,'said I; 'ah, my dear Citronette, this appears to me very likeanother trick of that cruel Marmotte; she has exhausted her artin endeavouring to make me regret the impossibility of findinga similar object in nature.' 'What,' said Citronette, 'alreadysuch tender reflections on this portrait? Ah! truly, I didnot expect that so soon.' I blushed again at this jest, andbecame quite embarrassed at finding that I had too innocentlybetrayed the effect which this beautiful painting had producedon my heart. Citronette again read my thoughts.'No, no,' said she, embracing me, 'do not repent of this avowal,your frankness charms me; and to console you, I will tellyou that Marmotte does not deceive you, and that there isin the world a Prince who is the veritable original of thepicture.'

"This assurance filled me with joy at the moment; but thenext instant that feeling departed, when I remembered thatthis Prince would never see me, as I was in the depths of theearth, and that Marmotte, by her power, would sooner enableher monster of a nephew to penetrate my abode than give theleast assistance to a prince whom she hated, because they had[Pg 400]destined me to him without her consent. I no longer concealedwhat I thought from Citronette; the attempt, indeed,would have been useless, for she read with surprising facilitythe utmost secret of my thoughts; I therefore preferred totake the credit of candour; she deserved my confidence forher attachment to me, and I found it a great consolation, forI have felt from that time that when the heart is filled withone object there is much happiness in being able to speak ofit. In fact, I loved from that moment, and Citronette dissipated,with much address and clear-sightedness, the confusionand trouble which the commencement of a violent passionproduces in the mind. She soothed my grief by allowing meto speak of it; and when I had exhausted words, she gentlychanged the conversation, which almost always, however, boreupon my troubles or my affection.

"She had informed me that the King, my father, was transportedto the abode of the King of the Whiting; and thatthe Queen, at the moment that she lost me, had become acrayfish. I could not understand this. 'One cannot becomea crayfish,' said I. 'Can you better understand how youhave become a whale?' said she.

"She was right; but we are often surprised at things whichhappen to others, although we have in ourselves still greatersubject for astonishment. My small experience was the causeof this. Citronette laughed frequently at my innocence, andwas surprised to find me so eloquent in my affection, for trulyI was so on that subject; and I found that love throws muchlight into the mind. I could not sleep; I woke the good-naturedCitronette an hundred times in the night to talk to herof my Prince; she had told me his name, and that he huntedalmost every day in the forest beneath which I was interred.She proposed to me to try to attract him to our dwelling, butI would not consent, although I was dying to do so. I wasafraid that he would die for want of air; we were accustomedto it, that was a different thing; I feared also that it wouldbe too great a freedom; besides, I was in despair at appearingto him in the form of a whale, and I measured his aversionfor me by that which the portrait of the King of the Whitinghad inspired me with. Citronette re-assured me, telling methat spite of the whale's body my face was charming. Ibelieved it sometimes, but more often I was uneasy, and after[Pg 401]having looked at myself, I could not imagine I was sufficientlyhandsome to inspire with love one who had made me so wellacquainted with it. My self-love came to the support of myprudence. Alas! how rarely it is that our virtues can be tracedto purer inspirations.

"I passed my time in forming projects for obtaining a sightof him, and letting him see me, and rejected by turns eachthat occurred to me. Citronette was a great assistance tome at this time; for it must be confessed that she has plentyof sense, and still more gentleness and amiability. One daythat I was even more sad than usual—for love has the peculiarityof infecting gentle souls with melancholy—I saw thefrightful Marmotte enter, with two persons whom I did not atfirst recognise. I took it into my head that it was her wretchednephew whom she brought with her; I uttered frightfulshrieks as they approached me hastily. 'Why, she could notcry louder,' said the horrid Marmotte, 'if they were skinningher! Look what terrible harm is done to her!' 'Goodgracious, sister,' said one of these persons who accompanied her,and whom I then remembered with joy having formerly seenin our village; 'a truce to your stories of skinning, and letus tell Camion what we have to tell her.' 'Willingly,' saidMarmotte; 'but on the conditions which you are aware of.'

"'Camion,' said the good Fairy, without replying toMarmotte, 'we are too much distressed at your conditionnot to think of remedying it, more especially as you havenot deserved it. My sisters and I have resolved to ameliorateit as much as lies in our power. This, therefore,is what we have determined on. You are about to be presentedat the Court of the Prince to whom I have destinedyou from your infancy; but, my dear child, you will notappear there as you are, and you are commanded to returnthree nights a week and plunge again in your tub; for untilyou are married'—'and skinned!' interrupted the odiousMarmotte, laughing violently. The good Fairy merely turnedtowards her, shrugging her shoulders, and continued—'Untilyou are married you will be a whale in this place. We cantell you no more; the rest you will be informed of by degrees;but above all keep your secret; for if a word escape you whichtends to discover it, neither I nor my sisters can do anythingfor you, and you will be delivered up to my sister Marmotte.'[Pg 402]'That is what I expect,' said the wicked Fairy; 'and I alreadysee her in my power; for a secret kept by a girl would be aphenomenon.' 'That is her own affair,' said Lumineuse (for itwas she who had already spoken). 'To proceed, my daughter,'said she, 'you will become a little doll made of ivory, butcapable of thinking and speaking; we shall preserve all yourfeatures, and I give you a week to consider whether what Ipropose to you will suit you; we will then return, and youshall tell me if you consent to it, or if you would preferawaiting here the event which must bring you one of the twohusbands selected for you.'

"I had not time to reply; the Fairies departed after thesewords, and left me astounded by what I had just seen andheard. I remained with Citronette, who represented to methat it was a great treat for me to become an ivory doll. Isighed when I thought that my Prince would never take afancy to such a bauble; but at length the desire to see himand become acquainted with him overcame the anxiety toplease him, and I resolved to accept the proposal which wasmade to me, and the more readily as Zirphil (for they hadmentioned his name) might possibly be forestalled by theKing of the Whiting, and this idea made me nearly dieof grief.

"Citronette told me that Prince Zirphil hunted daily inthe forest which was above us; and I made her take everyday the form of a stag, a hound, or a wild boar, in order thatshe might bring me some news, which never failed to be insome way connected with the subject which occupied myheart. She described him to me as an hundred times handsomerthan his picture, and my imagination embellished himto such a degree that I resolved to see him or to die. Butone more day had to elapse before the expected arrival of theFairies, and Citronette, in the form of a wild boar, was roamingthe forest to find food for my curiosity, when suddenly I sawher return, followed by the too amiable Zirphil. I cannotdescribe to you my joy and astonishment; there are no termswhich can express them to you. But what enchanted me mostwas, that this charming Prince appeared equally delightedwith me; perhaps I desired this too much not to help todeceive myself. However, I thought I saw in his eyes thathe felt the impression he had made. Citronette, more anxious[Pg 403]for my happiness than mindful of our ecstasy, aroused us fromit, by begging him either to skin or to marry me. Thencoming to myself, and feeling the danger of my situation, Ijoined in her entreaties, and by our prayers and tears inducedhim to plight me his faith. I had hardly accepted it, whenhe vanished, I know not how, and I found myself in my ordinaryform, lying on a good bed; I was no longer a whale, butI was still in the depths of the earth in the green saloon, andCitronette had lost the power of leaving it and of transformingherself.

"I expected the Fairies in a state of the greatest trepidation.My love had redoubled since I had become personallyacquainted with its object, and I feared that my charminghusband might be included in the vengeance of the Fairies fornot having waited till they could witness my marriage.Citronette had enough to do to re-assure me; I could not overcomemy grief and fear. Marmotte appeared with the dawnof day, but I neither saw Lumineuse nor her companion; shedid not seem more irritable than usual; she touched me withher wand without speaking to me, and I became a charminglittle doll, which she put in her toothpick-case, and thentransported herself into the presence of the Queen-mother ofmy betrothed. She gave me to her, with orders to marryme to her son, or to expect all the evil which she was capableof inflicting, telling her that I was her goddaughter, and wascalled the Princess Camion. I took, in fact, a great fancy tomy mother-in-law; I considered her charming, as being themother of Zirphil, whom I adored, and my caresses werereturned by her. I was transported every night into thegreen saloon, and there enjoyed the pleasure of meeting myhusband, for the same power acted on him, and transportedhim likewise into this subterraneous dwelling. I knew notwhy they forbad me to tell him my secret, as I was married;but I kept it in spite of his impatience to know it. You willsee," continued the speaker, with a sigh, "how impossible it isto avoid one's fate. But it begins to get light, and I feel Iam quite tired with being so long out of the water; let usreturn to the reservoir, and to-morrow, at the same hour, if weare not selected for the soup of that worthless King of theWhiting, we will resume the thread of our discourse.—Come,let us go."

Zirphil heard no more, and himself returned to his apartment,much concerned at not having made known to thePrincess his being so near her; but the fear of increasing hermisfortunes by this indiscretion, consoled him for not havingrisked it; the misery of knowing she was likely to perish byhis hand made him resolve to continue his diligent searchamongst the crayfish.

He retired to bed, but not to sleep, for he did notclose his eyes all night. To have found his Princess inthe form of a crayfish, ready to be made into soup for theKing of the Whiting, appeared to him a still more frightfultorment than the death to which he had believed her destined.He was sighing and distressing himself cruelly, when he wasdisturbed by a great noise in the garden; he at first heard itconfusedly, but listening attentively, he distinguished flutes andconch shells. He rose and went to the window, when he saw theKing of the Whiting, accompanied by the dozen sharks whocomposed his council, advancing towards the pavilion; hehastened to open the door, and the train having entered, theKing first had his tub filled with sea water by the peers ofthe realm who bore it, and after a short repose, and makingthe council take their places, he addressed the young Prince,"Whoever you may be," said he, "you have resolved, apparently,to make me die of hunger, for you send me every daya broth which I cannot swallow; but, young man, I musttell you, that if you are leagued with evil powers to poisonme, you have taken a very foolish part. As nephew of theFairy Marmotte I am beyond all such attempts, and my lifeis safe."

The Prince, astonished at being suspected of so base anact, was about to reply with haughtiness, but by chance, ashe raised his hand, he cast his eyes upon his ring, and sawtherein Lumineuse, who placed her finger on her mouth as a signto him to be silent; he had not before thought of consultinghis ring, he had been so engrossed by his grief. He accordinglyheld his tongue: but he betrayed his indignation in hiscountenance, which the sharks remarked, for they made signsof approbation, which appeared to say that they did notbelieve him capable of such a thing. "Ho, ho!" said theKing, "as this myrmidon appears so angry, we must make himwork before us. Let them go to my kitchen; let them bring[Pg 405]the mortar for the crayfish; I shall give my council a treat."Immediately a pike's-head went to execute the King's commands,and during this time the twelve sharks took a largenet, which they threw into the reservoir from the window,and drew in three or four thousand crayfish. During theinterval that the council was employed in fishing, and thepike's-head in fetching the King's mortar, Zirphil reflected,and felt that the most critical moment of his life approached,and that his happiness or misery would depend upon his presentconduct. He armed himself with resolution for whatevermight come to pass, and placing all his hopes in theFairy Lumineuse, he implored her to be favourable to him.At the same moment he looked at his ring, and saw in it thebeautiful Fairy, who made a sign to him to pound courageously;this revived him, and took from him some of the painhe felt at consenting to this cruelty.

At length the horrid mortar was produced. Zirphil approachedit boldly, and prepared to obey the King. Thecouncil put in the crayfish with great ceremony, and thePrince tried to pound them; but the same thing happened tothem as to the former ones in the kitchen—the bottom ofthe mortar opened and the flames devoured them. The Kingand the odious sharks amused themselves for a long timewith this spectacle, and were never tired of filling the mortar;at length there was but one left of the four thousand; it wassurprisingly large and fine. The King commanded that itmight be shelled, in order to see if he should like to eat someof them raw. They gave it to Zirphil to shell; he trembledall over at having to inflict this new torture, but still morewhen this poor fish joined her two claws, and, with her eyesfilled with tears, said, "Alas! Zirphil, what have I done toyou that you should wish to do me so much harm?"

The Prince, moved by these words, and his heart piercedwith grief, looked at her sadly, and at length took it on himselfto beg the King to allow her to be pounded. The King,jealous of his authority, and firm in his resolution, was enragedat this humble request, and threatened to pound Zirphil himselfif he did not shell it. The poor Prince took it againfrom the hands of the shark to whom he had confided it, andwith a little knife which they had given him he tremblinglytouched the crayfish; he looked at his ring, and saw Lumineuse[Pg 406]laughing and talking to a veiled person whom she heldby the hand. He could not understand this at all, and theKing, who did not give him time to reflect, cried out to himso loudly to finish, that the Prince stuck the knife with suchforce under the shell of the crayfish that it cried piteously;he turned away his eyes from hers, and could not help sheddingtears. At length he resumed his task, but to his greatastonishment he had not finished the shelling when he foundin his hands the wicked Marmotte, who jumped to the ground,uttering shrieks of laughter so loud and disagreeable inmockery of Zirphil, that it prevented him from fainting, orhe would have fallen on the floor.

The King cried in astonishment, "Why, it is my aunt!""And truly it is she," said this annoying animal. "But, mydear Whiting, I come to tell you a terrible piece of news."Whiting grew pale at these words, and the council assumedan air of satisfaction, which increased the ill-humour of theKing and his terrible aunt. "The fact is, my darling,"continued Marmotte, "you must return to your waterydominions, for this rash boy whom you see here has chosento display a constancy that nothing can shake, and hastriumphed over all the traps I set for him to prevent himfrom carrying off the Princess I had destined for you."

At these words the King of the Whiting fell into such arage, that he could not contain himself: he committed extravaganceswhich proved he was possessed of the most violentpassions. Marmotte tried in vain to calm him; he broke hisbowl into a thousand pieces, and, being on dry ground, hefainted. Marmotte, mad with rage, turned to Zirphil, who hadremained a quiet spectator of this tragic scene, and said to him,"Thou hast conquered, Zirphil, by the power of a fairy whomI must obey; but thou art not yet at the end of thy troubles.Thou canst not be happy till thou shalt have given into myown hand the case which enclosed the accursed Camion.Even Lumineuse agrees to this, and I have obtained herconsent for you to suffer until that time."

At these words she took the King of the Whiting on hershoulders, and threw him into the reservoir, as well as thesharks, the palace, and all its inhabitants. Zirphil foundhimself alone at the foot of a great mountain, in a countrywhich was as arid as a desert, without being able to perceive[Pg 407]the vestige of a habitation, or even of the great reservoir.All had disappeared at the same moment. The Prince waseven more distressed than astonished at so extraordinary anevent. He was accustomed to wonders—he was only aliveto the grief which the persecution of the Fairy Marmotteoccasioned him. "I cannot doubt," said he, "that I havepounded my Princess. Yes, I must have pounded her; yet Iam none the happier for it. Ah, barbarous Marmotte! Andyou, Lumineuse, you leave me without help, after havingobeyed you at the expense of all which a heart as sensitive asmine could suffer!"

His grief, and the little repose which he had taken sincethe previous night, threw him into such a state of weakness,that he would have sunk altogether if he had not had thecourage to wish to live. "If I could but find something tosupport me," said he; "but in this horrible desert I shallseek in vain a single fruit which can refresh me." He hadnot pronounced the word when his ring opened, and a littletable covered with excellent viands came out of it. It becamein a moment large enough to accommodate the person forwhom it was intended. He found on it all that could tempthis eye and his appetite, for the repast was so beautifullyarranged, that in fact nothing was wanting, and the wine wasdelicious. He returned thanks to Lumineuse, for who elsecould have assisted him so opportunely? He ate, drank, andfelt strong again.

When he had finished, the table lost its form, and re-enteredthe ring. As it was late, he did not make muchprogress in ascending the mountain, but stretched himselfunder a wretched tree, which had hardly enough leaves toprotect him from the night air. "Alas!" said he, as he laidhimself down, "such is the nature of man. He forgets thegood that is past, and is only sensible of present evil. Iwould now willingly exchange my table for a couch a littleless hard than this." A moment after he felt that he was ina comfortable bed; but he could see nothing, for it appearedto him that the darkness was redoubled. He ascertained thatthis was caused by the ample curtains which surrounded hisbed, and protected him from the cold and dew, and havingagain thanked the good and attentive Lumineuse, he droppedoff to sleep. On waking at daybreak, he found himself in an[Pg 408]angel-bed,[40] of yellow taffety and silver, which was placed inthe middle of a tent of satin of the same colour, embroideredall over with ciphers in bright silver, which formedthe name of Zirphil, and all the ciphers were supported bywhales formed of rubies. Everything that could possibly berequired was to be found also in this beautiful tent. If thePrince had been in a more tranquil state of mind he wouldhave admired this elegant habitation generally; but he onlylooked at the whales, dressed himself, and went out of thetent, which folded itself up, and re-entered the ring fromwhich it had issued.

He began to ascend the mountain, taking no longer anytrouble in seeking food or lodging, for he was certain to haveboth as soon as he wished for them. His only anxiety wasto find Lumineuse; for his ring was mute on that subject,and he found himself in a country so strange to him, and sodeserted, that he was necessarily compelled to trust tochance.

After having passed several days in ascending without discoveringanything, he arrived at the brink of a well which wascut in the rock. He seated himself near it to rest, and began toexclaim, as usual, "Lumineuse, can I not find you, then?"The last time he pronounced these words, he heard a voicewhich proceeded from the well say, "Is it Zirphil who speaksto me?" His joy at hearing this voice was increased byrecognising her to whom it belonged. He rushed to thebrink of the well, and said, "Yes, it is Zirphil. And are younot Citronette?" "Yes," replied Citronette, emerging fromthe well, and embracing the Prince.

It is impossible to express the pleasure which this sightgave him. He overwhelmed the nymph with questions aboutherself and about the Princess. At length, after the excitementof their first meeting had subsided, they spoke more rationallytogether. "I am about to inform you," said she, "of all that youare ignorant of; for since the time you pounded us, we haveenjoyed a happiness which was only alloyed by your absence,and I awaited your arrival here on the part of the FairyLumineuse, to tell you what remains for you to do in orderto obtain possession of a Princess who loves you as much asyou love her. But as some time must elapse before you canarrive at this happiness, I will relate to you the rest of themarvellous history of your amiable bride."

Zirphil kissed the hand of Citronette a thousand times, andfollowed her into her grotto, where he thought he should dieof mingled pleasure and grief when he recognised the spot inwhich he had for the first time seen his divine Princess.At length, after partaking of a repast which came out of thering, he begged the good Citronette to have the kindness toresume the narrative of the Princess from where she hadherself left off in the palace garden.

"As it is here," said Citronette, "that Lumineuse is tomeet you, you shall, whilst waiting for her, learn all that youwish to know, for it is useless for you to run after her. Sheconfides you to my care, and a lover is less impatient whenone talks to him about her whom he loves. The fairy Marmottewas not ignorant of your marriage; she had transformedour friend into an ivory doll, believing that you would bedisgusted at her. Lumineuse conducted this affair herself,knowing that nothing could deprive you of the Princess if youmarried her, or if you destroyed her enchantment by skinningher. You chose the former alternative, and you know whatfollowed. By night she resumed her proper form, andlamented at having to pass all her days in your royalmother's pocket, for Marmotte had been permitted by Lumineuseto torment the Princess until you had fulfilled yourdestiny, which was, to skin her; so enraged was she at findingthat you had married her, and that the King of theWhiting, her nephew, could not become her husband.

"As the Princess was no longer a whale, there was nofish to skin; but Marmotte, fertile in expedients, determinedto make you pound her, and had forbidden the Princess totell you anything about it, under pain of your life, promisingher afterwards the greatest felicity. 'How will he everresolve to pound me?' said she when expecting you. 'Ah,my dear Citronette, if it were only my life that Marmottethreatened, I would give it cheerfully to shield my husbandfrom the torments they prepared for him; but they attackhis life—that life which is so dear to me. Ah, Marmotte!barbarous Marmotte! Is it possible that you can takepleasure in making me so miserable when I have never givenyou any cause for it?' She knew the period prescribed for[Pg 410]your separation from her, but she dared not tell you of it.The last time that you saw her, you know that you found herin tears; you asked her the cause, she pretended it was onaccount of your attentions to little Camion, and accusedyou of inconstancy. You appeased her apparent jealousy;and the fatal hour at which Marmotte was to fetch herarrived. You were transported into the palace of the King,your father; the Princess and I were changed into crayfish,and placed in a little cane basket, which the Fairy put underher arm, and ascending a car drawn by two adders, we arrivedat the palace of the King of the Whiting. This palace wasthat of the royal father of the Princess: the city, changed intoa lake, formed the reservoir which we have inhabited, and allthe men-fish that you have seen were the wicked subjects ofthat good King.

"I must tell you, my Lord," said Citronette, interruptingherself, "that that unfortunate Monarch, and the Queen, hiswife, being in despair at the moment when the Princess sankto the bottom of the well, the Fairies who had formerlycome to their assistance, appeared, to console them for herloss; but the unhappy pair knowing that it was to theirkingdom that Camion would be exiled, chose to be thererather than at a distance from her, notwithstanding whatthey had to fear from the cruelty and ferocity of the King ofthe Whiting, whom his Aunt had caused to be crowned bythese men-fish. The Fairies did not conceal from them thefuture fate of the Princess; and the King, her father, beggedto be the clerk of the kitchen and keeper of the King of theWhiting's mortar. The Fairy immediately gave him a tapof her wand, and he became the pike-headed man you saw inthat situation; and you need no longer be surprised at hishaving wept bitterly whenever you brought the crayfish topound, for as he knew that his daughter must undergo thistorture, he always thought she was amongst the number;and the miserable Monarch had not a moment's rest, becausehis daughter had no means of making herself known to him.The Queen had requested to be changed into a crayfish, inorder to be with the Princess, and her wish was also granted.

"As soon as we arrived at the palace of the King of theWhiting, the Fairy presented us to him, and ordered him tohave crayfish soup made for his dinner every day. We were[Pg 411]then thrown into the reservoir. My first care was to seekthe Queen, in order to soothe a little the grief of the Princess,but either by the decree of fate or stupidity on my part, Ifound it impossible to discover her. We passed our days inthis mournful search, and our pleasantest moments were thosein which we recalled the circumstances of our unhappy lives.You arrived at length, and they presented us to you; but theFairy had forbidden us to make ourselves known before youshould interrogate us, and we dared not infringe this rule, socontinually were we compelled to submit to severities fortrifles.

"The Princess told me she thought she should have diedof fright at observing you in conversation with the cruelMarmotte; we saw you searching amongst our companionswith a mortal impatience, it being obvious that, by the directionyou took, you had little chance of arriving at us.

"We knew that we must be pounded; but we had alsolearnt that immediately after we should be restored to ourformer condition, and that the wicked Marmotte would haveno further power over us. On the eve of the day on whichyou were to commence the infliction of this torture on us, wewere all assembled in a cavity of the reservoir, weeping overour destiny, when Lumineuse appeared. 'Do not weep, mychildren,' said that admirable fairy; 'I come to inform youthat you will escape the punishment they threaten you with,provided you go gaily to the mortar, and do not answer anyquestions that may be addressed to you. I can say no moreat present—I am in haste; but do as I have told you, andyou will not repent it. Let her whose fate appears the mostcruel not lose hope—she will soon find relief.' We allthanked the Fairy, and appeared before you perfectly resolvedto keep our secret. You spoke to some, who only madevague replies, and when you had chosen ten, we returned tothe reservoir, where the assurance of our speedy deliveranceinspired us with a natural gaiety which assisted the projectof our protectress.

"The last words Lumineuse had spoken gave to the beautifulCamion a lightness of heart which rendered her charmingin the eyes of her mother and me; for the Queen had atlength recognised her, and we three were inseparable. Atlength your choice fell on the Queen and me, and we had not[Pg 412]time to say adieu to the Princess. An unknown power actedon us at the moment, and inspired us with such gaiety thatwe thought we should die of laughter at the absurd thingswe said to each other. You carried us to the kitchen, andwe had not touched the bottom of the fatal mortar beforeLumineuse herself came to our assistance, and restoring memy natural form, transported me to my customary abode. Ihad the consolation of seeing the Queen and our companionsalso resume theirs, but I know not what became of them.The Fairy embraced me, and told me to await you, andrelate to you everything when you should come to seek thePrincess.

"I awaited this moment with impatience, as you will wellbelieve, my Lord," said Citronette to the Prince, who listenedmost eagerly to her; "and yesterday I seated myself at themouth of the well, when Lumineuse appeared. 'Our childrenare about to be made happy, my dear Citronette,' saidshe to me; 'Zirphil has only to recover the toothpick-case ofMarmotte to finish his labours, for at length he has skinnedthe Princess.' 'Ah! great Queen,' cried I, 'are we so happyas to be certain of this?' 'Yes,' replied she, 'it is quitetrue; he thought that he only skinned Marmotte, but it wasin reality the Princess. Marmotte was concealed in thehandle of the knife he used for that act, and the instant hehad finished his task she caused the Princess to vanish, andappeared in her place, for the purpose of again intimidatinghim!" "What!" cried the Prince, "was it to my charmingbride that I did that harm? Have I had the barbarity to inflicton her such a cruel torment! Ah, heavens! she will neverpardon me, and I do not deserve she should!" The unhappyZirphil spoke so impetuously, and distressed himself so greatly,that poor Citronette was sorry she had told him this news.

"How," said she, at last, seeing that he was quite overcomeby his reflections, "how, you did not know it?" "No,I did not know that," said he; "what determined me to takethe shell off that unhappy and too charming crayfish was,that I saw Lumineuse in my ring speaking to a veiled personwho even laughed with her, and who, I flattered myself, wasmy Princess; and I thought that she had passed throughthe mortar like the rest. Ah, I shall never forgive myselffor this mistake!" "But, my Lord," said Citronette, "the[Pg 413]charm depended on your skinning or pounding her, and youhad done neither one nor the other; besides, the person towhom Lumineuse spoke was the mother of the Princess; theyawaited the end of your adventure in order to seize on yourbride and protect her for you; it was quite necessary that itshould so happen." "Nevertheless," said the Prince, "if Ihad known it, I would rather have pierced my own heartwith that horrid knife!" "But consider," said Citronette,"that in piercing your heart you would have left the Princessfor ever in the power of your enemy and frightful rival, andthat it is far better to have shelled her than to have diedand left her in misery."

Apparently this argument, so obviously founded on truth,appeased the grief of the Prince, and he consented to take alittle nourishment for his support. They had just finished,when the roof of the saloon opened, and Lumineuse appeared,seated upon a carbuncle drawn by a hundred butterflies; shedescended from it, assisted by the Prince, who bathed thehem of her garment with a torrent of tears. The Fairyraised him, and said, "Prince Zirphil, to-day you are aboutto reap the fruit of your heroic labours. Console yourself,and enjoy at length your happiness. I have vanquished thefury of Marmotte by my prayers, and your courage has disarmedher: come with me to receive your Princess from herhands and mine." "Ah, Madam," cried the Prince, throwinghimself at her feet, "am I not dreaming? Is it possiblethat my happiness is real?" "Do not doubt it," said theFairy, "come to your kingdom and console the Queen, yourmother, for your absence, and for the death of the King, yourfather: your subjects wait to crown you."

The Prince in the midst of his joy felt a pang at thetidings of the death of his father; but the Fairy to diverthim from his affliction, made him place himself by her side,permitted Citronette to seat herself at their feet, and thenthe butterflies spread their brilliant wings, and set out for theempire of King Zirphil.

On the road, the Fairy told him to open his ring, and he therefound the toothpick-case which he had to return to Marmotte.The King thanked the generous Fairy a thousand times over,and they arrived at the capital of his dominions, where theywere expected with the utmost impatience. Zirphil's mother[Pg 414]advanced to receive the Fairy as she descended from her car,and all the people becoming aware of the return of Zirphil,uttered acclamations which diverted him a little from hisgrief; he tenderly embraced his mother, and all ascended toa magnificent apartment which the Queen had prepared forthe Fairy.

They had hardly entered, when Marmotte arrived in a carlined with Spanish leather, and drawn by eight winged rats.She brought with her the beautiful Camion, with the Kingand Queen, her father and mother. Lumineuse and the Queenhastened to embrace Marmotte, Zirphil respectfully kissedher paw, which she extended to him, laughing; and hereturned her the toothpick case. She then permitted himto claim his bride, and presented her to the Queen, who embracedher with a thousand expressions of joy.

This numerous and illustrious assemblage began speakingall together. Joy reigned supreme amongst them. Camionand her charming husband were the only persons who couldnot speak a word. They had so much to say. There was aneloquence in their silence which affected every one present;the good Citronette wept with joy whilst kissing the handsof the divine Princess.

At length, Lumineuse took them both by the hand, andadvancing with them towards the Queen, mother of Zirphil:"Behold, Madam," said she, "two young lovers who onlywait your consent to be happy: complete their felicity; mysister Marmotte, the King and Queen, here present, and Imyself, all request you to do so."

The Queen replied as she ought to this courteous speech,and tenderly embracing the happy pair, said, "Yes, mychildren, live happily together, and permit me, in relinquishingmy crown to you, to participate in that happiness." Zirphiland the Princess threw themselves at her feet, from whenceshe raised them, and again embracing them, they conjuredher not to abandon them, but to aid them by her counsels.

Marmotte then touched the beautiful Camion with herwand, and her clothes, which were already sufficiently magnificent,became silver brocade embroidered with carat diamonds,and her beautiful locks fell down and rearranged themselvesso exquisitely that the Kings and Queens declared herappearance was perfectly dazzling: the toothpick-case which[Pg 415]the Fairy held was changed into a crown formed entirely ofbrilliants, so beautiful and so well set that the room and thewhole palace became illuminated by it. Marmotte placedit on the head of the Princess. Zirphil, in his turn,appeared in a suit similar to that of Camion; and from thering which she had given him came forth a crown exactlylike hers.

They were married on the spot, and proclaimed King andQueen of that fine country. The Fairies gave the royalwedding-breakfast, at which nothing was wanting. Afterhaving spent a week with them, and having overwhelmedthem with good things, they departed, and reconducted theKing and Queen, father and mother of Camion, into theirkingdom, the old inhabitants of which they had punished,and repeopled it by a new race faithful to their master. Asfor Citronette, the Fairies permitted her to come and passsome time with her beautiful Queen, and consented to allowCamion, by only wishing for her, to see her whenever shepleased.

The Fairies at length departed, and never were peopleso happy as King Zirphil and Queen Camion. They foundtheir greatest felicity in each other: and days seemed to themlike moments. They had children who completed theirhappiness. They lived to an extreme old age; loving withthe same intensity, and striving which should most please theother. On their decease their kingdom was divided, and aftervarious changes it has become, under the dominion of oneof their descendants, the flourishing empire of the GreatMogul.

PRINCESS LIONETTE AND PRINCE
COQUERICO.

In the Circassian mountains lived an old man and his wifewho had retired from the world, weary of the caprices offortune. They had found for themselves a convenient retreat ina cavern, which extended far beneath one of the mountains,and the dread of seeing each other expire was the only anxietythat troubled them in their solitude. They had lived atCourts, and knew all the insincerity that prevailed in them;and far from regretting the brilliant positions they hadoccupied, they pitied those who, from ambition or want ofexperience, were desirous of them. They lived a happy andquiet life. Their food consisted of fruit and fish, the latterabounding in a large pond, wherein the old man amused himselfby taking them; while a flock of sheep which the oldwoman had the care of, produced the finest wool in the worldto make their clothes with. The old man called himselfMulidor, and his wife was named Phila. They incessantlyimplored the gods to send somebody to console whichevermight be left the last upon earth, or to close their eyes, buttheir prayers had not yet been granted. It must not, however,be supposed that the gods rejected such pure andreasonable desires, but they wished to prove the constancyof these good people, to recompense them afterwards withinterest.

The old man had just caught some fish, and after fasteninghis boat to the bank, he spread his net upon a rock to dry itin the sun, when a lion rushed out from one of the cavities ofthe rock, and went to drink in the pond. Mulidor was afraidat first, but afterwards finding that the proud beast was roaringbecause he could not reach the water, which was too far off fromthe edge at this spot, he re-entered his boat, and filling a bowloffered it to the lion, who came and emptied it several times.After he had quenched his thirst, he raised his head andlooked at his benefactor so mildly, that the good man venturedto caress him. The lion appeared pleased at his doingso, and ate some bread and cheese which the old man tookfrom a basket he had slung on his arm. As, however, thiswas not a very safe companion, Mulidor thought he had betterreturn to his cavern, fearing that his wife, uneasy at hisabsence, might come in search of him, and that the lion,having less respect for her than for him, would devour her.

This idea was beginning to agitate him, when the lion,after licking his hand, returned to his own home, leaving theold man at liberty to do so likewise. Upon reaching thecavern he found his wife, as he expected, alarmed at his delay;he related his adventure to her, which made her shudder.They continued to talk upon the subject, and drew this inference,that men might learn lessons of kindness and gratitudefrom animals. "Do not, however, place yourself again at themercy of this fierce beast," said she, affectionately, "or letme go with you, for I could not live under the fear I shallhenceforth be in concerning you. You have been restored tome this time, but can I flatter myself that the Gods will bealways equally gracious to me." The old man, touched byher affection, promised to avoid the lion in future. This conversationkept them up late, and consequently they did notawake till the golden rays of morning shone full upon them.On opening the door to go out and feed her sheep, Phila wasgreatly surprised to find at it a lion of prodigious size andstrength, and a lioness of equal power and beauty, the lattercarrying on her back a little girl of five or six years old, who,as soon as she saw the old woman, alighted, ran to her, andembraced her.

The good woman stood motionless with fear and wonder,and the lions, after kissing the little girl, who returned theircaresses, ran off, and disappeared in an instant, leaving her inthe good wife's hands. Recovering from her fright she lookedat the child, who never ceased kissing her, took her in herarms, and went into the cavern to show her to her husband.[Pg 418]They both of them admired her beauty and gentleness; shewas quite naked, her fair hair only falling over her shoulders,and upon her right breast she had a singular mark in theshape of a crown.

The good people thanked the Gods for this gift; theydressed the beautiful little child in a light snow-white robe,with a rose-coloured girdle, and tied up her hair with ribbonof the same colour. She allowed them to do so quietly, andwithout saying a word. They fondled her, and gave her someewe's milk quite fresh. She smiled at the sight of it, andlooking at them, uttered a little cry resembling the roarof a lion. She soon became accustomed to them, however;she had no resemblance to a lion but in her voice, and fromthat circumstance they called her Lionette. She answeredto this name, and her natural intelligence soon enabled her tounderstand what they said to her, and at length to speak andexplain herself. She had been a year with these good people,who loved her dearly, and were equally loved by her, whenMulidor, to make her familiar with their way of life, in caseshe should lose them, took her out to fish with him. Hehad been there several times alone without meeting the lions,but little Lionette was no sooner at the foot of the rock wherethe good man dried his fish than she uttered a little roar,which awoke the lion and lioness, who ran out to her immediately,each vying with the other in fondling and caressingher. She embraced the lioness affectionately, who allowedher freely to do so; at length she jumped upon her back, andthe lions ran off with her in a moment. The poor old manwas in consternation; he threw himself upon the ground andprayed to die, now that he had lost Lionette. After lyingthere a long time, finding his despair could be of no avail, hedragged himself to his cavern, and created fresh misery therein relating to Phila the accident that had happened toLionette.

"Lionette! my dear Lionette!" cried the good woman,"is it possible we can have lost you? Alas! why did theGods present you to us, so cruelly to take you from us? Ofall the goods we have lost we but regret you!" Their afflictionwas inconsolable, and poor Mulidor had scarcely spiritenough to bear up against this misfortune. The night waspassed in lamentations and tears. At break of day they went[Pg 419]in search of her, fearing neither the lions nor their fury;their great love for Lionette made them wish to be devouredalso, if she had undergone that frightful fate. They ran tothe rock where the lions had chosen to establish themselves,when suddenly they saw little Lionette riding on the lionesstowards them. As soon as the lovely child saw them shejumped down, and ran and threw her arms round their necks;then taking from the back of the lioness a kid that she hadkilled in the chase, "There," said she, "see what motherlioness gives you; she took me hunting to get game for you."These good people were half crazy with delight at seeing heragain; they could not help crying, and bathing her prettyface with their tears. "My dear daughter! my dear child!"they exclaimed, "you are restored to us again." Lionettewas affected at this sight. "Do you then," said she, "forbidme from seeing the lioness, that you can say nothing to her,and that you shed tears in embracing me?" "No, no, mydear child," they both cried at once, "but we feared that youhad abandoned us." "Mother lioness does not wish it," saidthe child, "she wishes me to be your daughter." She turnedround for her to agree to what she said, but she was no longerthere, and Lionette returned cheerfully with them to thecavern.

Mulidor and Phila thought this was a very wonderfuladventure; they had many private conversations about it, anddetermined they would not refuse the child to the Lioness,when she chose to come for her; at the same time, Mulidor obtainedhis wife's consent to consult Tigreline upon Lionette'sdestiny. She was a very learned Fairy. "I had alreadythought of doing so," replied Phila, "and it had better be donedirectly." It was settled he should start the first thing inthe morning.

The good woman prepared a present for the Fairy, toinduce her to be more gracious—nothing very precious, theFairies do not desire it—it was a piece of sky-blue ribbon, anda little basket of nuts, which Tigreline was passionately fondof. Mulidor set out on his journey to her dwelling; she hadfixed her habitation in the heart of an immense forest whichwas filled with tigers—it was from that circumstance shetook her name. When any one sought her for a good object,the tigers did them no harm, but if they went thither with[Pg 420]any evil design, they tore them to pieces, and none such wereever known to reach the Fairy's castle. The old man havingnothing to fear upon that subject, did not arm himself withany weapon of defence, and arrived without difficulty at thecastle at the moment the Fairy was getting up. He foundher occupied in stringing large pearls on a golden thread. Shereceived him very graciously, and taking her spectacles fromoff her nose, "Approach, wise old man," said she. "I knowwhat has brought you here, and I am very glad to see you."Mulidor bowed profoundly, and kissed Tigreline's robe. Heoffered his little present, which she received very kindly, thenmaking him sit down, she told him she would consult Destinyin her large book, that she might answer correctly thequestions he came to ask her. After reading for some time, sheraised her eyes to Heaven, then fixing them upon Mulidor,"Listen," said she, "to what I think of Lionette. She mustbe warned from loving one who is her direct opposite, otherwisegreat misfortune may happen to her, even to the loss oflife. Should she arrive at twenty without this fate befallingher, I answer for her happiness." She then informed the oldman that Lionette was a great Princess, exposed to be eatenby lions almost immediately after she was born, through thewickedness of a certain Queen; but she would not tell himanything more, and exhorted the old man to continue tocultivate in the child all those good feelings which he himselfpossessed, and left it to him to decide on telling her who shewas, trusting to his prudence for securing her happiness.

She then gave him for Lionette the string of pearls shehad just finished. "If she do not lose it, or give it away,"said the Fairy, "it will preserve her from many dangers. Itmay, indeed, insure her happiness if she take special care ofit." The old man thanked the Fairy and returned home,where he arrived before nightfall.

He found his wife and Lionette; the latter embraced hima thousand times, and he tied the Fairy's pearls round herneck, earnestly entreating her to take great care of them.She was enchanted with this new ornament, and the old manrelated to Phila, as soon as they were alone, all that the Fairyhad told him. They consulted together upon the course theyshould take, and resolved they would say nothing to Lionetteof her birth, to prevent her feeling useless regrets. "We can[Pg 421]tell her at any time, should it be necessary to do so," addedthe prudent wife; "and we should be sorry for it (not havingit in our power to give her more than the education of asimple shepherdess) if her disposition, sweet as it is now,should be changed by the knowledge of her rank. Let usattend to her heart and mind: princesses have not the timeto do so. She will learn from her own experience that theyare as subject as other mortals are to the caprices of Fortune,and perhaps she may be the happier for it."

Mulidor quite agreed with the truth of this, and theyapplied themselves more than ever to the education of thisamiable child, whose natural excellence left them nothing towish for. She was twelve years old, and continued to gohunting with the Lioness, very often carrying on her shouldera little quiver, and skilfully shooting the wild beasts. Onenight, returning later than usual, the cavern resounded withthe roars of the Lioness. Mulidor and Phila both went out,and found the Lioness at the door, having brought Lionettewith her, who was seated on the ground, endeavouring toconsole the poor animal, that appeared in deep despair. "TheLion is dead," cried the young child, "and my mother cannotbe comforted—a hunter has killed him." The Lioness rolledupon the ground, and shed torrents of tears. The old man,his wife, and Lionette did their best to soothe her grief;but after passing the whole night in the vain attempt, theLioness expired herself in the morning. The sobs and griefof Lionette were excessive, she could not leave the body ofthe poor beast, she embraced it, and shed tears over it. Atlength they dragged her from this sad scene, and while theold man buried the Lioness, the kind Phila attended toLionette, who was in the deepest affliction. When Mulidorcame in, he was much moved by the child's grief, and wasanxious to comfort her, but finding he only increased hersorrow, he said, "What would you have done, then, my child,if this accident had happened to either of us? It is not possibleyou could have felt it more keenly." "Ah! my father,"cried she, holding her arms out to embrace him, fearingthat he was offended at the little attention she paid to hisconsolations, "if the Gods have reserved so much misfortunefor me, I implore them to let me die instantly, for I shall notbe able to support it." "The Gods, my child," replied the old[Pg 422]man, "do not always grant such rash petitions. It is offendingProvidence not to submit humbly to its decrees. Do yousuppose you are the only one who suffers from affliction inthis life? Is this the courage I thought you capable of?"

Lionette cast down her eyes: the severity of this remonstrancehad brought a slight colour into her cheeks, whichmade her more lovely. Mulidor felt he had said enough; hewent out and left his wife to soften anything he might havesaid too harshly; and Phila, embracing Lionette, said,"Really, my child, you would make us believe you could haveno greater grief. No doubt the friendship you show forthese poor animals is highly laudable, but you must takecomfort, and thank the Gods that they have not inflictedon you greater misfortunes." "Ah! my mother," criedLionette, embracing her, "how much obliged I am to youfor speaking to me thus; do not let my father be angry withme any more—I feel I could not bear it." Mulidor re-entered;Lionette ran to embrace him; he returned her caresses witha fondness that consoled the charming child. They couldnot sufficiently admire the goodness of her heart, her sensibility,her gentleness, and frankness; and she also lovedthem dearly.

Lionette, however, continued to deplore the loss of theLions: a deep melancholy appeared to have taken possessionof her; she dared not give way to it before Mulidor, but shefelt less restraint with Phila. The worthy couple often conversedtogether upon this subject; they became alarmed atLionette's condition; they tried to amuse her; they wentout more frequently, took walks with her, allowed her to gohunting and fishing, gave her birds, flowers, shells; but shepreferred hunting to all other amusements. The part of thecountry in which they lived was so wild a desert that personsmust either have come there on purpose, or have lost their way,to be seen in it, so there was little danger of Lionette meetingwith anybody. Still, the fact of the Lion having been killedby a hunter was remembered by Mulidor. He never couldunderstand how a man could get so far without having foundout their retreat, or being more astonished at seeing a younggirl mounted on a Lioness, and hunting in company with aLion. They did not dare ask Lionette any questions aboutit, fearing they should renew her grief; and yet they feared[Pg 423]to prohibit her from hunting, feeling, good souls, how cruelit would be to deprive her of her favourite amusement. Theyonly entreated her, therefore, to take care she did not loseherself.

At the end of some months, Lionette regained her spiritsa little. The old man and his wife were enchanted at thishappy change. They congratulated themselves upon havingpromoted it by their indulgence, and trusted that she wouldin time forget the Lions. She grew fast, and began to evincecharacter; she was wonderfully beautiful, even in the mostsimple of her dresses. Phila had made her garment of thefinest tigers' skins, and a little cap of the same material; andthus attired, one might have taken her for Diana herself, shewas so graceful and majestic. Her beautiful black eyesheightened the brilliancy and vivacity of her complexion,which neither the hottest sun nor the most scorching windhad any effect upon, nor could they injure the whiteness ofher arms or neck. She was not at all aware of her beauty;her strength of mind and her education made her abovepriding herself on her personal advantages. She spoke well,and her ideas were even superior to her language. The goodpeople were astonished to see her at so early an age evincingso much talent and judgment. She was then just approachingher fifteenth birthday.

For some days past, Phila perceived that she had takenthe trouble to put her hair in curls on going to bed, and thaton going out she glanced at herself with a kind of satisfactionin a fountain adjoining the cavern. She mentioned this toMulidor, who was as much surprised at it as herself; they,however, did not choose to speak to her about it, but determinedto watch her closely, that they might discover themotive of this unusual attention to her personal appearance,and they recollected that for some time past she had appearedthoughtful, uneasy, and indifferent to matters which had previouslyamused her.

Lionette returned to the cavern rather earlier on that day;she brought with her a brace of partridges that she hadkilled. The good woman asked her if she felt too tired tohelp her with some spinning she wished to finish. "If youcould dispense with my assistance," said Lionette, "I shouldbe very much obliged to you; I feel so inclined to sleep."

Phila consented, and let her go into a little nook of thecavern which made a kind of room for her. She had decoratedit with all the rarest things that she had found. The hangingswere composed of the feathers of singular birds, and anabundance of flowers in shells, which she kept filled with freshwater, ornamented this pretty chamber. Mulidor had taughther to paint; she had finished some charming pictures, andwith the wool she had found in the cavern she had embroideredsome cushions, which she had arranged as a couch.Upon this she threw herself, looking more like a goddess thana mortal.

The good woman becoming uneasy at the length of timeshe slept, went to seek her; she found her, as I have justdescribed, reclining on the cushions; her eyes were shut, buta few tears that were struggling to escape through their longlashes, convinced her that the lovely Lionette was in somedistress. She stood looking at her for some time, she hadnever seen her look so beautiful; but at length, alarmed ather condition, she drew nearer, and taking her hands, pressedthem affectionately between her own.

This action aroused Lionette, and turning her eyestowards Phila, "Ah, mother!" said she, throwing herselfupon her neck, "how ashamed I am to appear thus beforeyou." "Why, my dear girl," said Phila, "why do youconceal your troubles from me? Do you not know howinterested we both feel for you? What is the matter withyou, my child? Do not hide your distress from me; perhapsI could assuage it."

Lionette was some time before she ventured to answer.She kept her head bent down in the old woman's hands; shekissed them passionately. At length she regained her courage,and raising herself, her cheeks suffused with blushes, "I amabout to tell you something," said she, "which has tormentedme for some time past. Let me hope this avowal at leastwill serve to obtain your forgiveness." "Speak, my deargirl," said Phila, "and fear nothing. I am more uneasy atyour grief than angry at your having concealed it from me."

Lionette encouraged by this, told her that, on her way tothe forest, about three months ago, she had seen a youngshepherd fast asleep, and that an arrow which she had shotat a bird having missed it, fell and pierced the young man's[Pg 425]hand; that attracted by the cry he uttered, she approachedhim, and assisted in stanching the blood. "This wound,"she added, "awoke in my heart a strange emotion. I trembledin applying to it the herbs I had gathered, the properties ofwhich you had taught me. He, far from being angry withme, told me he should never complain of that wound, buteternally of the one my eyes had inflicted on him.

"This language, quite new to me, was so fascinating thatI wished never to quit him. He wept as he gazed on me;he kissed my hands to detain me. I proposed that he shouldfollow me, that my father might assist in curing him. 'Icannot do so, beautiful Lionette,' said he (I had told himmy name), 'a most cruel fate has forced me to fly from theworld; but promise me to come sometimes and cheer mysolitude, and I shall ask nothing more from the Gods. I shallbelieve their anger is appeased.' I did promise him—heasked me too tenderly to be refused. At length I felt you wouldbe uneasy at my stay, and I left him with so much regretthat I burst into tears, and hurried away that he might notperceive it, for I was ashamed, I think, of my compassion forhim.

"I returned, restless and miserable. Next morning Iwent in search of him. I cannot tell what prevented mefrom making you acquainted with it, but I was on thepoint of telling you a hundred times, and as often I felt itwould be impossible to do so—perhaps it was because he hadbegged me to keep it a secret. I ran to look for him, toask his permission to tell you. Approaching the spot wherewe had seen each other the evening before, I stopped suddenly.A feeling of reproach came over me for having hidden thisproceeding from you; and besides, I was so agitated, I fearedI should be ill. 'What shall I do by myself here?' thoughtI; 'I am without help, and that which I might find isperhaps dangerous to wait for. Unfortunate Lionette, whathast thou promised to do? Fly, return to thy duty, for it isclear that thou hast wandered from it, since thou art so muchdisturbed at taking this secret step. The Gods warn thee.This state of mind is not natural.' I had sat down to reflect.I got up. I retraced my steps, when a grievous thoughtarrested me. 'Alas!' said I, 'perhaps he is unable to cometo meet me, from the wound I inflicted on him; and if so,[Pg 426]what will be his despair at not seeing me? There is no oneto help him in this desolate place but myself. To refuse himmy assistance would be inhuman. Let me find out whetherhe wants me, and see him but for that.'

"I proceeded, therefore, to the fatal place where I hadwounded him the evening before. He was not there. Ibecame alarmed; my limbs failed me; I fell upon the mosswhich covered the ground. I saw some traces of his bloodstill remaining on it. I was nearly suffocated by my grief.Happily my tears flowed, and that relieved me; but I felt thekeenest affliction when I thought that perhaps I had been thecause of his death. I drew out my arrows, and broke themdeliberately as a punishment for my cruelty. I caught sightby chance of the one with which I had wounded him. It wasstill upon the ground, and stained with his blood. My tearsflowed faster at this frightful sight. I gave utterance to myagony in piercing shrieks. They were interrupted by thesight of the young shepherd himself, running quickly towardsme. I could not rise. He threw himself on his knees nearme, in so much terror that I was alarmed myself at hisexcessive paleness. He asked me what had happened. Atthe same time I put the same question to him. We re-assuredeach other. I told him the reason of my tears.Never was any one thanked so tenderly. His words had acharm in them that went to my heart. I listened with apleasure I had never felt before; I nearly forgot his wound,so much I feared to interrupt him. I was astonished, however,to hear him say how much he loved me—he, whom Ihad scarcely ever seen; and I was still more surprised to findhow dear he had become to me, for he told me more than Icould dare tell him; and I believe he could read my heart,for I thought exactly as he did, only it appeared to me I couldnot so well have expressed myself.

"At last he told me that he wished to be mine. 'And areyou not so already?' said I. 'Can you be more so than youare? That would enchant me.' He smiled at my words.I thought I had said something wrong, and I blushed at myawkward manner of expressing myself. I know not what hethought, but he said a thousand more affectionate things tome. He informed me he was the son of a great king, and[Pg 427]would be my husband. 'I cannot be your wife,' said I:'they will not let me.' 'Ah! who will oppose it,' exclaimedhe, 'if you consent?' I then told him that my father andmother had always said a crown would be an obstacle to thehappiness of my life, and that they certainly would neverconsent to such a union. 'Wait for a few days,' said he,'and I will tell you how to soften their severity. If youlove me you will assist me in conquering it; but neverrefrain from coming to this place. My life depends uponyour acquiescence. Fear nothing from me, lovely Lionette;nothing can be purer than my affection, and I call all thedivinities of the forest to witness that I shall ever respect asmuch as I love you.' He gave me his hand; I gave himmine, and I vowed, as he had done, to love for ever, if youconsented to it.

"I examined his hand, and found the wound had healed;I was delighted at this, and left him, promising to return,and not to say anything to you until he desired me. Ireturned so absorbed by his image that I felt as though Ionly lived when he was present. I had no pleasure in anythingbut him: the more I saw him the more I wished tosee him. It was the same with him. He is charming,mother! and were you to see him you could not do otherwisethan love him.

"Three months have passed in this sweet union, and nowcomes my misery. This morning he told me that it was necessarythat he should be absent for some days upon importantbusiness which tended much to our happiness. I had neverknown what it was to lose sight of him for more than a fewhours. I was as wretched as he was. He told me, however,that he should soon return, and that he was even more anxiousthan myself to complete our happiness. I wept bitterly. Atlength the hour arrived for us to part, I unfastened mynecklace, and tied it round his arm——"

"Oh, heavens! what have you done, my child?" exclaimedPhila. "We are lost beyond help."

She threw herself upon the ground, and filled the cavernwith her cries, Lionette, alarmed at this sight, arose toassist the good woman. "What is the matter, then, mother?"she cried. "Why should a necklace of such trifling consequence[Pg 428]rouse you to so much grief?" "It is for you I weep,my daughter," said Phila. "Your happiness was linked withthe preservation of that unfortunate necklace."

She then repeated what the Fairy Tigreline had said toMulidor, and did not conceal from her that she was a princess,but that she knew nothing more. Lionette, who possessednaturally an elevated mind, was not astonished at this news."Very well, mother," said she; "the more you convince me ofthe probability of my high birth, the more courageously I oughtto bear up against the sad events which are predicted of me,though, to speak the truth, I do not believe in them; and Isee nothing unfortunate here but the absence of the shepherdwhom I love, and his unhappy name, which made me flyfrom him without being able to control myself. These arethe only misfortunes I know of." "What say you, mydaughter?" exclaimed the old woman; "his name caused youto fly from him? Explain this riddle—I do not understandit." "Alas! this is the cause of my despair," replied Lionette."I had scarcely tied the necklace round his arm,when he kissed my hand with such transport that I forgotmy grief for the moment. 'Yes, beautiful Lionette,' hesaid, 'it is for life that you have enchained the happy PrinceCoquerico.'

"Hardly had he pronounced his name, which he had nevertold me (he preferred that I should always call him my shepherd),than I felt so horrified, without knowing wherefore, thatI fled as swiftly as possible. He followed me; he called me. Ihad not the power to return. An invisible hand seemed toimpel me forward. 'My dear Lionette,' he cried, 'where areyou going? It is your shepherd—it is Coquerico who callsyou.' I ran still faster. At last I lost sight of him, eitherthat I had taken paths he knew not of, or that he was afraidof displeasing me by following me any longer. I arrived herein such confusion I had some trouble in hiding it from you.You know the rest, my mother—all that has happened to me,and I beg you a thousand pardons for profiting so little fromyour good lessons; and although I owe my birth to apparentlypowerful princes, I shall always submit to your authority."

Mulidor came in as Lionette finished speaking; they madehim acquainted with this adventure; he was in great alarm atwhat might happen from the loss of the necklace, and did not[Pg 429]dare go and consult Tigreline, whom they had so decidedlydisobeyed. There was nothing to be done but to wait and seewhat would befal the Princess. They entreated her to forgetthis young man; they succeeded by degrees in consoling herfor his absence, and notwithstanding her melancholy, shetook part occasionally in their cheerful conversation.

Two months passed in this manner. One night theywere suddenly awakened out of a deep sleep by a clap ofthunder which made them think the cavern was crumblingto pieces. They started to their feet, and had not time torecover themselves before a hideous and very richly dressedFairy touched them with her wand, and they were transformedinto two Lionesses and a Lion, she then transportedthem in an instant to the Forest of Tigers, where she vanishedand left them.

Who could express the consternation of the wise old man,or his wife's distress? That of the Princess was still greater,she reproached herself as being the cause of these good peoples'misfortune; and what distressed her still more was, not beingable to speak, she had not the power of comforting them.This calamity for the moment made her forget PrinceCoquerico; but when she thought she should never see himmore, or that if she did, he would fly in terror from her, orat least not recognise her, she uttered such frightful roarsthat the forest resounded with them, and her poor companionscame near her to try to console her. Their grief was redoubledto find they could neither understand nor speak to her. Theygroaned despairingly. At length it occurred to all three ofthem to go to the Fairy, but they had no power of communicatingthe idea to each other. The Lion was the first to start,the two Lionesses followed him, but the Tigers stopped theway, without, however, doing them any harm. Finding theirintentions were frustrated, they concluded it was by theFairy's orders. They buried themselves in the thickest partof the forest, and laid down very sorrowfully upon somebeautiful green grass, which served as a bed for them. Theypassed some considerable time in this place without seeingthe Fairy, she took care, however, to send them food by oneof the Tigers regularly every day.

It is now time to acquaint the reader who Prince Coquericowas:—That young Prince was the son of a King who had been[Pg 430]very powerful, and who had reigned in the Fortunate Islands.This King was dead, and having left his son at a tender age,the Queen became regent. The ambition of reigning, thepride of being Sovereign Mistress, had closed her heartagainst the feelings of nature. She had her son brought upin a castle upon the edge of the sea, in luxury and idlenessunequalled; and her excuse for this sort of education was aprediction of the Fairies at his birth, to the effect that hislife would be endangered if he took up arms before he wastwenty years old.

Everything was interdicted that could give him any desirefor military exercises, and the art of war was depicted in suchfrightful colours that, however valiant the Prince might havebeen born, he shuddered at even the picture of a sword. TheKing, his father, who had died in battle, was represented tohim as so sanguinary a sovereign that he vowed he wouldnever imitate him.

They had named this prince, Coquerico, in derision fromhis having amused himself one day—contrary to the desire ofhis tutors—with looking at a fight between two game cocks.He spent his life in walking; in hearing sentimental romancesread to him, the heroes of which they represented in such amanner that he might not have a desire to become like them;he learned to play upon several instruments, to paint, and towork at tapestry. The Queen went to see him very often,and pictured to him the fate of kings in such distressingcolours, that he dreaded the moment when he should ascendthe throne.

He was just ten years old, the time appointed for theQueen to resign the throne to him, when, walking on thecoast, apart from his followers, he was caught up by a whirlwind,and disappeared in an instant. His tutors, surprisedthat he was so long a time in returning, went to seek him,but could find him nowhere. The most diligent search provedin vain, and they were compelled to apprise the Queen of thismysterious circumstance. She would easily have been consoledfor this accident if the people of the Island, tired of hergovernment, and indignant at the education that had beengiven to their King, had not risen in rebellion. After havingtorn her ministers in pieces, they compelled her to fly to aneighbouring Monarch, who granted her an asylum. This[Pg 431]King had been a widower for two years, having but onedaughter, in giving birth to whom the Queen died.

He married the fugitive Queen; and the people of theFortunate Islands elected a council to rule the kingdomuntil they could obtain news of their Prince Coquerico,whom they did not believe to be dead. They were right, thewhirlwind had been caused by a Fairy, who, delighted at thesight of so beautiful a Prince, and angry to find him broughtup so badly, had resolved to purloin him from a mother whohad proved herself unworthy of being blessed with such ason.

To cultivate a fine disposition spoiled by so wicked aneducation, the Fairy was impelled by another feeling lessgenerous and more natural. The beauty of this Prince hadtouched her heart, she imagined that gratitude would makesome impression upon that of the young Coquerico. The fewcharms she possessed, however, were not likely to do so. Shewas old, and had a horn in the middle of her forehead; butshe was very susceptible, and was always complaining thatshe had met with none but ungrateful beings. "By bringingup this young man," she thought, "he will become accustomedto my appearance, and perhaps my care and affectionfor him will inspire him with sentiments that may lead intime to that happy union of souls, that perfect mutual love,which I have heard so much of and never experienced."

Cornue (that was her name) reasoned thus in transportingthe handsome Prince to her dwelling, which was in theDesert where the old man and his wife had brought up theyoung Lionette for the last four years. Cornue had builtherself a charming palace upon the summit of one of themountains, but it was inaccessible to all human beings, inconsequence of the clouds with which it was continuallysurrounded. The charms of life, its amusements, bothrational and frivolous, were all united there. This palacewas of immense extent, although formed of one single opal,so transparent and so beautiful that through the walls onemight see a grain of millet at the end of the garden, whichwas worthy of so magnificent a palace, from its groves,terraces, parterres, and fountains.

The tasteful Cornue had not spared anything, even in herdress, for when, placing the Prince in the vestibule of her[Pg 432]palace, she made herself visible to him, she had envelopedher horn in a green velvet case, covered with diamonds; herhair, which was rather grey, was powdered white,[41] and tiedwith greenmoulinet bows, in the centre of each of whichsparkled a large diamond; and her dress, of flesh-colour andsilver, showed her form so truly, that one could perceive theGraces had striven among themselves which should give thefinishing touch to it.

The Prince was surprised at this apparition. She kissedhis hand, and asked his forgiveness for taking him away fromhis retirement without his permission. "If I can avoid beingyour king," said he, with an air which showed that he wasnot alarmed at the manner in which he had been conductedthither, "I should be very well contented, for the fear ofascending the throne made me desirous of leaving mykingdom, and you have done me a favour in taking me awayfrom it;—but I should like to know," added he, quickly,"why you wear so pointed a head-dress, and why your dressis of so peculiar a colour?" "We excuse such childishquestions at your age," said the Fairy, slightly blushing;"you will be ashamed of them some day;—but let us enterthe palace, and you will find something to occupy your attentionmore agreeably."

She then gave him her hand, and they passed into a saloonin keeping with the beauty of the rest of the palace. Ahundred black slaves were arranged in two files, throughwhich the Prince and the Fairy proceeded to the centre.It was sufficiently light to see the rarities which ornamentedthis beautiful place; statues, sculptured marbles, porcelain,furniture, were all admired with the taste of a connoisseurby the young Prince. The slave opened the door of a magnificentgallery, filled with charts, maps of the world, instrumentsof geometry, models of the most beautiful cities inAsia, Europe, and Africa; of palaces where the men andwomen of each nation were dressed in their national costumes,and by the Fairy's skill they moved hither and thither,spoke in their own language, and held conversations accordingto their position. This amused the Prince for a considerabletime. He requested the Fairy to allow him to remainin that gallery a little longer than she seemed inclined to do.

He made the slaves who accompanied him explain what thisall meant; he bade them repeat it, and was quite enchanted.He recognised the Fortunate Islands; he saw his tutorsseeking for him, and who appeared in despair at not findinghim—that touched his heart with pity. The Fairy at lengthwithdrew him from this scene, that he might not witness thecatastrophe. She amused him with other objects.

Some islands surrounded by the sea, upon another model,afforded him great entertainment. Vessels filled with passengersexecuted some wonderful evolutions; then there wasa sea-fight, followed by a storm, which dispersed the ships andsank several of them. This terminated the diversions of thisday. The Fairy then proposed supper, after which an operawas represented; this was succeeded by a ball, and the Princedanced with the Fairy, and with the nymphs in the Fairy'strain, and at last six slaves conducted him to a handsomeapartment, in which he retired to rest.

The next and following days were passed in conversations,sometimes serious, sometimes mirthful; the slaves had ordersto cultivate his taste for the arts while amusing him, towhich purpose he lent himself readily. He was alreadyaccustomed to walk in a second gallery, which formed asuperb arsenal; he heard them talk of arms and of war withpleasure; he almost wished to witness a battle, and feltashamed he had ever thought otherwise. The slaves formedthemselves into battalions, he placed himself at their head,he enjoyed his triumph in a sham fight, he invented stratagems,he sought for glory everywhere; he no longer fearedto be a king. The gallery of models had displayed to himthe pleasures of royalty; he passed three hours each day init, and took lessons from the ablest politicians. The cabinetsecrets of all the Courts in the universe were no secretsto him.

There was a model of the whole globe in that gallery, andwhat art pervaded that grand work! Not only all the kingdomsand their various provinces, to the smallest habitation, wererepresented; but every mortal upon the face of the earth wasseen in pursuit of his vocation. All spoke their own language,you heard them, you saw them,—the most secret actions weredisplayed therein: the ocean and its vessels, rivers, lakes,streamlets, deserts, even yet undiscovered countries,—nothing[Pg 434]was hidden from the learned Cornue. All was to be foundin her model. There was wherewithal to amuse one duringthe longest life that ever was known.

The Prince was fascinated by this wonderful work of art;he studied it for a long time; he could with difficulty tearhimself from it; nor did he consent to do so till the Fairyassured him that this gallery forming a portion of his suiteof apartments, he might visit it whenever he wished.

He left it at length to enjoy new pleasures—an opera, asupper, followed by a magnificent ball, in which the fairies ofCornue's Court distinguished themselves in dancing, notwithstandingthey were ugly and old, for their mistress took carenot to incur the reproach of being the least handsome personin the Palace; and the designs she had upon the heart of theyoung Prince would not admit of her neglecting anythingthat would bring them to bear.

His education was entrusted to six fairies, who led him eachmorning into the gallery of the globe for three hours; theyexplained the various interests of Princes, he learned theirlanguages, he heard and saw the effect of their politics, theirbattles by land and sea, which displayed to him the ability ofministers and of generals. Already he was able to formsound opinions, and to speak of things with the knowledgeacquired from experience. His noble mind developed itself, heburned with a desire for glory, he blushed at having beenafraid of it. He also appreciated the pleasures of royalty, hebegan to find a satisfaction in being master, but he did not atall covet the soft and effeminate life which he perceived in theseraglios of the sovereigns of Persia and Constantinople; hepreferred those kings who reigned absolutely over theirsubjects, with a certainty that they would shed their bloodto preserve theirs. Insensibly he became the most accomplishedPrince living. He was not ignorant upon any point;his fine intellect assisting his slight experience, he evincedin everything the greatest judgment and discernment. "Butwhere can one see this land, and the inhabitants, that Iobserve in my model?" said he sometimes to Cornue. "Iwill show you some day," answered she; "it is not time yet."That would vex him; he was desirous of appearing of someconsequence himself in this fine plan of the universe, he wasannoyed at not seeing himself in it. This caused him manyreflections, but as they only sprang from his brain, they did[Pg 435]not distress him much—those suggested by the heart, moreinteresting, he knew nothing of yet.

The Fairy did not fear that the beauties whom he saw inthe model would awake in him any emotions contrary to herwishes; they were so exceedingly small, that he could buttake them for pretty little puppets, the largest figure, of aman even, not being taller than one's thumb. His greatamusement was the opera and comedy; he went to themvery often: the little figures acted wonderfully well, and ashe had a great appreciation of genius, he attended all orationsof the Academy,[42] and commented upon them with greatsagacity.

Until he was eighteen years old, this gallery continued tobe his greatest pleasure; in fact, he knew no other. At thatage he began to wish to know the people whose portraits hesaw; the Fairy, desirous to please him, dared not oppose himtoo much; she put him off with promises, but feared hewould escape her. "I hunt in your park," he said; "I walkin it; I always see the same things, it tires me; I shouldlike sometimes to see something different." "Ah! truly,"said the Fairy, "you have well preserved the faults of humankind. Miserable state of men! Can they be perfectly happy?—theycannot believe themselves to be so, they sigh for whatthey do not possess, and when they have obtained it theyare disgusted with it. Ah! what have you to wish for here?do you not reign here? are you not the master? Do you feartreachery here, false friends, or bad advisers? We live butto please you; you are all-powerful in this Palace—you command;we obey you. What being could be grander andhappier than you are?"

The Prince bent his head at the enumeration of all thehappiness the Fairy had surrounded him with, and found thathe still desired more. He said nothing, but his uneasiness,his agitation, his weariness, appeared in spite of him in allhis actions. Cornue increased the magnificence of her dress;the Prince did not notice it; he scarcely ever looked at her.She was disconsolate; for the idea, entertained ever since shehad carried him off, the hope of being ardently loved byhim, had strengthened with time, and the Prince's increasingbeauty had contributed much to her passion. He was justat that happy age in which we please without much trouble,and love with that frankness which is so soon discarded.

Cornue was enraged that he did not think of her. "Youought to love me, were it only to amuse you," said she tohim, one day, when she was very melancholy. "Love you,"replied he, looking very vacantly at her; "do I not love you?"Then, without thinking of it, he added immediately, "I feelcertain I shall never love." "Ah! why?" said the Fairy;"who prevents you?" "Nobody," he replied; then rose, andtook a gun, and went shooting for the rest of the day.

The Fairy, in despair at his indifference, and fearing sheshould lose him if she still persisted in opposing him, perceivingalso that he was thinner, and that his colour hadfaded, determined to allow him to change the scene, andfor this reason one morning she sent for him. "The timehas arrived," said she, "that I can give you your liberty toleave the Palace. You will find the vast universe, of which Iam about to open the roads to you, resemble a very stormyocean, but since you wish to expose yourself to it, I will notdetain you; all I advise you to do is to confide in me whenin trouble (for you will have much to endure before youbecome King), and to commence your excursions by goingto my sister Tigreline, and asking her, from me, for thewonderful necklace which can alone preserve you from themisfortunes attached to your fate. Take this bottle, pour adrop of the spirit it contains upon the clouds which surroundthe park; they will open for you to pass, and this dog willguide you on your way back to the palace."

The Prince, who did not expect so great a favour, displayedsuch transports of gratitude that the Fairy felt nearly recompensedfor her trouble by the caresses she received from him.He promised to follow her advice upon every point, and setout immediately. The boundaries of the park adjoined aforest so wild and frightful that Coquerico found the worldwas not quite so beautiful as he imagined it to be; notwithstanding,he entered this vast wilderness, accompanied solelyby his dog. Guided by his faithful companion, he was pursuinga path which led to the Forest of Tigers, when suddenlyhe saw a lion of extraordinary size coming straight towardshim. At first he was startled at such a meeting, never[Pg 437]having seen a lion in Cornue's park; but recovering himselfa little, he shot an arrow with so true an aim that it piercedthe lion's heart, and he fell dead at his feet. He proceededas fast as possible, but his attention was arrested a momentafterwards by frightful roarings. He looked in the directionfrom whence they came, and he saw in the distance anotherlion, running at full speed, with a young child on its back;he was about to pursue it, but his dog pulled him by the coat sohard that he thought the Fairy Cornue had appointed this dogto be his guardian, and so, giving himself up to his guidance,he arrived at Tigreline's abode without further accident.

As soon as he had told her the reason of his journey, shereplied, "Prince Coquerico, you will inform my sister that Ihave disposed of the necklace that she asks me for; doubtlessit was for you she wanted it. I hope, however, that it willnot fall into your hands so soon, whatever advantage youmight desire from it. But to make up for the loss of thisgift, which I am no longer able to bestow, I warn you that ifyou ever pronounce your name rashly, or without its beingabsolutely necessary, you will lose, perhaps for ever, thatwhich is most dear to you. I advise you, therefore, to concealyour name from every one, or at least not to mention itlightly. Go, Prince, I can do nothing more for you."

The Prince thanked the Fairy very much, kissed her hand,retired, and returned to Cornue's palace, very well satisfiedwith the little he had seen. He was received most graciously;they asked him many questions; he related all hisadventures; he fancied he should never have finished talkingabout them, everything had seemed of such singular beautyto him. He was in high spirits all the evening. Theypraised him, they caressed him, but that did not content him.He was resolved to go out again, and the Fairy, perceivinghow good-tempered he was, permitted him to do as he wished.For a whole year he roamed to the furthest extent of thebeautiful country in the neighbourhood; sometimes he wenton horseback, and often dismounted to sleep under the treesduring the heat of the day. This sort of exercise increasedhis stature and his strength. He was now in the prime ofhis beauty.

He was very anxious to ask the Fairy to restore him to hissubjects; he was tired of this life of privation; his mind, asfine as his person, made him anxious to revisit his kingdom;[Pg 438]but he dared not as yet request Cornue's permission, lest heshould appear ungrateful. This brought back his formermelancholy. Cornue became alarmed; she endeavoured toamuse him in every imaginable way. He scarcely ever wentout; he passed his days almost entirely in the gallery ofmodels, and when he saw a battle he could not be gotaway from it. What was still worse, he one day witnessedthe coronation of a young King. At this sight theythought he would go mad. The shouts of joy, the warlikeinstruments, the pomp of the ceremony, transported him withanger as well as delight. "Why, then," said he, "am I tobe imprisoned here during my youth, when I could be at thehead of these people, making either war or peace, enjoyingreally my rights of birth? They would detain me here, acaptive, render me as effeminate as Achilles at the Court ofLicomedia. Can I not find a Ulysses who will come to myrescue?" He would have given still greater vent to his vexationhad they not come to announce to him that the Fairy waswaiting for him to order them to begin an opera she hadcommanded the performance of. "What, always some fête?"said he. "Well," he continued, "I must submit to it."

The opera they were to perform wasArmide.[43] The Fairy,who had been told what an ill-humour the Prince was in,watched him during the performance. She thought that heseemed amused by it, for he was so attentive to the piece.The fourth and fifth acts he certainly did think wonderful;he spoke of it the whole of the evening; he admired aboveeverything the idea of the shield which restored the hero toglory. "What," said the Fairy; "does not Armida interestyou at all? Do you not pity her? So much affectiondeserves a better recompense." "By my faith, Madam,"replied the Prince, "your Armida has what she deserves. Ishould like to know if the heart is to be commanded; Ibelieve it to be perfectly independent of the will, as far as Iam concerned." Cornue felt the cruelty of this answer, butshe did not appear to do so, and turned the conversation toanother subject.

The Prince retired early, that he might go the next dayshooting. This was the day that his hand was wounded bythe beautiful Lionette's arrow. Upon returning to theFairy's palace the Prince considered whether he should speakof this adventure; he was astonished at himself for wishingto keep it a secret. A sweet feeling (hitherto unknown tohim) stole over his mind, and took such possession of it thathe was unable to conceal it. He asked himself what it couldmean, and he could find no reason for it. The name ofLionette enchanted him. He repeated it incessantly. Thegrace, the beauty of this young girl enchanted him, and hefound himself within the palace without being aware how hehad arrived there. It was then he began to recover himselfa little.

Under the effect of this intoxicating feeling, he said athousand gallant things to the Fairy. She was surprised atit, but flattering herself that her charms had produced thisalteration, she did not inquire the reason of such extraordinaryjoy. His wound made her uneasy, but he took care to tellher that he had hurt himself with one of his own arrows, andthe enamoured Cornue, anxious about everything that concernedhim, cured it by breathing upon it, without furtherinquiry. He was in charming spirits for the rest of the day;Cornue thought he had lost his senses; she ordered somemusic that he thought delightful, although he had heard thesame every day without noticing it—so much does love embellishthe slightest objects. His passion led him to indulgein delicious meditations, and to discover in his heart theexistence of emotions he had never dreamed of. He retiredearly, and hastened to the gallery, seeking for a representationof her whom he had seen during the day—he was successfulin his search; he saw the lovely Lionette seated betweenthe old people in the cavern, and when, on separating for thenight, they extinguished the light, and she was in darkness,he still remained gazing in the direction of the cavern, anddid not leave the gallery until the following morning was sufficientlyadvanced for him to go and meet the lovely huntressherself. In traversing the forest he lost himself, and thatwas the cause of his being so long before he rejoined his beautifulLionette.

Unfortunately for the Fairy, her skill was now useless toher—from the moment Fairies fall in love, their art cannotprotect them; when they recover their reason they regaintheir power; but in the interim they can neither punish[Pg 440]their rivals nor discover them, unless chance assist them,as it might common mortals. Three months elapsed withouther having an idea of the cause of the change in PrinceCoquerico; she heard no more of his ambitious aspirations;a country life and retirement was all he now desired;he dressed himself as a shepherd; he composed eclogues andmadrigals; he engraved them upon the trees in the park,accompanied by gallant and amorous devices that the Fairycould not understand. When she asked him for an explanation,he smiled, and told her it was not for him to instruct solearned a person as she was. "Ask your own heart, Madam,"added he, "that will teach you; it was mine that dictated itall to me."

The Fairy was quite contented with this answer; sheinterpreted it according to her own wishes, but she could notreconcile to herself the Prince's frequent absence, after allhe had said to her; for he went out the first thing in themorning, and did not return till the last thing at night. Shepassed whole days in thinking about new dresses and differententertainments. As she had a lively imagination, she succeededwith the latter, but the former were absolutely useless—herage and her horn entirely defeated all attempts at decoration.It was upon this occasion that she invented theBal-Masqués, which have been ever since so successful. ThePrince often indulged in this agreeable delusion, and with hisheart full of the beautiful Lionette, he spoke to the Fairy asthough he were addressing his love, and the credulous Cornuetook it all to herself.

Towards the end of the third month of this intense andsecret passion, the Prince at length resolved to ask the Fairyto conduct him to his own kingdom. It was not ambitionthat induced him to wish it, but a higher and more delicatesentiment. Why conceal it? Love itself made him anxiousto ascend the throne, that he might place the beautifulLionette on it beside him. He had scarcely spoken to theFairy about it before she consented, flattering herself that hewished to share his crown with her. With what pleasuredid she order everything for his departure. The Prince, aswe know, took leave of his lovely shepherdess, and set out,with the Fairy and a numerous suite, for the kingdom of theFortunate Isles. Cornue was seated with him in a car of[Pg 441]rock crystal, drawn by a dozen unicorns; their harness wasof gold and rubies, as brilliant as the sun. A dozen otherchariots, as pompous, followed; and the Prince, as beautiful asCupid, and magnificently dressed, attracted the attention ofevery one. He had most carefully concealed the necklace thatthe lovely Lionette had given him; he wore it on his leftarm as a bracelet, and his dress covered it. He was delightedat the thought of appearing before Lionette in such grandapparel, and to read in her looks the joy such proof of his lovewould give her; but he could not help feeling a secret anxiety,which at times cast a cloud over his mind; he attributed itto the distance between him and his love, and sometimes hethought he had done wrong in going so far away from her."The happiness I am seeking, is it worth what I lose?" saidhe. "Lionette loves me as she has seen me; will she loveme more for possessing a crown? Ah! Lionette, I knowyou too well to wrong you so much; your noble and simpleheart only estimates that true grandeur which places manabove his fellows by the elevation of his mind."

At length he arrived at the Fortunate Isles, and the people,delighted to see their Prince again, received him with acclamations.He was crowned, and by the attentions of theenamoured Cornue, the ceremony was followed by magnificentfêtes, in which the Prince, from gratitude, insisted on hersharing all the honours. The fêtes ended, and the affairs ofthis fine kingdom put in order by the Fairy and the ministersshe had chosen, she determined to have a complete explanationwith the King, and began by adroitly proposing that heshould marry. She had gained the ministers over to herwishes, and induced them to join in the proposition she hadmade to him; but who can tell Cornue's astonishment whenthe young Prince replied by acknowledging his love for thebeautiful Lionette, and entreating her to assist in renderinghim happy, by enabling him to share his throne with theobject of his affections! "Ah! where have you seen thisLionette?" replied the Fairy, with a look in which astonishment,rage, and vexation were equally visible. "What,then," added she, "is this the return for my care of you?"The Prince, astonished at this sharp reply, and not fearingher reproaches, ended by relating his interview with Lionette,and painted his affection in such glowing colours that[Pg 442]she plainly saw the opposition she might make against itwould only tend to irritate him and increase his passion; thencleverly making her decision, "I would not speak thus toyou," said she, "but to reproach you for your want of confidence,that you did not open your heart to me. I shouldhave served you better, and Lionette would have been to-dayQueen of the Fortunate Isles; but you have acted like ayoung man without experience, and I doubt if I can serveyou at present as I could otherwise have done." "Ah!Madam," replied the King, "you can if you will. Give meyour chariot, and let me go and seek my beautiful Lionette.""I will do better for you," said she, with a forced smile; "Iwill go with you as soon as it strikes midnight; hold yourselfin readiness; we shall be on our way back before the sun isup, and I know no other means of satisfying your impatience."

The Prince embraced the Fairy's knees, transported withjoy and gratitude, which wounded her much more than hisunfortunate confidence; she took leave of him under a pretextof consulting her books, but really because she could notcontain herself, and her fury had risen to a most horribleheight. Who could describe it? All that an amorous, jealous,and mistaken woman could feel, she, as a Fairy, felt still more;nor could the most forcible language paint but feebly thetortures which racked her heart. She had promised, however,to accompany the Prince; but that would enable her toexecute the vengeance she meditated.

She felt the more assured of her revenge as the Prince hadlet the necklace fall from his arm, and had left her withoutbeing aware of his loss. She picked it up, and thanking thestars for so lucky an accident, no longer delayed takingmeasures for her revenge, which would have been uselesswithout that precious necklace. She closed the doors of herapartment, that her absence might not be perceived, anddesired the King might be told she must consult her booksin private, and at midnight she would be visible. She mounteda flying dragon, and speedily arrived in the cavern, whereeverything was in profound repose; the dragon sneezed,which was like a clap of thunder, and enough to rend thecavern. She accomplished, as we have already seen, herwicked intentions, and returned to the Fortunate Isles as[Pg 443]the clock struck eleven. She could hardly restrain her delightwhile waiting for the King; but soon the idea of his being inlove, and without doubt loved in return, renewed her fury;she was in a transport of rage when he entered her roomwith an eagerness which assisted not a little to increase it.

She endeavoured to calm herself, or rather to dissemble herrage; her fury was at such a height that her horn was in aflame, and the enamoured and too credulous Coquerico, thinkingit was an attention she was paying him to guide him inthe darkness of the night, thanked her a thousand times forthis precaution. They mounted a chariot drawn by threeowls, set off at full speed, and descended in the forest closeto the cavern wherein Lionette had been reared. The Princeonly knew it from Lionette's description of it. Love investswith interest the most trifling circumstance connected withits object.

He had often asked her to describe the place she inhabited.He remembered every little detail distinctly. He could notbe deceived; besides, he knew her bow and arrow that were inthe cabinet in which she slept. His grief was excessive atnot finding her; he called her, he went in and out of thecavern a thousand and a thousand times, he entreated theFairy to throw a light from her horn upon places that wereobscure, and seeing some little pictures she had painted—"Ah!this is her work," cried he; "I will preserve them allmy life." The Fairy was so irritated at his transports, thatshe threw out a flame from her horn, which in a momentdestroyed everything that was in the cavern.

The Prince had great difficulty to save himself from this conflagration.The Fairy protected him, however, and triumphedwithin herself at the absence of her rival. She advised thePrince to seek for her elsewhere. "Perhaps," said she, "herparents have married her; or perhaps," she continued, ironically,"grief at your loss has caused her death." "I knownot what has happened," said the Prince, in a tone whichmarked the agitation of his mind, and distracted at not beingable to find his mistress; "but I would rather believe her tobe dead than unfaithful; and if it be true that she exists nolonger, very soon I shall follow her to the grave." "Hereis a furious determination of a lover!" cried the Fairy; butconsidering that under the circumstances it would be better[Pg 444]not to irritate the King, she changed her tone. "What Ihave said," pursued she, "is to prove the interest I take inyou. I am sorry you should have conceived an affection fora person of such low extraction, and I cannot sufficientlythank Fate that, in accordance with my own opinion, hasremoved this shepherdess, and thus assisted your heart torecover from its error." "I know not if Fate has assistedyou to drive me mad," replied the Prince, sharply; "but ifso, I feel she has been more successful in that attempt thanthe other. As to Lionette, I will repair the defect, if it beone, to be born of obscure parents,—not that I believe itpossible for her to be what she appears. In any case, however,happy are the princesses who are as high-minded as she is."

The Prince now, seeing how uselessly he was seeking forher in this place, entered the chariot again with the Fairy,and returned to the Fortunate Isles, where they arrived atsunrise without having spoken a single word, both of themoccupied—the one by her fury, the other by his grief.

The King, upon his return, shut himself up in his palace,and thought of nothing but by what steps he might recoverLionette. It occurred to him he ought to go to Tigreline.This resolution taken, he proceeded to Cornue to tell her hisproject. "I cannot imagine," said he to her, "why you donot assist me in this affair; is your power so limited? IsTigreline's more extensive than yours?—for I believe," headded, instantly, "you are so interested in my happiness, thatyou would exert all the skill you possess to increase it, if itwere possible. I could not even doubt it, without beingungrateful. I have had sufficient proofs to be quite sure of it,and I feel that I can never forget them." Cornue blushedat this question, which she did not expect, and becomingacquainted with the extent of her misfortune by the latterpart of the King's discourse. "It is in consequence of thatvery affection I have for you," said she, "as you ought toknow, that I will not serve you in fostering a passion thatwould diminish your glory; and if you are as grateful as yousay you are for the care I have taken to make you happy,and for preserving your life, you will discard an infatuationwhich will be your ruin. What an idea will your people—willthe whole universe—have of a king so little master ofhimself that he runs after a poor shepherdess, to give her a[Pg 445]crown which he might share with the first princesses in theworld—no matter whom: perhaps even a fairy might nothave disdained to partake of one with you." These lastwords, which escaped her in spite of herself, opened theKing's eyes, and looking at the Fairy with astonishment, hewas convinced of the truth of his suspicions when he saw herstanding silent, confused, and carefully avoiding his gaze.

It was some time before he could find words to answer,from his excessive astonishment; but unwilling either to irritatethe Fairy at the moment he so much wanted herassistance, or to encourage a hope that he felt incapable ofsustaining. "The knowledge you have of the human heart,Madam," said he, at last, "ought to have taught you that aKing cannot dispense with the laws of nature more thanother men. So pure and intense a passion as I have forLionette is not of a character to be easily extinguished.Why did you not exert your power to render me insensible?I should not then have felt the grief I have to-day, nor thehappiness you speak of. This choice of a great princess orof a fairy who would deign to receive my vows and mycrown—this happiness, I say, does not at all affect me. Isit necessary that to be happy I must sacrifice myself forever to the whims of my people? I must choose for myself.I would willingly make them happy. I feel a pleasure evenin desiring and being able to do so—but what can it signifyto them who I give them for their Queen? I value mygreatness only because it enables me to elevate her whom Ilove. This sweet pleasure would induce me to support theweight of a crown; without it, what would be every otherenjoyment? And am I compelled, because I am their master,to be deprived of the only pleasure I sigh for? No, Madam;in giving them Lionette I consider that I make them ashappy as I make myself. Should they refuse to receive her,they will repent their temerity; and whoever ventures tooppose me will find that my love has not made me forgetI am a king."

"Proceed, ungrateful one! Proceed to destroy me!" saidthe Fairy. "You know too well all the violence of my lovefor you, and you only pretend not to see it to overwhelmme the more by your severity. It is I—it is I only—whowill expose myself to the danger of resisting thy base inclinations.[Pg 446]Dare to punish me, and so complete the measure ofyour crimes! But how wilt thou do it? Thou art in mypower, and the necklace which I hold, and which droppedfrom thine arm yesterday in my room, will revenge me forthy ingratitude." In saying this, she arose, and touchingthe King with her wand as he advanced to recover hismistress's love-token, she transformed him into a cock; then,opening one of the windows, she threw him down into thecourt of the palace; after which, assembling the Council, sheinformed them that the King had absented himself uponurgent business, and she, not being able to remain longer inthat kingdom, had determined to appoint a regent. Thisaffair concluded, she ascended her chariot and disappearedfrom their sight.

The King was dizzy with his fall, but his wings had supportedhim, in spite of himself, and when he had a littlerecovered his senses he jumped upon a balustrade of whiteand rose-coloured marble, which surrounded a piece of magnificentwater in the centre of the court-yard, to see himself init. He was astounded at his appearance—not but that he wasthe most beautiful bird in the world; his body seemed asthough it was covered with emeralds,—his wings were of abright rose-colour, and on his head was a crest of brilliants,which threw out a most dazzling light,—his tail was a plumeof green and rose-colour,—his feet, of the latter hue, withclaws blacker than ebony, and his beak was a single ruby.

We will leave this unhappy King reflecting upon thecruelty of this transformation, and return to Lionette, whomwe left still more unhappy. This beautiful Princess, after havingbeen six months amongst the tigers of the Fairy Tigreline,deploring her sad fate, was at length withdrawn from themby the Fairy herself, who pitying her situation, came to seekher and carry her to her palace, with both her unfortunatecompanions. Then, after caressing them and conductingthem to a very comfortable den, she said to the Princess,"My dear Lionette, you have been a sufficiently long timepunished for your imprudence in having given away yournecklace, without my adding further useless remonstrancesto the misery you endure in not being able to change yourform until you have recovered that talisman; therefore,my dear child, I shall not scold you any more—on the contrary,I will mitigate your penalty as much as I can, and I am[Pg 447]going to prove it to you by restoring your good guardiansto their natural forms, that they may have the pleasure oftalking to you, and consoling you." Poor Lionette threwherself at the Fairy's feet, and by the tears she shed, evincedat the same time her joy and her sorrow at not being ableto answer her. Tigreline touched the Lion and Lioness withher wand; in an instant they resumed their human form,and after embracing the Fairy's knees, they embracedLionette a thousand times, who returned their caresses aswell as she could.

After this affecting scene, at which even Tigreline herselfcould not restrain her tears, she thus addressed the old manand his wife: "Good people, the days of your transformationwill not be reckoned in the term of your existence, neitherwill Lionette's when she has passed through hers. Live toserve and console her until the time of her severe punishmentshall have ended. I will not have her shut up any longer; shecan run freely about my gardens and in my forest; as foryourselves, you will remain in my palace, and have charge ofher. Let us wait patiently for time to bring about a morehappy termination to this adventure than I can dare to hopefor, and at least by our fortitude cause Fate to blush for herinjustice." The Fairy ceased speaking, and embraced Lionettewith all her heart. Lionette's was so full that sheshed a torrent of tears, and uttered groans which increasedthe affliction both of the Fairy and the good people.

She spent her days in the forest, hunting game, which theFairy had ordered to be put there for her. The tigersrespected and saluted her whenever she passed. She reclinedduring the heat of the day in the most secluded and shadyplaces, meditating on her fate, and feeling less distressed ather own situation than at the absence or the loss of PrinceCoquerico. She sighed affectionately at the remembrance ofhim, and her greatest grief was her separation from him.She scrawled with her talons on the barks of the trees rudelyformed initials, hearts and arrows, and wept over her lover'sand her own misfortune. At night she returned to her den,and to the Fairy, who showed her great kindness. The oldman and his wife amused her by relating anecdotes to her.

One day that she was at the Fairy's with her guardians,she seized a sheet of paper and a pen, and wrote a request tothe Fairy that she would tell her who she was. She presented it[Pg 448]to Tigreline, who, as she was very clever, contrived to readwhat the Lioness had written. (No one but a Fairy couldwell have deciphered it.) She sighed, and raised her eyes toHeaven, then looking affectionately at Lionette, she said, "Iam going to satisfy you, my dear Lionette. The trials thatmortals encounter often serve as lessons to persons of yourrank. May it please the just gods that those which youhave endured from the commencement of your life be the onlytrials ordained for you. But do not cease to bear them withresignation and courage. You are a Princess, my dear child;they did not deceive you when they told you so; you are thedaughter of the King of the Island of Gold; the Queen, yourmother, died in giving birth to you, and the King, yourfather, resolved not to marry again, that he might preservethe crown for you. You were scarcely four years old whena fugitive Queen, driven from her kingdom, came to imploreyour father's assistance to regain the throne that her rebellioussubjects had made her descend from, for having persisted inreigning to the prejudice of her only son, whom she detainedat a distance from the capital, for fear he should claim thesceptre.

"This ambitious Princess, perceiving that the King, yourfather, would afford his assistance too slowly for her impatience,turned her thoughts in another direction. Shecared not where she reigned, provided she did reign. Shetherefore resolved to marry your father; but knowing he didnot wish for an increase of family that might deprive youof the crown, and that consequently as long as you lived hewould never marry, she came to consult me. She did notattempt to conceal from me her sanguinary intentions respectingyou; and I knew if I were mistress of the necklace thatshe wore, I should be able to save your life.[44] I listened, therefore,quietly to her, notwithstanding the horror that these propositionsgave me of her. 'Queen,' said I to her, 'you willnever obtain your object until I have possession of your necklace.Give it to me, and be sure of the success of yourundertaking.' 'A Fairy who presided at my birth,' saidshe, 'commanded that I should always wear it.'[Pg 449]Those were her only words; but since it has not prevented my fallingfrom the throne to which my birth had entitled me, I partwith it willingly, and place it in your hands, relying muchmore on your assistance than on the pretended charm to makeme happy.' 'Go,' said I, 'return to the Island of Gold, andwait patiently the effect of my power, and above all, do notattempt the life of the young Princess; I will serve youwithout adopting such cruel means.'

"She returned to the Island, and after some time, marriedyour father. That very day I transported you, with theKing and the Queen, into the cavern where the old man foundyou, and changed them both into Lions. The King becauseI feared his weakness, and the Queen to punish her for herwickedness. I not only took from her the power of doingyou any harm, but obliged her to take care of you. Asfor the King, I knew I need not inspire him with feelingsof humanity; he retained them, notwithstanding the naturalferocity of the animal into which I had transformed him."

Poor Lionette at these words interrupted the Fairy by amelancholy roar. Tigreline smiled, and caressing the Lioness,"Take courage, my dear girl," said she; "you mourn thedeath of a good father; your susceptible heart will feel equaljoy in learning that I have saved his life; that he is at presentresiding in a part of the world to which I transported himafter I had cured his wound; and that he is as anxious to seeyou again as you can possibly desire." Lionette, who wascouched upon a great stone at the feet of the Fairy, lickedher hand softly, to show her gratitude, and her eyes sparkledwith so much pleasure that the Fairy, delighted at the effectof her good-tidings, kissed her most tenderly. "As for theLioness, your mother-in-law," continued Tigreline, "she died,not from grief at losing the Lion, but from rage at finding herprojects frustrated by his death, which she really believed;and the tears you have shed for her were far more than shedeserved for the unwilling care she took of you."

The Fairy had arrived at this point in her story, when inat the window flew a cock of singular beauty, and perchedupon her shoulder; they were all very much astonished; theFairy, who was spinning, let fall her spindle, but quicklyrecovering herself, she held out her finger to the bird, whichjumped upon it, and flapping its wings in token of gratitude,[Pg 450]crowed out "Coquerico" two or three times. At the firstnote the Lioness took fright, and ran off as fast as possible,[45]her guardians following her. In the meanwhile, Tigrelineexamined the bird, and seeing how wonderfully beautiful hewas, immediately unravelled the mystery of this adventure."Prince," said she, "I believe I know you, and I am muchdeceived if you have not just told me your name." ThePrince (for it was he) stooped his beak to her feet, as makinga low bow to the Fairy. "Oh, Heavens!" cried she, "is itpossible there should be such a complicated chain of misfortunes.The barbarous being who has reduced you to thissad state has only allowed you the power of pronouncing aname which is the cause of all kinds of evil to you. It haseven now occasioned your Princess to fly from you, andperhaps it may have been the last time in your life that youcould have seen her."

The Cock at these words looked at the Fairy withamazement; he had only perceived in the room a lionessand two old people; he could not comprehend these wordsof Tigreline; she read his thoughts, for he could not expressthem. "She was here, I tell you," replied she, "and Iforgive you for not recognising her; but if my sister, thecruel Cornue, has been able to change you into a cock, hasshe not the power also of turning the Princess into a lion?"The Cock felt as if he should faint at this cruel news. "Oh,Fate! pitiless Fate!" continued the Fairy, "how blind arethy decrees! Why dost thou punish the innocent, and letthe guilty live?" Her thoughts would have quite absorbedher if her eyes had not fallen upon the poor bird, who hadfallen down, and appeared dying. She took him in her arms,and giving him some wonderful liquid to smell, he recoveredhis senses, but sighed bitterly at being compelled to see thelight again. "Do not distress yourself, my dear Prince,"said the Fairy, "I will use all my skill to assist you; but toensure my success you must second my endeavours. I cannotrender you perfectly happy so long as Cornue is in possessionof the necklace, and it is only through you that I can recoverit. Repose yourself, dear Prince; my books that I am goingto consult to-night will enlighten me as to what we shall doto-morrow."

The King could not sufficiently express his gratitude—hepressed his beak on the Fairy's hand, and squeezed her armgently with his claw—in short, he displayed as much feelingas he possibly could. Tigreline, after giving him somethingto eat and to drink, which he scarcely touched, placed himupon a shelf in her cabinet, and then saluting him, retired toher chamber to set about the work she had promised toundertake for him.

While this was passing, poor Lionette, overcome with afear she could not recover from, fled with all her might, andhad already gone far beyond the Forest of Tigers, notwithstandingthose animals had used all their endeavours to detainher, for they were all fond of her, and several of them wereeven in love with her; but she had forced her way throughevery obstacle, and having no guide but terror, still believingthe Cock was pursuing her, she ran a hundred leagues at once,and never stopped till her strength failed her. Her poorguardians called to her and sought for her in vain; theyreturned very much distressed at daybreak to the Fairy, totell her of Lionette's flight.

The Fairy, who knew that if Lionette went beyond thelimits of the forest she had no longer any power over her,and that she would be entirely at Cornue's mercy, left herunwillingly to her fate, and thought only of being of serviceto King Coquerico. She entered the cabinet wherein he hadpassed the night, to tell him what he had to do. He flappedhis wings at her arrival, and flew to the ground to kiss thehem of her robe. The Fairy took him on her hand, placedhim on a little table, and drew it up in front of an arm-chair,in which she seated herself. "Great King," said she, "thedestiny that has nursed you since your birth commands meto tell you that you will not regain your natural form butupon very severe conditions. You must be sufficiently fortunateto recover from Cornue the necklace given to you byLionette. If you fail to do so, you can never become ahuman being again but by marrying Cornue. In that case,if Lionette, whom my wicked sister insists upon being awitness to this ceremony, can restrain the grief it must causeher, I foresee that you may become happy at last; but if she[Pg 452]have not the courage to support the terrible sight of thatmarriage, I will not be answerable for anything." Coquericoat these words bent his head and shed tears, at which theFairy was much affected. "A tender heart," said the Fairy,"is pardonable, and even desirable in a King. Your grief,according to this principle, is very excusable, but you mustnot abandon yourself too much to sorrow. Leave to vulgarminds, my lord, complaints and lamentations, and withoutwishing to be stronger than humanity demands, courageouslyresist the blows of fate, and if you only succeed in testingyour fortitude, and finding it cannot be shaken, you ought tobe content. It is the first of all advantages, and yet one werarely ask of the gods, because we do not know the value ofit. Take this bottle, and endeavour to throw a drop of theliquid that is in it upon Cornue. That will make her swoonaway, and you will then obtain your object."

Coquerico, who was in no hurry to depart, looked at theFairy to ask her to explain herself still further: she understoodwhat he would say. She related in a few words Lionette'shistory. He thanked her in the most affectionatemanner he could, and he now recollected that the Fairy, inspeaking of her previously, had more than once called her thePrincess. He was enchanted to learn that this lovely girlwas of such high birth, but that did not increase his affectionfor her. Nothing, indeed, could augment it. It was not sowith respect to his indignation against Cornue. Everymoment it became stronger, particularly when the Fairy, atthe end of her narration, told him that the unhappy Princesshad taken flight at his crowing, as well as at his name, fromthe antipathy that lions had naturally to the crowing of acock, that the malicious Cornue had increased it in the caseof Lionette, that he had so frightened her that she hadflown beyond the bounds of the forest, and that she mighthave fallen already into Cornue's power, as, having oncequitted the Forest of Tigers, she could not possibly re-enterit till she had resumed her own shape.

King Coquerico was instantly anxious to depart, and indicatedit as well as he could to Tigreline, who could understandat half a word. After embracing him, and fastening thebottle under his right wing, she opened her window, and he[Pg 453]flew away, perfectly resolved that rather than crow to frightenthe lions, he would be devoured by them.

To what fearful extent can passions increase in the heartsof those who do not try to conquer them? The implacableCornue, distracted by turns, or rather at the same moment,by the most violent love and by the most frightful jealousy,spent her days in the Opal Palace, meditating the deepestrevenge against her rival and her lover. What more couldshe desire? Were they not sufficiently wretched? Theycould not recognise each other, and flew from one another assoon as they met. Could anything more cruel be imagined?Poor Lionette, overcome by fatigue, fell down from faintnessand fright upon some beautiful green turf, which answeredas a bed for the moment. She had run an hundredleagues without stopping, as we have said before, and withincredible swiftness, for she had quitted the Fairy in theevening, and by sunrise next morning found herself in thisstrange country. So true it is that fear lends one wings.She looked around her, and saw nothing but that greensward, through which flowed a clear stream, refreshing thegrass and the little wild flowers that adorned it. She sleptthere profoundly after drinking of the beautiful water, whichpossessed the property not only to quench thirst, but at thesame time to appease hunger.

She slept for fifteen hours. When she awoke she felt muchrefreshed, and continued her journey along the bank, at the endof which she saw a palace, of architecture as simple as it waswonderful. She entered it by a beautiful portico of foliage;in it she saw cabinets, chambers, and galleries, all formed ofgreen hedges, and what charmed her particularly was, thatin the middle of each room were large groups of flowers ofall sorts, that greeted her with most friendly bows, and saidwith one accord, as she approached, "Good morning, beautifulLionette." This wonderfully astonished her; she stoppedat a tube-rose plant that had saluted her still more graciouslythan the rest. "Lovely flowers," said she to them, "by whathappy chance is it that you have given me the power ofspeech, that all the skill and friendship of the generousTigreline could not restore to me? Is it you that have donethis? Tell me, that I may return my thanks to you?"[Pg 454]"The stream that has quenched your thirst, beautiful Lionette,"replied one of the tube-roses, "has the merit of it; wehave no power, and it is only when we are watered by it thatwe have the faculty of hearing, seeing, and expressing ourselves.We are flowers from the garden of the Fairy Cornue;for some time past she has been very sad; she came to conversewith us, but we were unable to comfort her; perhapsthat task was reserved for you; you must use your endeavours.She will not return for two days, as she was hereyesterday; her palace is some distance from this; wait forher, we will do all we possibly can to amuse you till shereturns."

The Tube-rose then ceased speaking, although she wasnaturally a little talkative, but she yielded from politeness toLionette's desire to ask some questions. "I should like toknow, obliging Tube-rose," said Lionette, "if Cornue, ofwhom you speak, and to whom you belong, is a beautifulfairy; and then I should be obliged by your telling me howyou knew my name and who I was as soon as you saw me.""A Rose-tree, who is the oracle of this place," replied the Tube-rose,"at the last sacrifice made to it by the Fairy, our mistress,predicted that a great princess, in the form of a lion, wouldone day come hither, and that here she would terminate allher distress. The Fairy displayed immoderate joy at this;she redoubled the incense and the bees, they being the onlyvictims that are immolated here. This is an answer to yourtwo questions at once, for by the Fairy's delight you caneasily conceive her good intentions towards you."

The innocent Lionette thought there was great truth inthe tube-rose's conjectures; she thanked her heartily, andbegged she would inform her where the Rose-tree was, thatshe might consult it as to what conduct she ought to adopt.The Tube-rose directed her, and she soon found the spot; itwas not far from the cabinet of tube-roses. This apartmenthad some appearance of a temple, the hedges forming anarch above the Rose-tree, which preserved it from the heat ofthe sun; a little balustrade of jasmine and pomegranate treessurrounded this beautiful plant, which was covered with somany roses that it was quite dazzling. The Lioness wasobliged to shut her eyes once or twice: she tremblinglyapproached the balustrade, and prostrating herself, respectfully[Pg 455]said, "Divinity of this lovely place, deign to receive myhomage, and tell me my destiny."

The Rose-tree at these words appeared to be much agitated,the leaves and flowers trembled, and became pale. Then avoice interrupted by sobs issued from its branches, and Lionetteheard the following words:—

The Princess was frightened at the indications of grief theRose-tree gave way to, and if the first words overwhelmed her,the latter encouraged her a little. "Alas!" said she, "I fearnothing but the prolongation of my existence; if I shouldend my miserable life here, I should bless the fate that ledme to this spot; but wise and generous Rose-tree, beforeending my days, may I not know if he to whom I wouldwillingly consecrate them still lives; and if he is happy,wherever he may be? This is my only anxiety. I shoulddie without one regret if I knew that his destiny wasdecided." The rose-bush was again strongly agitated, andthus replied:—

"Ah! wise Divinity," exclaimed the affectionate Lioness, "Iwill ask you nothing more; if he live, I am too happy. May Ialone suffer from the severity of the Fairies! Their persecutionsappear as nothing to me if he be exempted from them,and I permitted to see him happy. Ah! why should I fetterhis inclinations? Alas! the choice which I should be opposedto, whatever it might be, would never offend me; what can heowe me? and what can I offer him worthy of his merits?The unfortunate Lionette not having it in her power tomake him happy, should not prevent him from becoming so,at least I may be permitted the desire of being the cause ofit." Saying this, she retired to the cabinet of the tube-roses,where she passed the night talking of her shepherd, andtelling her love for him to her faithful friend, who in returnmore fully informed her what she knew of the Fairy Cornue[Pg 456]and of her floral companions. "As for the oracular Rose-tree,"said she, "all we know is, it is not of the rose-tree race, itwas here when we came, and I believe that the Fairy, toembellish its dwelling-place, transplanted us hither; it speakswithout being watered, and appears but little amused by ourconversation. It is naturally melancholy, and you have seenfor yourself it has a perfect knowledge of the past, the present,and the future. The Fairy passes whole days, when shecomes here, in talking to it; rarely does she do us thathonour, and I think it is in consequence of the vexatiousthings she hears from it that she feels no pleasure in talkingto us. A pomegranate blossom, a very great friend of mine,often repeated their conversation to me. The Rose-tree concealsfrom the Fairy what it is—the Fairy cannot discoverit; all one can make out is, that it was not always a rose-tree."

She had spoken thus far, when a pink, a ranunculus, andsome other flowers entered, and after paying their complimentsto the Lioness, they announced to the Tube-rose thatCornue intended to visit them a day earlier than usual; thatthey might expect her the following morning, and that sheproposed making a pompous sacrifice to the Rose-tree; thatthey were ignorant of the cause of this grand ceremony, butthought it denoted the approach of some great event. Theflowers wondered among themselves what this great eventcould be, without coming to any definite conclusion.

They then talked about the weather, a conversation inwhich they shone greatly, and which would have amusedLionette had she been in another frame of mind, but shespoke little, and listened less. At sunset the flowers retiredeach to their home; and Lionette, after taking a very slightrepast of herbs from the mossy ground, and drinking thewater from the wonderful rivulet, went to sleep at the feet ofher faithful friend the Tube-rose. The first rays of the sunhaving touched her eyelids, she awoke: the flowers were alreadyon the move. Lionette arose, and repaired to the Rose-tree.She laid herself down in one of the corners of its little temple,and saw all the flowers arrive, and place themselves artisticallyto do honour to the Fairy, who did not keep them long waiting.The whole of the temple glowed with the beautifulcolours of these various flowers; some formed themselves into[Pg 457]arbours, others into garlands, crowns, girandoles, in short,into a thousand and a thousand kinds of ornaments, so marvellouslyarranged that the general effect was dazzling. Thesweetness of their perfume was exquisite; and that whichdrew Lionette from her reflections was, that after this arrangement,and on notice of the Fairy's approach, they commencedso melodious a concert that the most melancholy beingswould have forgotten their grief, and have yielded to thesweet enchantment in which this music wrapped the soul.The Tube-rose, above all, was perfection. It charmed Lionettecompletely. She listened with delight to this wonderfulmelody, and admired the poetry of the hymn which theysang; when suddenly she saw the redoubtable Cornue enter,blazing with jewels, but more frightfully ugly than can bedescribed. She was seized with a horror at this sight whichshe could not account for. She reproached herself for it. "Isit possible," said she to herself, "that I can be still affected bythe weak prejudice of which my sex is so susceptible? Oughtwe to decide upon the qualities of the mind by the beautyor ugliness of the countenance? What feelings must Iinspire if they judge poor Lionette by her form? Judge thyselfbefore thou judgest others, and conceal not from thyselfthat if ugliness induces thee to take an aversion to any one,thou must thyself inspire a terrible horror."

While Lionette was constraining herself to vanquish thedreadful feeling that the presence of the Fairy had possessedher with, the latter, to the sound of joyful music which echoedthrough the temple of the Rose-tree, advanced towards thebalustrade and saw the Lioness, who, seated in the corner towhich she had retired, crouched in the most humble manneras the Fairy gazed on her. Cornue's countenance brightenedwith intense joy at this sight. "Oracle, whose words arealways those of truth," exclaimed she, "you have promisedme that I should one day find that which I have sought forso earnestly, and which doubtless you have reserved as arecompense for the many honours I have paid to you. Come,"said she to the fairies who followed her, "chain this wildbeast, and fasten it to my chariot, after which let us immolateour victims." Four fairies threw a chain about Lionette,who allowed herself to be dragged out of the temple notwithstandingthe grief shown by the flowers, that looked as[Pg 458]they do when Aurora sheds her gentle dew upon them, forthey all loved Lionette; but their tears did not in the leastsoften the inflexible heart of the jealous Cornue. The Rose-treeshot from its stem a flame which consumed the offeringof bees which the fairies had just placed upon a little goldenaltar they had drawn towards it. Its roses became amaranthcolour. Cornue was quite alarmed at this change. "Whatprodigy is this?" cried she. "Divinity of these realms, doyou protect my rival, or is it the joy of delivering her intomy power that has produced this mysterious change?" TheRose-tree shuddered at these words, and with a strong andterrible voice thus answered the Fairy:—

The Rose-tree after this closed its flowers and leaves, andby this action appeared to bid the Fairy depart. She leftthe temple much discontented, and remounted her chariot, towhich they had fastened Lionette, with three other lionswho were very handsome. She took the reins that unitedthese animals and drove slowly over the velvet lawn by theside of the rivulet, the gentle murmuring of which favouredher meditations, until one of the fairies, following in anotherchariot, exclaimed that she saw a fowl in the water, whichappeared to be drowning. Cornue stopped her chariot, andordered them to catch and bring to her the bird that soluckily came to reconcile her with the oracular Rose-tree.The fairies who were the lightest clad threw themselves intothe stream, and caught the poor bird, which was alreadyinsensible. They carried it to Cornue, who was not at all surprisedat its beauty, for she instantly recognised, to her greatdismay, the unfortunate King Coquerico. "Oh, Heavens!"exclaimed she to herself; "is it thus, cruel oracle, thouwouldst have me understand thee?" She held the King upby his feet, and having made him eject the water that he hadswallowed, he reopened his eyes, already darkened by theapproach of death, then quickly touching him with her wand,said to him, "Resume thy proper form, and save me therebyfrom the horror of taking thy life, upon which mine depends."At these words the King, safe and sound, appeared more[Pg 459]brilliant than the sun, his royal mantle on his shoulders, andhis crown of brilliants gracefully encircling his temples. Whatbecame of Lionette at this sight? Her lover stood beforeher—her lover a king, and more beautiful than the day! Shewould have been speechless with astonishment even had shenot resolved beforehand that she would not speak to theFairy until she had discovered her motive for ill-treating herso cruelly. She remained silent, therefore, but her eyes wereso affectionately fixed on the King, that if he had not been pre-occupiedby the adventure that had just occurred, he wouldeasily have recognised his unhappy Princess.

"What more do you require of me, Madam?" said he toCornue. "Is it to make me feel my miseries more keenlythat you have restored me to my form of which you so unjustlydeprived me? or do you at last repent that you havedone me so much mischief?" "Ungrateful ever, and stillmore ungrateful," replied the Fairy, presenting her hand forhim to assist her to descend from her chariot. "Come andjustify yourself, and do not accuse me." So saying, shestepped with him upon the mossy bank of the rivulet, andleaving her chariot and her companions at some distance,spoke thus to the King, whom she made to sit down besideher:—"I need scarcely tell you that I have loved you fromyour infancy; the care that I have taken of you must convinceyou of it, if you still remember it, for I do not expect gratitudefor such poor benefits. I will only slightly touch uponwhat has hitherto passed, for I experienced but cruel ingratitude,which my affection for you disguised under the name ofindifference, arising, perhaps, from my lack of beauty. Ibelieved for some time that by kindness I should overcomethis coldness. 'Beauty,' I said, 'is but a poor possession—asensible man is only caught at first by it. Unlimited power—afairy who condescends so far as to desire to please amortal is always sufficiently beautiful.' I discovered buttoo late the abuse of my confidence, and saw with horror thatI had a rival. What did I then do to be revenged, but whatevery woman would have done? Far from availing myself ofmy power, I only exercised my discretion. I took Lionetteaway from you, but I did not kill her—what excess of weakness!—forshe was at my mercy—and what a proof of my lovedo you not recognise in that weakness? Your insults and[Pg 460]contemptuous coldness drove me to despair. I deprived youof your form, and I left you. What greater cruelty couldyou show me than I had inflicted on myself? No, all yourhatred did not torture me as much. In what misery did Ipass my days after that frightful separation! I accused myselfof cruelty, I forgot all your injustice, and when, becomingmore calm, I thought of it as it really had been, I reproachedmyself with having given you cause for it by too much vivacity—inshort, your image always present in my mind, the thoughtof your anger constantly weighing on my heart, I could getno rest. Some of the fairies who attended on me in the OpalPalace advised me to consult the oracular Rose-tree respectingmy destiny. This Oracle, without any one knowing the reason,has established itself here, or at least has planted itself in theSward of Eloquence (the name that is given to that which youbehold here, from the rivulet which surrounds it, because itpossesses the faculty of making everything speak that iswatered by it). Persecuted by my enemies, I came at last toconsult this new Oracle. I found at first some relief to mytroubles; I took great pleasure in embellishing its abode; bymy art I caused all kinds of flowers to grow here; I raised alittle temple of verdure, and watering all the flowers from theRivulet of Eloquence, I enabled them to converse with the Rose-treeand entertain it. The information I gathered respectingmy destiny made me grateful to the Oracle, and gave me confidencein its predictions. I came often to question it, and Iendeavoured to discover by whom it could possibly be inspired.I ascertained that it was not one of those deities whotake pleasure in manifesting themselves to mortals, as atDelphi. It was a man transformed into a rose-tree, and protectedby a power unknown to me, and carefully kept a secret.I offered him all my power as a reward for what he had promisedme, but he constantly declined it. At last, having predictedan event which has occurred to me this very day, andthe commencement of my happiness, he commanded me tosacrifice to him the first fowl that I should see. Judge if allthe happiness I could expect from its promises is to be weighedin the balance against your life—for that is what he demandsof me. Could I feel, could I know, a comfort, deprived of it?Let the Oracle be angry with me, overwhelm me if it willwith the most dreadful calamities, I will not avoid them by[Pg 461]the sacrifice of your life. Continue, if you dare, to treat meinhumanly, cruelly—I will submit to it, provided I can stillbehold you; for I have resolved to suffer everything yourhatred can inflict upon me, sooner than consent to immolateyou to the strange caprice of the Rose-tree."

Cornue ceased speaking, and the King, having expressed hisacknowledgments, replied,—"What can I do for you, Madam?My heart is mine no longer; I have no wish to deceive you;not only is such perfidy incompatible with my nature, butyou too well know what I think for me to attempt to imposeon your credulity, and I owe you too much gratitude forsaving my life willingly to deceive you, were it in my power.But why have you preserved one who never can make youhappy? Far better would it have been for you to have obeyedyour Oracle. Certain that you will always oppose my happiness,I should have received my death at your hands withpleasure, since I can never entertain for you a warmer feelingthan gratitude. You would have relieved me from the shameof appearing thankless to you, and from being obliged todrag out an existence far from the object of my eternal affection."

The King was silent, and the Fairy greatly agitated;neither spoke for some time. "What did this deceitful Oraclepromise you?" at length inquired the King. "If you can berendered happy by ending my life, why defer the sacrifice?The generosity you have shown in preserving it, excites inmy heart a feeling of emulation. Conduct me to the temple,it will not be you that will immolate me, at least; Love willacquit you, for Love will dispose of my life, as it is he whoprevents my making you the mistress of it." "Talk no moreof sacrifice," said the Fairy, rising; "your life is too preciousfor me not to struggle to preserve it, at the risk of all thatmay happen. Come to my palace, and we will see to-morrowwhat can be done." She then moved towards her chariot,which she stepped into with the Prince, and the Lions wentat such speed that they arrived almost immediately at theOpal Palace.

Here it was that Lionette abandoned herself to thebitterest grief when she saw the Fairy descend from herchariot with the Prince, desiring that her lions might be putinto a grotto where a thousand other wild animals were[Pg 462]lodged that she drove in harness. "Oh, Heavens!" she cried,"to what am I reduced?" She permitted herself to be ledaway to the grotto, and retiring into a dark corner, stretchedherself upon a little straw, and passed the night groaning ather fate. Some days elapsed without any one disturbing hersad repose; at the end of which time two young fairies cameto take four lions, some tigers, and two bears to be huntedfor the entertainment of the Fairy and in honour of theKing.

As the Princess was ignorant of the purpose for whichthese animals were selected, she did not speak to the Fairies.But what a situation for her! Her lover, whom she couldnot doubt was in the Palace, and who could not know her—theseverity of the Fairy—the horror of passing her days inthis strange place—all gave her a disgust to life, which wouldnot yield to the love she possessed for the King, though ithad been redoubled by the sight of him. "Ah, why shouldI continue to love him?" she exclaimed. "Doubtless he nolonger loves me. And to render my punishment the greater,I feel he is more lovely than ever. Let me die; and may henever know the extent of the misery he has caused me.Bereft of his love—bereft of him—why should I regret todie?"

She could not suppose him to be enamoured of Cornue;she tried in vain to think why he was at the Opal Palace;she lamented the timidity that induced her to fly fromTigreline at the crowing of the cock. In recalling to hermind the few circumstances she was cognizant of, she feltconvinced that the cock that flew in at the window wascertainly the same which was brought to Cornue, and re-transformedupon the Sward of Eloquence. "How contrary ismy destiny!" said she. "My heart pants for an object whichcertainly compels me to fly from it. Let me hasten to putan end to this torment. Can the approach of death be agreater punishment? Coquerico, ungrateful Coquerico, hasforgotten me. Why should I any longer doubt it? Let mego and expire at the foot of the Rose-tree, and for ever flyfrom a place that only aggravates and redoubles my grief."

Fortunately the fairies had not shut the door of thegrotto. The wretched Princess stole out, and found herselfin Cornue's forest. She heard a great noise of horns and[Pg 463]dogs; she entered a thick part of the wood which appearedlikely to conceal her. Anxious to let the chase go by, shehad thrust herself under some low branches, when she hearda dear voice she could not be mistaken in. This voice spoketo one whom she soon knew to be the Fairy Cornue. "Yes,Madam, I avow it. I have an invincible repugnance tohunt lions ever since the unfortunate Lionette has beenchanged into one. I know not what has become of her. Youwish me to remain in ignorance about her; you object to mytaking any means by which I might obtain knowledge ofher present position. You wish to kill me. Ah, why, then,do you hesitate, when your Oracle demands my death?Let me go to consult it, or with my sword will I rid myselfof a life which is rendered insupportable by your tyranny.""How can you imagine," replied the Fairy, "that I shouldallow you to seek this Oracle who demands your death? Forit is not that he desires a cock as a sacrifice more than anyother bird—it is you yourself that the barbarous Oraclewould have immolated; and do you think I will consent tothat? I love you, and you hate me—that is all my offencein your eyes. And if I were to restore Lionette to you, youwould soon forget even the trifling gratitude you mightprofess to entertain for me." "I," exclaimed the King,"forget it? Never! I forget that I was indebted to youfor the happiness of my existence? Do not imagine it.Restore her to her natural shape, and I swear to you I willagree to everything that depends upon myself. You willcommand my obedience, and my friendship will be unbounded.In fact, if I cannot give you my heart, at least there will beso little apparent difference, that you yourself will scarcelyperceive it." "Enough," said the Fairy; "I trust to youroath, and I will yield to your impatience. To-morrow wewill proceed to the temple of the Rose-tree. I will exposemyself to its anger. I will try to appease it, and then weshall see if your word is inviolable."

The King and the Fairy passed on, and the Princess,delighted to find her lover as faithful as she had believed himinconstant, turned her footsteps towards the temple of theRose-tree, and arrived there late at night.

All the flowers were asleep. She did not disturb any of them;she went and lay at the feet of the Tube-rose—she did not[Pg 464]sleep. The beauty of the night filled her soul, alreadyprepared to receive delightful impressions, with the purestjoy, unmingled with a shade of sorrow. The amiable Coquerico,faithful and loving, appeared in her idea so worthy ofbeing loved, that she did not regret all she had suffered forhim. She never thought about his being a King; she disdainedevery advantage that was the mere consequence ofchance. He was worthy of her affection—that was all sheconsidered. Cornue's reproaches had revealed her jealousy.Lionette in an instant therefore understood why the Fairyhad so ill-treated her; and as the happiest love is subject toreverses, she distressed herself at what the King would haveto suffer if he resisted the Fairy's passion. She immediatelydetermined to abandon her lover to her rival in order to savehis life, which the Oracle had told her he would lose if sheopposed his choice. Some mournful reflections upon thissituation succeeded to those that had so pleasantly occupiedher. She determined to seek the Oracle without delay. Shearose very quietly, and entered the temple as the day broke.

King Coquerico was not in a better situation. The horrorwith which Cornue had inspired him by her new barbarity inwishing his mistress to perish by his hand under the pretenceof affording him the entertainment of a lion hunt, was unconquerable:his patience was exhausted, and he only feigned toagree to her wishes in order to gain time to be revenged, bygetting the necklace out of her possession.

The Fairy had luckily not noticed the little bottle underhis wing the day she restored him to his form; he thereforestill possessed it, and trusted it would be of great use tohim. He retired early that night, under pretence of beingfatigued, and the Fairy begged he would wear the ornamentsthat she had ordered to be put into his room, that he mightmake a grander figure in the eyes of the Rose-tree. He wasno sooner in his own apartment than the recollection of whatCornue had said, and of what he had promised, threw himinto deep distress, as he foresaw that if he could not anticipatethe artful Fairy's intention, he should only obtain fromthis jealous enemy the pleasure of once more seeing Lionette,in return for which Cornue would undoubtedly insist uponhis marrying her.

This cruel thought made him more eager for revenge, and[Pg 465]that feeling was increased by his observing a large basketmade of pearls and garnets in filigree work, which stood on atable beside him. He made no doubt it contained thepresents she had requested him to wear. He raised the whitetaffeta embroidered in gold which covered this elegant basket,and perceived with astonishment, mingled with rage, theroyal robes that are worn at the marriage of the Kings of theFortunate Islands. As they were the work of the Fairies, itis impossible to describe their magnificence.

A moment afterwards, recollecting that he should appearthus attired before the Princess, he could not divest himselfof the idea that occurred to him, that perhaps such magnificencemight make an impression on her. However, believingthe Fairy to be asleep, he resolved to put his plan in executionwithout delay, and throwing all the ornaments back intothe basket, he ascended a private staircase which led toCornue's bed-chamber. He arrived without any obstacle ather bed-side; the curtains were open, and held back by Cupidsof mother-of-pearl; these also supported crystal chandeliersfilled with wax lights, to illumine the room. When shecould not sleep the Cupids sang, or read to her the news ofthe day, Gazettes, or fresh stories that were written aboutthe Fairies. On that night they must certainly have beenreading to her as long a story as this, for she snored terribly.She could not have foreseen the King's unseasonable visit, forno one could look so ugly in bed as she did. She had neitherrouge nor patches; and her livid and unhealthy-looking skin,gave her more the appearance of a corpse than of a livingand amorous Fairy. Her horn assisted in making hermore hideous. She had the fatal necklace round her neck,which was partly uncovered. The King was not at all enchantedby the sight of her. His desire to free himself fromso hideous an object made him hastily draw forth his littlebottle, in order to fling some drops of its contents over theFairy, when all the Cupids suddenly began to cry, "Whogoes there? who goes there?" The Fairy opened her eyes,and the King remained more surprised and more distressedthan it is possible to say. "What do you here, Prince?"said she, sitting upright; "what has brought you into myroom without having sent me word of your intention?"She would have asked him a thousand other questions if she[Pg 466]had had the time, for the King, more alarmed at her uglinessthan at the menacing tone she gave to her words, allowed herto talk, and did not answer her. "What would you?" shesaid again. "Explain your object."

"I am very sorry, Madam, to have disturbed your rest,"at length said the King; "but not knowing your projects,before I definitively pledge my word to you I wish to knowwhat you propose to exact from me." "Would there nothave been time to-morrow," said the Fairy, "to have askedme this mighty question, and was it necessary to awake mefor so silly a purpose? Go to your rest, my Lord, and to-morrowwe shall be in a condition for you to propose, and forme to resolve." The King, truly seeing no other way ofgetting out of this embarrassment, was very well disposed toreturn to his room, when the Fairy called him back. "Comehere," cried she, "where are you going? Ought you not toapologize for your imprudence, or do you think you have notcommitted any?" The King, annoyed by this fresh obstacle,which prevented him from retiring, said, "Ah, Madam, donot make me commit a greater fault, in any longer disturbingyour rest; it ought to be precious to me, and the respect Iowe you——" "No, no," replied the Fairy, "approach; I donot wish to sleep any more, and I will absolutely know whatbrought you here; do not fear to offend me, but dread toconceal your feelings from me. I wish for a candid avowal,and," continued she, looking at him most affectionately, "Iexpect you will entertain me as a punishment for awakingme."

The King, at this disagreeable proposition, thought heshould lose all patience, but being in the power of this terribleperson he suppressed his first movement, and seating himself,out of respect, some distance from the Fairy's bed, said,"Since you wish it, Madam, I will obey you. I came, notthinking you were asleep, to ask you to restore the Princessto her natural form immediately, and to declare, without that,I cannot follow you to the temple of the rose-tree." "Truly,"replied the Fairy, much annoyed at this commencement,"this is a beautiful subject to disturb every one about; couldnot that have been deferred till to-morrow?" "No, Madam,"replied the King, "and I am very sorry I did not urge ityesterday, without being under the necessity of waiting[Pg 467]another day." "Well," said the Fairy, "what will you dofor me in return, and what have I to expect from your gratitude?""I have told you, Madam, the strongest friendship,and all that an affectionate heart could further give——""Friendship," replied the Fairy; "no, no, King Coquerico,it is not at such a price that I dispense my favours—it mustbe of more value than that. Shall I tell you what it is?It is not worth while to wait till to-morrow to inform you.I cannot ask you for your love, I am convinced of that; youare incapable of feeling it for me; you have made me sufficientlyunderstand that; but I will forgive you upon conditionthat to-morrow you will solemnly give me your faith."

The King, prepared as he had been for this event by Tigreline,could not quietly listen to her discourse, and find himselfso near renouncing for ever a Princess whom he loved,without feeling it most cruelly. "If my heart were free,"he replied, in a tone of voice changed by the excessive efforthe made to suppress his fury, "I could offer you the one orthe other; but, Madam, I have disposed of my heart beyondmy own control, and I will not offer you my hand, the possessionof which would make you miserable, for at everyinstant I should make you feel, in spite of myself, that, myheart being separated from it, I was not worthy the honouryou conferred on me. The gratitude I owe you, therefore,obliges me absolutely to refuse you, at the peril of my life.""We shall see that to-morrow," replied Cornue. "Go andstrengthen or change your noble resolutions; but rememberthat if you resist mine, it will not be your life that will answerto me for it. I shall know how to find, in spite of you, thesensitive place of a heart you assure me is so indifferent."

The King, maddened by rage and grief, departed, andreturned to his own apartments, where he abandoned himselfto the deepest despair. Twenty times he was about to plungehis sword in his heart, and sacrifice his life to the Princess;but thinking he might perhaps revenge her, or at least saveher from the fury of the Fairy, he abandoned that frightfulidea, and resolved upon going to the temple of the Rose-tree.

As soon as the morning appeared, the palace of the Fairyresounded with music and nuptial hymns; she sent to knowif the King was ready, giving an order that they shouldattend to him as her husband. A pompous chariot was in[Pg 468]the palace court. All the fairies from far and near weresummoned to this ceremony; they arrived from every quarter.Tigreline only announced that she should be at the temple.At length the King appeared; his pale and thin face indicatedthat he was the victim of the sacrifice, rather than theperson to whom it was to be offered. With all that he wasas lovely as the day.

Cornue was attired as a Queen; all the skill in the worldhad been employed about her robes. She seated herself withthe King in her chariot, and all the fairies followed accordingto their rank, riding upon eagles, dragons, tigers, and leopards.A dozen beautiful young fairies of the Court of Cornue, ledin couples a dozen lions, upon which, during all the journey,the King had his eyes fixed, seeking to discover if the unfortunateLionette were not amongst them. They set out amidsta flourish of drums and trumpets, and they arrived at theSward of Eloquence: the flowers were already on the boundaries,and formed two ranks six feet high, between whichthe brilliant procession passed, amidst loud acclamations andjoyous songs.

The temple was crowded. The most beautiful flowers hadformed two thrones of exquisite taste, and thecoup-d'œil wasenchanting, so well was everything arranged. The unfortunateLionette was already in the temple, and the pleasureof seeing Tigreline there, whom she remembered directly,had relieved in a slight degree the deep grief she was in atbeing compelled to witness the happiness of her cruel rival."I shall die, Madam," said she to the Fairy, "but at anyrate let the King know, after my decease, that my affectionhas equalled his own, and that I pardon him a fault whichfate has made him commit. I do not condemn him for hisinconstancy." She wept so bitterly in finishing these words,and she was so overcome by the violence of her grief, thatshe did not see the King and the Fairy enter. Cornue firstapproached the Rose-tree. "I come," said she, "to redeemmy word. Divinity of this place, you demanded of me thesacrifice of a fowl. I have too well understood your oracle;behold what you required, and I think I shall interpret yourwishes by demanding of him, at the foot of your altar, thehand he is so reluctant to bestow on me; a sacrifice which isto him greater than that of his life." The Rose-tree drooped[Pg 469]its leaves and blossoms, as if in approval of the words of theFairy. Cornue then turning to the King, who had remaineda few steps behind her, said, "Approach, my Lord, and fulfilthe decree of fate." He was at this moment much moreoccupied with what he saw than with what was said to him;he had perceived Tigreline, and he no longer doubted that thelioness at her side was his divine Princess; he looked at hertenderly and sorrowfully, not daring, however, to approachher, for fear of displeasing Tigreline, who had made him asevere sign to prevent him.

Cornue, surprised at his silence, turned towards him, andsaw him in this pleasant occupation; then placing on thealtar the crown which she held in her hand, in order that theKing might put it on her head, she approached him. "Whatare you about," said she; "is this a time for dreaming?" "Idelay my reply, Madam," said the King, without muchemotion, "till you shall render to the Princess of the GoldenIsland the form which you have so unjustly deprived her of;afterwards I will do what gratitude demands of me, and I willnot deceive you." Cornue perceiving that it was not time torecede, especially as she saw Tigreline present, her superior inpower, and that the day which she had chosen for this ceremonywas precisely that on which the fairies are subject todeath, was very cautious not to let the King know this, for fearthat he should take advantage of those four-and-twenty hoursto revenge himself for the cruelty which she had exercised onhim and the Princess; yet, nevertheless, she was not willing todelay the fulfilment of her happiness; knowing, therefore, thatit was impossible to deceive the King any longer, she turnedto Tigreline, who led the lioness to the altar. "My Sister,"said Cornue, taking off the necklace and presenting it toTigreline, "I restore the Princess to you, and you can useyour power to make her resume her proper form, but spareher the grief of seeing me crowned by the hand of her lover,and depart with her, as she can never be his."

Tigreline lost not a moment: in lieu of replying to Cornue,the good Fairy touched the lioness with her wand, and thePrincess stood before them more beautiful and more amiablethan ever. She was by the care of the Fairy clothedmagnificently and in the finest taste: she had a dress of clothof silver, covered with garlands of everlasting flower[Pg 470]ofgris-de-lin [46] colour; her beautiful light hair, adorned with diamondsand the same sort of flowers as those on her dress, fell in curlson her shoulders, and made her appear more beautiful than theday. The King was transported: he advanced towards her, andfalling on one knee—"Will you permit, beautiful Princess,"said he, "that the faith which I have plighted you should betaken from you, and that the unjust Fairy, who has made usso unhappy, should quietly enjoy a crown which should beyours?"

The Princess Lionette, during the time that her lover wasspeaking, kept her eyes tenderly fixed upon him, and by thetears which gently rolled down her cheeks let him see theeffort which she made in giving him up. "I cannot," saidshe at length, "oppose fate; yes, my dear Prince, you mustsubmit; I release you from your vows, live happy without me,if it be possible for you to do so; and as I must of necessitylose you, I quit this life without a regret, and am happy indying at having been able to tell you once more withoutits being a crime that I love you." "Yes, you shall die,"cried the furious Cornue; "I have borne enough insults,and that is another happiness which you have not countedamongst those you boast of at this fatal moment!" TheKing at these words rose from the feet of the Princess, whodid not seem alarmed even at seeing her rival advance towardsher with a poniard in her hand. He arrested the Fairy withone hand, and with the other drew his sword. "It is I whowill perish," cried he, "and you cannot attempt the life ofmy Princess, which mine will answer for." "Oh, heavens!"cried the Fairy and Lionette at the same time. "Hold!"Tigreline then advanced towards Cornue; she had not spokentill that moment; she had allowed everything to proceed, andthose to speak who were most anxious to do so. She raisedher wand, and touching Cornue, "Receive," said she, "to-day,the reward of your misdeeds, and witness in your turn thehappiness of these two lovers." At the words Cornue remainedmotionless, but her eyes shone with such terrible fury,that, not being able to find expression for it, her horn seemedon fire, and she foamed with rage. "And you, wise Rose-tree,"continued Tigreline, "resume your form, and enjoy thepleasure of embracing your amiable daughter." She had notfinished these words when the Rose-tree, bending itself a little,appeared in its true form.

It was that of a man about fifty years of age, nobly made,and magnificently attired; he had a long regal mantle, and acrown of gold, set with precious stones, on his head. Lionetteresembled him so extremely that no one in the whole assemblycould doubt she was his daughter. That beautiful Princessthrew herself into his arms with so much natural delight, thatall the company were affected by it. The good King receivedher with transports of joy, which would have been moreprolonged if he had not perceived at his feet the young Kingof the Fortunate Islands, who embraced his knees. He quittedhis daughter a moment to raise the handsome Coquerico. "Igive you my daughter," said he to him, embracing him."Receive her, my Lord, and live as happily as I have seen youmiserable. I add my crown to this gift, and though I donot expect it will increase your happiness, judging by thevexations it has brought on me, still, such as it is, I give it tomy daughter to present to you."

At this moment the King would have taken off his crown,but the young King cried, "No, sire, you shall not cease toreign: the charming, the tender Lionette fulfils all my wishes,and my crown is at her feet. Permit us to live with you,and let nothing separate us any more." Tigreline applaudedthis mark of generosity in King Coquerico; and taking Lionetteby the hand, she presented her to him. He receivedher with transports of love more easily imagined than described.Then raising his crown, and placing one knee onthe ground, he presented it to Lionette, who accepted it asshe plighted her troth to him.

The Temple resounded with the nuptial hymn. It was onlyinterrupted by Cornue, who uttered a piercing cry, and expired,it being her day of doom. Her death caused no extraordinarysensation. The young King and the Princess alone appearedaffected by the result of her despair. Tigreline had her carriedaway, and the ceremony was concluded. King Coquericothen turning towards the King, his father-in-law, asked himif he wished to witness the coronation of the Queen Lionette,[Pg 472]or if he would prefer waiting where he was for some days."And I," said Lionette, "I would entreat a favour of thekind Tigreline, and of my dear husband, if I dare speak atthis moment." "My dear Princess," replied the King,tenderly, "what do you fear?" "I would, then," said thePrincess, "that, disembarrassed of the cares of government,we could live here always, and that, content with my happiness,I might be occupied with nothing but the pleasure ofenjoying it. It is here that I have regained what is to memost valuable. What signifies to me the rest of the world ifI live with these two persons; and if you, Madam," addedshe, addressing the Fairy, "deign to come and see me, andrestore to me my two unfortunate guardians?" "I consent,"said the two Kings at once. "Yes, my daughter," said theFairy in her turn, "I approve of these noble sentiments, andyou shall live here as a Queen, but without feeling the inconvenienceof it. You shall both also enjoy the gift of fairydom.I bestow it on you."

Then touching the hedges that formed the walls of thetemple, the whole structure was changed into a palace ofemeralds so brilliant and so magnificent, that never was anythingseen to equal it. The flowers became living and speakingpersons, having as the sole mark of their transformation aflower of their name on the head. The greensward became amagnificent garden: on one side appeared a vast forest, at oneend of which the Fairy caused to be built a little palace ofrose-colour and white marble; and at the other, one of rockcrystal, in which she had the kindness to place the fine modelof the universe, which had been the delight of the King inhis youth. The Princess was enchanted. "It is for me,"said the King, "an inestimable gift—it will recall to mewithout ceasing the pleasure I have enjoyed in exploringit in search of my dear Princess." "And I," said she, "willhold it dear, because it has taught you that I was occupiedwith your memory."

The Fairy was charmed to see them so happy, with a degreeof love so little known in our time or even in that at whichthey lived. "Love each other always thus, my children,"said she, embracing them; "I can give you nothing preferableto that blessing; it is the only real happiness." She thenmade them observe that each palace had its separate gardens,[Pg 473]its cascades, fountains, and charming flower-beds. On theother side of the garden was a large and flowing river, uponwhich were a thousand superb gondolas, silver andgris-de-lin,which wound round towards a castle built entirely of flowers,the marvellous variety of which had an admirable effect, andcrowning the summit of a mountain with terraces laid out asgardens, descending to the brink of the river, and whichserved as a country house to the Palace of Emeralds. "I giveyou all this," said Tigreline, embracing Lionette; "live here,my children, millions of years; your subjects will love you,and never betray you. If you wish for more, a touch of thiswand," said she, giving hers to Lionette, "will change all theflowers into speaking and rational beings, and they willbecome flowers again at your will."

The King and Lionette threw themselves at the feet of theFairy, and thanked her heartily. She raised them, and againembraced them. "Wave your wand," said she to the Princess,"that your guardians may have the pleasure of being recalledby yourself." The beautiful Lionette quickly made this firsttrial of her power; the good people appeared immediately. Sheran to embrace them, but they feared to receive her caresses;the beautiful Queen, however, pressed them to her heart soaffectionately that they at length returned her embraces witha tenderness which drew tears from all beholders. The Queenseeing them so aged and decrepit, turned her beautiful eyes,full of tears, on the Fairy, who comprehended what shesuffered. "I like to see so much sensibility, madam," saidTigreline; "use your power, you cannot employ it better thanin the way you at present desire." She had not finished thesewords, when the old man and his wife appeared to be,—hea man of twenty years, and the old woman a girl of eighteen.They threw themselves at the feet of the Fairy, and kissedthe hands of the Queen, who, delighted to see them so youngand amiable, embraced the Fairy to thank her for this greatfavour.

The good King then addressed his daughter, who turnedher eyes affectionately on him, "Do not confer on me thesame gift, my dear daughter; I do not wish to possess secondyouth. I see you happy, that is the only thing which wouldaffect me; I shall never be sensible of greater joy; leave to thegods the disposal of my days." "It is for me," said the Fairy,[Pg 474]"to render them happy; you shall live, Sire, till you are sufficientlytired of life to wish to lose it. Adieu; my affairs compelme now to leave you, but I shall speedily see you again."

The Queen conducted the Fairy to her car, the two Kingshanded her into it, after which they returned to the Palace,where, charmed with each other's society, they passed theirgolden days, more happy than they had ever been miserable.They lived millions of years, and the King and Queen presentedthe world with fairies and beneficent genii, who areat this moment actually occupied in promoting the happinessof the universe.

MADAME DE BEAUMONT.

THE PRINCE DÉSIR
and
THE PRINCESS MIGNONE.

There was once upon a time a King who passionately loveda Princess, but she could not be married because she wasenchanted. He went in search of a Fairy to learn what heshould do to be loved by this Princess. The Fairy said tohim, "You know that the Princess has a large cat, of whichshe is very fond. She is destined to marry the man whoshall be sufficiently adroit to tread on the tail of her cat."The King said to himself, "That will not be very difficult."So he quitted the Fairy, determined to crush the tail of thecat rather than fail to tread on it. He ran to the palace ofhis mistress, where Minon came towards him, putting up hisback, as he was accustomed to do; the King raised his foot,but when he thought he was certain to set it on the cat'stail, Minon turned round so quickly that his Majesty trod onnothing but the floor. He tried for eight days to step onthis fatal tail, but it appeared to be full of quicksilver, socontinually was it in motion. At length the King had thegood fortune to surprise Minon whilst he was sleeping, andstamped upon his tail with all his force. Minon awoke,squalling horribly. Then suddenly he took the form of a greatman, and regarding the Prince with eyes full of anger, hesaid to him, "Thou shalt wed the Princess, because thou hastdestroyed the enchantment which prevented thee from doingso, but I will be avenged. Thou shalt have a son who shallbe always unhappy until the moment when he shall discoverthat he has too long a nose, and if thou darest to divulge thethreat I have uttered, thou shalt die immediately." Although[Pg 478]the King was very frightened at the sight of this great man,who was an enchanter, he could not help laughing at thisthreat. "If my son has too long a nose," said he to himself,"unless he be either blind or without arms, he can alwayssee it or feel it."

The Enchanter having disappeared, the King sought thePrincess, who consented to marry him; but his happiness wasof brief duration, for he died at the end of eight months.A month afterwards the Queen brought into the world a littleprince, whom they named Désir. He had large blue eyes, themost beautiful in the world, and a pretty little mouth, buthis nose was so big that it covered half his face. The Queenwas inconsolable when she saw this great nose; but the ladieswho were with her told her that the nose was not so large asit appeared to her: that it was a Roman nose, and that shemight learn from history that all heroes had large noses.The Queen, who passionately loved her son, was charmed atthis discourse, and from constantly looking at Désir his nosedid not appear so large to her as at first. The Prince wasbrought up with care, and as soon as he could speak theytold all sorts of shocking stories before him about people withshort noses. They allowed no one to come near him butthose whose noses in some degree resembled his own, and thecourtiers, to pay their court to the Queen and her son, pulledthe noses of their little children several times in the day tomake them longer; but it was no use pulling, for they appearedsnub-nosed by the side of Prince Désir. As soon as hecould understand it they taught him history, and when theyspoke of any great prince or beautiful princess they alwayssaid they had long noses. All his apartments were full ofportraits of persons with large noses, and Désir became soaccustomed to regard the length of the nose as a beauty,that he would not for a crown have had his in the leastdiminished.

When he was twenty years of age, and they thought ofmarrying him, they presented him with the portraits of severalprincesses. He was enchanted with that of Mignone. Shewas the daughter of a great King, and heiress to severalkingdoms; but Désir thought nothing of that, so much washe engrossed by her beauty. This Princess, whom he foundso charming, had, however, a little turned-up nose, which had[Pg 479]the prettiest effect in the world on her face, but which threwthe courtiers into the utmost embarrassment. They hadacquired the habit of ridiculing little noses, and they couldnot restrain a smile at that of the Princess, but Désir wouldallow no raillery on this subject, and he banished from hiscourt two courtiers who had dared to disparage the nose ofMignone. The others, profiting by this example, correctedthemselves, and there was one who said to the Prince, thatin truth a man could not be handsome without a large nose,but that female beauty was altogether different, and that ascholar who spoke Greek had told him that he had read, in anold Greek manuscript, that the beautiful Cleopatra had thetip of her nose turned up.

The Prince made a magnificent present to the person whotold him this good news, and he sent ambassadors to demandMignone's hand in marriage. They granted his request, andhe went more than three leagues to meet her, so anxious washe to behold her; but when he advanced to kiss her hand, theEnchanter descended, carried off the Princess before his face,and left him inconsolable. Désir resolved not to return tohis kingdom till he had recovered Mignone. He would notallow any of his courtiers to follow him, and being mountedon his good horse he put the bridle on his neck and let himtake his own road.

The horse entered a large plain, over which he travelled allday without seeing a single house. The master and the horsewere both dying of hunger, when at length in the eveningthe Prince saw a cavern, in which was a light. He entered,and perceived a little woman, who appeared to be more thanan hundred years old. She put on her spectacles to look atthe Prince, but she was a long time adjusting them, becauseher nose was too short. The Prince and the Fairy (for shewas one) each burst out laughing at seeing the other, andcried out both at once, "Ah, what a droll nose!" "Not sodroll as yours," said Désir to the Fairy; "but, Madam, letus leave our noses as they are, and be so good as to give mesomething to eat, for I am dying of hunger, and so is mypoor horse." "With all my heart," said the Fairy; "althoughyour nose is so ridiculous, you are no less the son of my bestfriend. I loved the King your father like my own brother;he had a very handsome nose, that Prince!" "And what is[Pg 480]wanting in mine?" said Désir. "Oh, there is nothing wanting,"replied the Fairy; "on the contrary, there is but toomuch of it; but never mind, one may be a very good man,even with too long a nose. I have told you that I was thefriend of your father; he came to see me very often in thosedays; andà propos of those days, let me tell you I was thenvery pretty, and he used to say so. I must tell you a conversationwe had together the last time that he saw me."

"Oh, Madam," said Désir, "I shall listen to you with muchpleasure when I have supped; think, I pray you, that I havenot eaten all day." "Poor boy," said the Fairy, "he is right:I forgot all about that; I will give you your supper directly,and whilst you eat I will tell you my history in few words,for I am not fond of long stories. Too long a tongue is stillmore insupportable than a long nose, and I remember, whenI was young, that I was admired because I was not a greattalker; they told the Queen my mother this, for notwithstandingwhat you now see me, I am the daughter of a greatKing. My father——" "Your father ate when he washungry," said the Prince, interrupting her. "Yes, withoutdoubt," replied the Fairy, "and you shall sup also, presently.I wanted only to tell you that my father——" "And I willlisten to nothing till I have eaten," said the Prince, whobegan to be in a passion. He calmed down, however, for hehad need of the Fairy, and he said to her, "I know that thepleasure I should have in listening to you would make meforget my hunger, but my horse, who will not hear you, hasneed of food."

The Fairy bridled up at this compliment. "You shall notwait any longer," said she, calling her domestics; "you arevery polite, and notwithstanding the enormous size of yournose, you are very good looking." "Plague take the oldwoman with my nose," said the Prince to himself; "one wouldimagine that my mother had stolen from her the quantity ofwhich her own nose is deficient. If I did not so much wantsomething to eat, I would leave this chatterbox, who thinks shetalks so little. One must be a great fool not to know his owndefects: this comes of being born a Princess; flatterers havespoiled her, and have persuaded her that she is a little talker."Whilst the Prince was thus thinking, the servants laid thetable, and he could not but wonder at the Fairy, who put a[Pg 481]thousand questions to them merely for the pleasure of talking;he admired, above all, a waiting-woman, who, whatever theFairy said, praised her mistress for her discretion. "Well,"thought he, whilst eating, "I am charmed at having comehere. This example makes me see how wisely I have acted innot listening to flatterers. Such people praise us shamelessly,hide our defects from us, and change them into perfections:as for me, I shall never be their dupe—I know myfaults, thank God." The poor Désir believed this thoroughly,and did not feel that those who had praised his nose mockedhim as much as the Fairy's waiting-woman mocked her (forthe Prince saw that she turned aside from time to time tolaugh). As for him, he said not a word, but ate with all hismight.

"Prince," said the Fairy, when he began to be satisfied,"turn yourself a little, I beg; your nose throws a shadowwhich prevents my seeing what is on my plate. Now, come,let us speak of your father: I went to his Court at the timethat he was a little boy, but it is forty years since I retiredto this solitude. Tell me a little about the way they live atCourt at present: the ladies, do they still love running fromplace to place? In my time, one saw them the same day atthe assembly, at the theatres, at the promenades, at the ball—Howlong your nose is! I cannot get accustomed to the sightof it!" "Indeed," replied Désir, "I wish you would cease tospeak of my nose—it is as it is—what does it matter to you?I am content with it, and I would not have it any shorter;every one has his nose as it pleases Providence." "Oh! I seeplainly that you are angry, my poor Désir," said the Fairy;"it was not, however, my intention to annoy you, quite thecontrary, I am one of your friends, and I wish to render youa service; but, in spite of that, I cannot help being shockedat your nose; I will, however, try not to speak of it, I willforce myself even to think you are snub-nosed, although, totell you the truth, there is enough material in that nose tomake three reasonable noses."

Désir, who had supped, became so impatient at the endlesstalk which the Fairy kept up on the subject of his nose, thathe threw himself on his horse and rode off. He continued hisjourney, and wherever he passed he thought everybody was mad,because every one exclaimed at his nose; but notwithstanding[Pg 482]this, he had been so accustomed to hear it said that his nose washandsome, that he could never admit to himself that it wastoo long. The old Fairy, who wished to render him a servicein spite of himself, took it into her head to shut up Mignonein a crystal palace, and placed this palace in the road of thePrince. Désir, transported with joy, strove to break it, buthe could not succeed; in despair, he wished to approach so as atleast to speak to the Princess, who, on her part also stretchedout her hand close to the glass. He wished to kiss this hand,but whichever way he turned he could not get his mouth nearit, because his nose prevented him. He perceived, for the firsttime, its extraordinary length, and putting his hand to it tobend it on one side, "It must be confessed," said he, "thatmy nose is too long." At that moment the crystal palacefell to pieces, and the old woman, who held Mignone by thehand, said to the Prince, "Confess that you are under a greatobligation to me; I might have spoken in vain to you ofyour nose, you would never have believed in the defect hadit not become an obstacle to the attainment of your wishes."

It is thus that self-love hides from us the deformities of oursoul and body. Reason in vain seeks to exhibit them to us,we do not admit them till the moment when this same self-lovefinds them contrary to its interest. Désir, whose nosehad now become an ordinary one, profited by this lesson; hemarried Mignone, and lived happily with her for a greatnumber of years.

PRINCE CHÉRI.

There was once upon a time so excellent a monarch that hissubjects called him King Good. One day, when he washunting, a little white rabbit which the dogs were about tokill, jumped into his arms. The King caressed the littlerabbit, and said, "As it has put itself under my protection,I will not allow any harm to be done to it." He carried thelittle rabbit into his palace and gave it a pretty little houseand nice herbs to eat. At night, when he was alone in hischamber, a beautiful lady appeared before him; she was arrayedneither in gold nor in silver, but her robe was white as snow,and her head-dress consisted simply of a crown of white roses.The good King was much surprised to see this lady, as hisdoor was locked, and he knew not how she had entered. Shesaid to him, "I am the Fairy Candid; I passed through thewood as you were hunting, and I wished to ascertain if youwere as good as everybody said you were. For that purposeI took the form of a little rabbit, and I saved myself byjumping into your arms; for I know that those who have pityfor animals have more still for men; and if you had refusedme your assistance I should have thought you wicked. Icome to thank you for the kindness you have shown me, andto assure you I shall always be your friend. You have onlyto ask me for anything you wish, I promise to grant it."

"Madam," said the good King, "as you are a Fairy, youought to know all I wish for. I have but one son, whom Ilove exceedingly, and on that account they have named himPrince Chéri; if you have any affection for me, become thefriend of my son." "With all my heart," said the Fairy; "I[Pg 484]can make your son the handsomest Prince in the world, orthe richest, or the most powerful; choose which you wish himto be." "I desire none of those things for my son," saidthe good King; "but I shall be much obliged if you willmake him the best of all Princes. What will it profit him tobe handsome, rich, to have all the kingdoms of the world, ifhe should be wicked? You know well he would be miserable,and that nothing but virtue can make him happy." "Youare quite right," said Candid; "but it is not in my power tomake the Prince Chéri a good man in spite of himself; hemust himself endeavour to become virtuous. All I canpromise you is to give him good advice, to point out to himhis faults, and to punish him if he will not correct them andpunish himself."

The good King was quite content with this promise, anddied a short time afterwards. Prince Chéri wept much forhis father, for he loved him with all his heart, and he wouldhave given all his kingdoms, his gold, and his silver, to havesaved him, if such things had power to change the will offate. Two years after the death of the good King, Chéribeing in bed, Candid appeared to him. "I promised yourfather," said she to him, "to be your friend; and, to keep myword, I come to make you a present." At the same timeshe placed on the finger of Chéri a little gold ring, and saidto him, "Keep this ring carefully—it is more precious thandiamonds. Every time you commit a bad action it willprick your finger; but if in spite of this pricking you persistin the evil deed, you will lose my friendship, and I shallbecome your enemy."

Candid disappeared as she uttered these words, and leftChéri much astonished. For some time his conduct was sofaultless that the ring did not prick him at all, and this gavehim so much gratification, that his subjects added to his nameChéri, or Beloved, that of Heureux, or Happy. One day hewent out hunting, and caught nothing, which put him ina bad humour. It appeared to him, then, that the ringpressed his finger a little; but as it did not prick him he paidno great attention to it. On entering his apartment, however,his little dog Bibi came jumping about him affectionately,when he said, "Get thee gone, I am not in a humour toreceive thy caresses!" The poor little dog, who did not[Pg 485]understand him, pulled at his coat, to oblige him at least tolook at him. This irritated Chéri, and he gave him a violentkick. In a moment the ring pricked him, as if it had beena pin; he was much astonished, and seated himself, quiteashamed, in a corner of the room. "I think the Fairy mocksme," said he to himself. "What great evil have I done inkicking an animal which worried me? Of what use is it to bemaster of a great empire if I may not chastise my own dog?""I do not mock you," said a voice which replied to thethoughts of Chéri. "You have committed three faults insteadof one. You have been in an ill-humour because you did notlike to be disappointed, and because you believe both beastsand men were only made to obey you. You put yourself ina passion, which is very wrong, and, lastly, you have beencruel to a poor animal that did not deserve to be ill-treated.I know you are much superior to a dog; but if it were a reasonablething, and permissible for the great to ill-treat thosewho are beneath them, I would at this moment beat you—killyou, for a Fairy is stronger than a man. The advantageof being master of a great empire is not to be able to do allthe harm that you may wish, but all the good that you can."Chéri confessed his fault, and promised to correct it; but hedid not keep his word. He had been reared by a foolishnurse, who had spoilt him when he was little. If he wantedanything he had only to cry, pout, and stamp his foot,and this woman gave him all he wished for; and this hadmade him wilful. She had told him also, from morning tonight, that he would be King some day, and that kings werevery happy, because everybody must obey them, and treatthem with great respect, and that no one could prevent theirdoing whatever they pleased.

When Chéri grew up, and was capable of reasoning, he soonlearnt that there was nothing so odious as to be proud, vain,and obstinate. He made some efforts to correct himself, buthe had unfortunately contracted all three defects; and a badhabit is very difficult to eradicate. It was not that he hadnaturally a bad heart: he wept with annoyance when he hadcommitted a fault, and said, "How unfortunate am I in havingto fight thus all my days against my pride and my temper!If they had corrected me when I was young, I should notnow have had so much trouble."

His ring pricked him very often. Sometimes he stoppedimmediately, at others he persisted in his ill-behaviour; andwhat was very singular was, that it pricked him very slightlyfor a light offence, but when he did anything really wicked,it would make the blood spurt from his finger. At lengthhe grew impatient at this, and wishing to sin at his ease, hethrew away his ring. He thought himself the happiest ofmen when he was released from its pricking. He abandonedhimself to all the follies which entered his head, till at lengthhe became quite wicked, and nobody could bear him.

One day that Chéri was out walking he saw a youngmaiden so beautiful, that he determined to marry her. Shewas called Zélie, and she was as good as she was pretty.Chéri imagined that Zélie would be most happy to become agreat Queen; but the girl told him, with much firmness,"Sire, I am only a shepherdess; I have no fortune; but inspite of that, I will not marry you." "Am I displeasing toyou?" asked Chéri, a little offended. "No, Prince," repliedZélie; "I think you are very handsome; but what would bethe advantage to me of your beauty, your riches, the fineclothes and magnificent carriages which you would give me,if the bad actions I should daily see you commit forced meto despise and hate you?"

Chéri became enraged with Zélie, and ordered his officersto carry her by force to his palace. He brooded all day longover the contempt with which this girl had treated him; butas he loved her, he could not make up his mind to harm her.Amongst the favourites of Chéri was his foster-brother, whomhe had made his confidant. This man, whose inclinationswere as low as his birth, flattered the passions of his master,and gave him very bad advice. When he saw Chéri sosad, he asked the cause of his grief. The Prince havingreplied that he could not bear the contempt of Zélie, and thathe had determined to correct himself of his faults, because hemust be virtuous to please her, this wicked man said, "Youare very good to give yourself so much trouble for a littlegirl. If I were in your place, I would force her to obey me.Remember that you are King, and that it would be a shamefor you to submit to the will of a shepherdess, who should beonly too happy to be amongst your slaves. Make her fast onbread and water; put her in prison; and if she continue to[Pg 487]refuse to marry you, let her die by torture, in order to teachothers to yield to your wishes. You will be disgraced if itbe known that a simple girl resists your pleasure, and allyour subjects will forget that they are placed in this worldonly to serve you." "But," said Chéri, "shall I not be disgracedif I put to death an innocent girl? For in fact Zélieis guilty of no crime." "No one is innocent who refuses toobey your commands," replied the confidant. "But supposeyou do commit an injustice, it is better to be accused of thatthan to let it be known that it is permitted to be wanting inrespect for you or to contradict you."

The courtier knew Chéri's weak point; and the fear ofseeing his authority diminished made such an impression onthe King, that he stifled the good impulse which had givenhim the wish to correct himself. He resolved to go thesame evening into the chamber of the shepherdess, and to ill-treather if she still refused to marry him.

The foster-brother of Chéri, who feared some good changein him, assembled three young lords as wicked as himself tocarouse with the King. They supped together; and thecourtiers took care to cloud the reason of the poor Prince, bymaking him drink deep. During the repast they excited hisanger against Zélie, and made him so ashamed of the tendernesshe had shown for her, that he rose like a madman,swearing that he would make her obey him, or sell her thenext day as a slave.

Chéri having entered the chamber in which the girl hadbeen shut up, was surprised not to find her there, for he hadthe key in his pocket. He was in a frightful rage, andswore to be avenged on those whom he should suspect ofhaving aided her to escape. His confidants hearing him speakthus, resolved to profit by his anger to rid themselves of anobleman who had been Chéri's governor. This worthy manhad occasionally taken the liberty of pointing out to theKing his faults, for he loved him as though he had been hisown son. At first Chéri had thanked him, but at length hegrew impatient at being contradicted, and then began to thinkit was only from a spirit of opposition that his governorfound fault with him, whilst every one else praised him. Heordered him, therefore, to retire from Court; but, notwithstandingthis order, he admitted now and then that he was[Pg 488]an honest man; that he no longer loved him, but that heesteemed him in spite of himself. The favourites were alwaysin dread of the King recalling the governor, and they nowimagined they had found a favourable opportunity of gettingrid of him altogether. They represented to the King thatSuliman (such was the name of the worthy man) had boastedthat he would set Zélie at liberty. They bribed three men,who deposed that they had overheard Suliman speak tothis effect; and the Prince, transported with anger, commandedhis foster-brother to send a guard to bring thegovernor to him fettered like a criminal.

After having given these orders, Chéri retired to his room;but hardly had he entered it, when the ground trembled, heheard a tremendous clap of thunder, and Candid appearedbefore him. "I promised your father," said she to him, in asevere tone, "to give you advice, and to punish you if yourefused to follow it. You have scorned that advice; youhave retained but the form of a man; your crimes havechanged you into a monster, the horror of heaven and earth.It is time I should fulfil my promise by punishing you. Icondemn you to become like the beasts whose inclinationsyou already copy. You have resembled the lion in your rage,the wolf in your gluttony, the serpent by wounding him whohas been your second father, and the bull by your brutality.You shall bear in your new form the trace of all theseanimals."

Hardly had she finished these words before Chéri saw withhorror he was the monster she described. He had the headof a lion, the horns of a bull, the feet of a wolf, and the tailof a viper. At the same time he found himself in a greatforest, on the brink of a fountain wherein he saw his horribleform reflected, and heard a voice, which said, "Considerattentively the state to which thy crimes have reduced thee.Thy mind is become a thousand times more frightful thanthy body." Chéri recognised the voice of Candid, and in hisfury he turned to throw himself on her, and, if it had beenpossible, to devour her; but he saw no one, and the samevoice said to him, "I mock thy impotent fury, and willhumble thy pride by placing thee under the power of thineown subjects."

Chéri thought that by flying from this fountain he should[Pg 489]escape from much of his vexation, as he should no longerhave his ugliness and deformity before his eyes: he rushedtherefore into the wood; but hardly had he gone a few steps,when he fell into a hole which had been made to catch a bear,and immediately the hunters, who had climbed the treesto watch for their prey, descended, and having secured himwith chains, led him towards the capital city of his kingdom.

On the way, instead of perceiving that he had drawn onhimself this chastisement by his own fault, he cursed theFairy, gnawed his chains, and gave himself up to his rage.As he approached the city to which they were conductinghim, he observed great rejoicing going on; and the huntershaving asked what had happened, were told that PrinceChéri, who had had no pleasure but in tormenting his people,had been destroyed in his chamber by a thunderbolt, for sothey imagined. "The gods," said they, "could no longersupport the excess of his wickedness, and have thus ridden theworld of him. Four lords, accomplices of his crimes, thoughtto profit by the event, and to divide his kingdom amongstthem; but the people who knew that it was their evil counselwhich had corrupted the King, tore them to pieces, and haveoffered the crown to Suliman, whom the wicked Chéri hadwished to put to death. This worthy Lord has just beencrowned, and we celebrate this day as that of the deliveranceof the kingdom; for Suliman is virtuous, and will restore tous peace and prosperity."

Chéri groaned with rage at hearing this discourse; butit was far worse when he arrived in the Great Square beforethe Palace. He saw Suliman on a superb throne, and heardthe people wish him a long life, to repair all the evils whichhis predecessor had committed. Suliman made a sign withhis hand to request silence, and said to the crowd: "I haveaccepted the crown which you offered me, but only to preserveit for Prince Chéri; he is not dead, as you believe. A Fairyhas revealed this to me, and perhaps some day you will seehim again as virtuous as he was in his youth. Alas!" continuedhe, shedding tears, "flatterers ruined him. I knewhis heart, it was formed for virtue; and but for the poisonousdiscourse of those who surrounded him, he would have beena father to you. Detest his vices, but pity him, and let usall pray the gods to restore him to us. As for me, I should[Pg 490]esteem myself too happy to bathe this throne with my blood,if I could see him ascend it again with those good dispositionswhich would make him fill it worthily."

The words of Suliman went to the heart of Chéri. Hefound then how sincere had been the attachment and fidelityof this excellent man, and for the first time reproached himselffor his wickedness. Hardly had he listened to this goodimpulse than he felt the rage which had animated himsubdued, he reflected on the crimes he had committed,and confessed he had not been punished as severely as hehad deserved. He ceased to struggle in his iron cage, andbecame mild as a lamb. They placed him in a large menagerie,where they kept all sorts of monsters and wild beasts,and chained him up with the rest.

Chéri then came to the resolution of beginning to amendof his faults, by showing obedience to the man who kept him.This man was very brutal when he was in an ill-temper.Although the Monster was very docile, he beat him withoutrhyme or reason. One day that this man was asleep, a tigerthat had broken his chain threw himself upon him to devourhim; at first Chéri felt an emotion of joy at seeing himselfabout to be delivered from his persecutor, but immediatelyafter he condemned this feeling and wished himself at liberty."I would," said he, "render good for evil by saving the lifeof this unhappy man." Hardly had he formed the wish,than he saw his iron cage open, he threw himself before theman, who was now awake and defending himself from thetiger. The Keeper thought himself lost when he saw theMonster; but his fear was soon turned into joy—the benevolentMonster sprang upon the tiger, strangled him, and thenlaid himself down at the feet of him whom he had saved. Theman, penetrated by gratitude, was about to stoop to caressthe Monster which had rendered him so great a service, whenhe heard a voice which said, "A good action never goes withoutits reward," and at the same moment he saw only apretty dog at his feet. Chéri, charmed at this metamorphosis,bestowed a thousand caresses on his Keeper, who tookhim in his arms and carried him to the King, to whom herelated this marvellous story. The Queen desired to havethe dog; and Chéri would have been very happy in his newcondition had he been able to forget that he was once a man[Pg 491]and a monarch. The Queen loaded him with caresses; butfearing that he would grow larger, she consulted her physicians,who told her that she must give him no food butbread, and only a moderate quantity of that. Poor Chériwas dying of hunger half the day, but he was obliged tohave patience.

One morning that they brought him his little roll for hisbreakfast, he had a fancy to go and eat it in the garden ofthe Palace. He took it in his mouth, and walked towards acanal which he knew was a short distance off; but he couldnowhere find it, and in its place he saw a large mansion, theexterior of which blazed with gold and precious stones. Heobserved in it an immense number of persons of both sexesmagnificently dressed: they sang and danced, and faredsumptuously within the building; but all those who cameout of it were pale, thin, covered with wounds, and nearlynaked, for their clothes were torn into shreds. Somefell dead as they issued from it without having strength todrag themselves a step further; others proceeded with greatdifficulty; whilst some remained lying on the ground dyingof hunger and begging a morsel of bread from those whoentered the house, but who did not vouchsafe a look atthem. Chéri approached a young girl who was trying to tearup some grass to eat; touched with compassion, the Princesaid to himself, "I have a good appetite, but I shall not dieof hunger if I wait till dinner-time and sacrifice my breakfastto this poor creature; perhaps I shall save her life." Heresolved to act on this good impulse, and placed his bread inthe hand of the girl, who put it to her mouth with avidity.She soon appeared quite restored by it; and Chéri, transportedwith joy at having so opportunely come to her relief,was about to return to the Palace when he heard loudcries. It was Zélie in the hands of four men, who draggedher towards the mansion, which they forced her to enter.Chéri then regretted his form of a monster, which wouldhave afforded him the means of rescuing Zélie; but a poorlittle dog as he was, he could only bark at the ravishers andstrive to follow them. They drove him away by kicks; buthe resolved not to quit the spot, and find out what hadbecome of Zélie. He reproached himself for the misfortunesof this beautiful girl. "Alas!" said he to himself, "I am[Pg 492]indignant with those who have carried her off. Have I notcommitted the same crime myself? and if the justice of thegods had not frustrated my attempt, should I not havetreated her with the same barbarity?"

The reflections of Chéri were interrupted by a noise whichhe heard above his head. He saw a window open; and hisjoy was extreme when he perceived Zélie, who threw fromthis window a plateful of meat so well dressed that it madehim hungry to see it. The window was shut again immediately;and Chéri, who had not eaten all day, was about todevour the meat, when the young girl to whom he had giventhe bread uttered a cry, and having taken him in her arms,"Poor little animal," said she, "do not touch that food; thishouse is the Palace of Voluptuousness; all who come out of itare poisoned." At the same moment Chéri heard a voicewhich said, "Thou seest a good action never remains unrecompensed;"and immediately he was changed into a beautifullittle white pigeon. He remembered that this colour was thefavourite one of Candid, and began to hope that she might atlength restore him to her good graces. He was desirous ofrejoining Zélie; and rising in the air, flew all round the palace,and found with joy one window open; but in vain did hetraverse all the building—he could not find Zélie. In despairat her loss, he resolved not to rest till he should meet withher. He flew for several days, and having entered a desert,observed a cavern, which he approached. How great was hisdelight! Zélie was seated there by the side of a venerablehermit, and sharing with him a frugal repast. Chéri, transportedwith joy, flew on to the shoulder of the lovelyshepherdess, and expressed by his caresses the pleasure hefelt at seeing her. Zélie, charmed with the gentleness of thelittle creature, stroked it gently with her hand, and althoughshe thought it could not understand her, she told it that sheaccepted the gift it made her of itself, and that she wouldalways love it. "What have you done, Zélie?" said thehermit. "You have plighted your faith." "Yes, charmingshepherdess," said Chéri to her, who resumed at this momenthis natural form, "the termination of my metamorphosis wasdependent on your consent to our union. You have promisedalways to love me, confirm my happiness, or I shall hastenand implore the Fairy Candid, my protectress, to restore me[Pg 493]to the form under which I have had the happiness of pleasingyou." "You need not fear her inconstancy," said Candid,who, quitting the form of the hermit under which she hadbeen concealed, appeared before them in her proper person."Zélie loved you from the first moment she saw you; butyour vices compelled her to conceal the passion with whichyou had inspired her. The change in your heart leaves herat liberty to show her affection for you. You will live happily,because your union will be founded on virtue."

Chéri and Zélie threw themselves at the feet of Candid.The Prince was never tired of thanking her for her goodness,and Zélie, enchanted to find that the Prince detested hisformer evil ways, confirmed to him the Fairy's avowal of heraffection. "Rise, my children," said the Fairy to them, "I willtransport you to your Palace, and restore to Chéri a crown ofwhich his vices had rendered him unworthy." Hardly hadshe finished speaking when they found themselves in thechamber of Suliman, who, charmed to see his dear master oncemore become virtuous, abdicated the throne, and remainedthe most faithful of his subjects. Chéri reigned for a longperiod with Zélie; and it is said that he applied himself sowell to his duties, that the ring, which he again wore, neveronce pricked his finger severely enough to draw a singledrop of blood.

THE
WIDOW AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS.

Once upon a time there was a Widow, a very worthy woman,who had two daughters, both of whom were very amiable;the eldest was named Blanche, the second Vermeille. Theyhad been given these names because the first had the fairestcomplexion in the world, and the second cheeks and lips as redas vermilion or the finest coral. One day the good Widow,sitting at her door spinning, saw a poor old woman, who couldwith difficulty walk, even with the aid of a stick. "You seemvery tired," said the good Widow to the old creature; "sit downa moment and rest," and immediately desired her daughter toplace a chair for her. They both rose directly, but Vermeilleran quicker than her sister and brought the chair. "Will youtake something to drink?" said the good woman to the oldone. "With all my heart," replied she; "I could even eatsomething, if you could give me a morsel to refresh me.""I will give you all in my power," said the good Widow:"but I am poor, and it will not be much." At the sametime she told her daughters to attend on the old woman, whoplaced herself at the table; and the good Widow told hereldest daughter to go and gather some plums from a treewhich the young girl had planted herself, and of which shewas very fond.

Blanche, instead of obeying her mother cheerfully, murmuredagainst this order, and said to herself, "It was not forthis old greedy creature that I have taken so much care ofmy plum-tree." She dared not refuse, however, to gathersome of the plums; but she did so with an ill grace, and unwillingly.

"And you, Vermeille," said the good woman toher second daughter, "you have no fruit to give this goodlady, for your grapes are not yet ripe." "True," said Vermeille,"but I hear my hen cluck; she has just laid an egg,and if madame will like to eat it warm I will give it herwith all my heart." At the same time, without awaiting thereply of the old woman, she ran to fetch her egg; but at thesame moment that she presented it to the stranger she disappeared,and they saw in her place a beautiful lady, whosaid to the mother, "I am about to reward your two daughtersaccording to their deserts. The eldest shall become agreat Queen, the second a farmer's wife." At the same timestriking the cottage with her stick, it disappeared, and theysaw in its place a pretty farm. "There is your lot," said sheto Vermeille. "I know that I have given to each that whichshe will like best."

The Fairy departed as she uttered these words, and themother, as well as her two daughters, remained struck withastonishment. They entered the farmhouse, and werecharmed with the style of the furniture. The chairs wereonly of wood, but they were so polished that they could seethemselves reflected in them as in a mirror. The bed-linenwas white as snow. In the farmyard there were twentyrams and as many sheep, four oxen, four cows, and in thepoultry-yard all kinds of fowls, hens, ducks, pigeons, &c.There was also a pretty garden, filled with fruits and flowers.Blanche saw without envy the present which had been made toher sister, and revelled in the delightful anticipations of beinga Queen. Suddenly she heard hunters passing, and going tothe door to see them, she appeared so beautiful in the eyes ofthe King, who was returning from the chase, that he resolvedimmediately to marry her.

Blanche having become Queen, said to her sister Vermeille,"I will not have you remain a farmer; come with me, sister,and I will give you in marriage to a great lord." "I ammuch obliged, sister," replied Vermeille, "but I am accustomedto the country, and wish to remain there." For thefirst few months Queen Blanche was so much occupied withballs, fine clothes, and plays, that she thought of nothing else.But she soon became accustomed to such things, and theyamused her no longer; on the contrary, she became very[Pg 496]miserable. All the ladies of the Court paid her great respectin her presence, but she knew that they did not like her, andthat they said amongst themselves, "Look at this littlepeasant, how she assumes the fine lady: the King had a verylow taste to choose such a wife." This kind of conversationmade the King reflect. He began to think he had donewrong in marrying Blanche, and as his love for her declinedhe neglected her, and passed his time with the handsomestladies of his Court.

When it was perceived that the King no longer loved hiswife, the courtiers ceased to pay her any respect. She wasvery unhappy, for she had not a single real friend to whomshe could relate her griefs. She saw that it was the fashionat Court to betray friends for interested motives, to appear tolove those whom they hated, and to tell falsehoods everymoment. She was obliged to look serious, because they saida Queen ought to have a grave and majestic air. She hadseveral children, and during all this time she had a doctorcontinually attending her, who examined everything she ate,and took from her everything she liked. They put no salt inher soup; they forbade her to walk when she was inclined todo so; in a word, she was contradicted from morning tillnight. They gave governesses to her children, who broughtthem up very improperly, without her having the liberty to findfault. Poor Blanche was near dying of grief, and she becameso thin that she excited the commiseration of everybody.She had not seen her sister during the three years that shehad been Queen, because she thought that a person of herrank would be degraded by visiting a farmer; but being overcomewith melancholy, she resolved at length to go and passsome days in the country to amuse herself a little. She askedpermission of the King, who willingly granted it, because hethought it would be a good riddance.

On her road she came to the farm of Vermeille, and at adistance she saw before the door a troop of shepherds andshepherdesses, dancing and amusing themselves with all theirhearts. "Alas!" said the Queen, sighing, "when shall I everdivert myself like these poor people, with no one to find faultwith me?" As soon as she appeared her sister ran to her toembrace her. She had such a contented air, she was grownso stout, that the Queen could not help crying at seeing her.[Pg 497]Vermeille had married a young peasant who had no fortune,but he always remembered that he was indebted to his wifefor all that he possessed, and he sought, by his indulgentmanner, to mark his gratitude for her. Vermeille had notmany servants, but they were as fond of her as if theyhad been her children, because she treated them as such.All her neighbours also loved her, and all sought to give herproof of it. She had not much money, but she had no needof it, for she obtained from her land corn, wine, and oil insufficiency. Her flocks furnished her with milk, with whichshe made butter and cheese. She spun the wool of her sheepto make clothes for herself, as well as for her husband, andfor two children which she had. They were in wonderfullygood health; and in the evenings, when their work was done,they amused themselves with all kinds of games. "Alas!"cried the Queen, "the Fairy has made me an unlucky presentin bestowing on me a crown. Happiness is not to be foundin magnificent palaces, but in the innocent occupations of thecountry."

Hardly had she uttered these words when the Fairyappeared. "I intended not to reward you but to punish you bymaking you a Queen," said the Fairy, "because you begrudgedgiving me your plums. In order to be happy, you must,like your sister, only possess such things as are necessary, andwish for no more." "Ah! Madam," cried Blanche, "youare sufficiently revenged. Terminate my misery." "It isended," replied the Fairy; "the King, who loves you nolonger, has just repudiated you to marry another wife, andto-morrow his officers will come to order you, in his name,not to return to the palace." This occurred as the Fairyhad predicted. Blanche passed the rest of her days with hersister Vermeille in peace and happiness, and never thoughtof the court but to thank the Fairy for having brought herback to the village.

PRINCE FATAL AND PRINCE
FORTUNÉ.

There was once upon a time a Queen who had two littleboys, who were perfectly beautiful. A Fairy, who was agreat friend of the Queen, had been requested to be godmotherto these Princes, and to endow each with some gift. "Iendow the eldest," said she, "with all sorts of misfortunesuntil he attains the age of twenty-five, and I name himFatal." At these words the Queen uttered piercing cries,and conjured the Fairy to change her gift. "You know notwhat you ask," said she to the Queen. "If he be not unfortunate,he will be wicked." The Queen dared say no more,but she begged the Fairy to allow her to choose a gift for hersecond son.

"Perhaps you will make a bad choice," replied the Fairy;"but never mind—I will agree to give him all that you shallrequest of me for him." "I wish," said the Queen, "that hemay succeed always in everything he may desire to do—thatis the way to make him perfect." "You may be deceived,"said the Fairy; "therefore I grant him this gift only for five-and-twentyyears."

They selected nurses for the two little Princes; but on thethird day the nurse of the eldest Prince caught a fever; theygave him another, who fell and broke her leg; a third lost hermilk as soon as she was appointed. And the report beingspread that the Prince brought misfortune on all his nurses,no one would suckle him or approach him. The poor child,who was famished, cried, and no one pitied him. A fine stoutcountrywoman, who had a great number of children whomshe had much trouble in supporting, said that she would take[Pg 499]care of him if they would give her a large sum of money; andas the King and Queen did not like Prince Fatal, they gavethe nurse what she asked, and told her to carry him to hervillage.

The second Prince, whom they had named Fortuné, got onwonderfully. His papa and mamma loved him passionately,and never thought of their eldest-born. The wicked womanto whom they had given him was no sooner in her own housethan she took from him the beautiful clothes in which he wasenveloped, and gave them to her own son, who was the sameage as Fatal; and having wrapped the Prince in an old petticoat,she carried him into a wood where there was an immensenumber of wild beasts, and put him into a hole with threelittle lions, in order that he might be devoured. But themother of these lions did him no harm; on the contrary, shesuckled him, which made him so strong, that he ran quitealone at six months. Meanwhile the son of the nurse,whom she made pass for the Prince, died, and the Kingand Queen were charmed to think they had got rid of him.

Fatal remained in the wood until he was two years old;and a nobleman of the Court, who went to hunt there, wasastonished to find him in the midst of the beasts. He tookpity on him, carried him to his house, and having learnt thatthey sought for a child to keep Fortuné company, he presentedFatal to the Queen.

They gave a master to Fortuné to teach him to read, butthey forbad the master to make him cry. The young Prince,who had overheard this, cried every time that he took up hisbook—so that at five years old he did not know his letters,whilst Fatal read perfectly, and already knew how to write.To frighten the Prince, they commanded the master to whipFatal every time that Fortuné failed in his duties. ThusFatal, however good he might be, did not escape being beaten;whilst Fortuné was so wilful and so naughty, that he alwaysill-treated his brother, whom, however, he did not know tobe such. If any one gave Fatal an apple or a toy, Fortunésnatched it out of his hands; he made him be silent when hewished to speak; obliged him to speak when he wished to besilent; in a word, he was a little martyr, on whom no one hadany pity.

They lived thus till they were ten years old, and the[Pg 500]Queen was much surprised at the ignorance of her son. "TheFairy has deceived me," said she; "I thought that my sonwould be the wisest of Princes, because I wished he mightsucceed in all that he should desire to undertake." She wentto consult the Fairy on the subject, who said to her, "Madam,you should have wished your son to have a good dispositionrather than talent. He only desires to be wicked, and hesucceeds in being so, as you see." After having said thesewords to the Queen, she turned her back on her. The poorPrincess, much afflicted, returned to the palace. She wouldhave scolded Fortuné to oblige him to do better; but insteadof promising to correct his faults, he said that if they vexedhim he would starve himself to death. Then the Queen,quite frightened, took him on her knee, kissed him, gave himsugar-plums, and told him that he should not study for aweek if he would but eat as usual.

Meanwhile Prince Fatal became a prodigy of learning andof gentleness; he was so accustomed to be contradicted, thathe had no will of his own, and devoted himself to forestallthe fancies of Fortuné. But that naughty child, who wasenraged at seeing him more clever than himself, could notbear him, and the masters, in order to please the youngPrince, beat Fatal every minute. At length the wicked boytold the Queen that he would not have Fatal any longer inhis sight, and that he would not eat till they had driven himfrom the Palace. Thus poor Fatal was turned into the street,and as they were afraid of displeasing the Prince, no onewould receive him.

He passed the night under a tree dying with cold, for itwas winter, and having nothing for his supper but a morselof bread which some one had given him in charity. Thenext morning he said to himself, "I will not remain heredoing nothing; I will work to gain my livelihood until I shallbe big enough to go to the wars. I remember having readin history that common soldiers have become great captains;perhaps I may have the same good fortune if I am an honestman. I have neither father nor mother, but God is theFather of orphans; He has given me a lioness for my foster-mother;He will not forsake me." After having said this,Fatal rose up and said his prayers—for he never failed to[Pg 501]pray to God morning and evening—and when he prayedhe cast down his eyes, joined his hands, and did not lookabout him. A countryman, who was passing, and saw thatFatal was praying with all his heart, said to himself, "Iam sure that must be an honest boy; I should like to takehim to keep my sheep; God will bless me for his sake."The countryman waited till Fatal had finished his prayer,and then said, "My little friend, will you come and keepmy sheep?—I will feed and take care of you." "I will,certainly," replied Fatal; "and I will do all in my power toserve you well."

This countryman was a large farmer, who had a greatnumber of servants who robbed him very often, and his wifeand children robbed him also. When they saw Fatal, theywere very well contented. "He is a child," said they; "hewill do all we wish." One day the wife said to him, "Mylittle friend, my husband is a miser who never gives me anymoney; let me take a sheep, and you can say the wolf hascarried it off." "Madam," replied Fatal, "I would renderyou a service with all my heart, but I would much rather diethan tell a story or be a thief." "You are a little fool," saidthe woman; "no one will know what you have done." "Godwill know it, Madam," replied Fatal; "He knows all that wedo, and He will punish liars and those who steal." When thefarmer's wife heard these words, she threw herself on him,beat him, and tore out a handful of his hair. Fatal cried, andthe farmer hearing him, asked his wife why she beat the child?"Because," said she, "he is a glutton; I saw him this morningeat a pot of cream which I was going to take to market.""Fie! how horrid it is to be greedy," said the farmer; andimmediately called a servant, and bade him whip Fatal.

It was of no use the poor child saying he had not eatenthe cream; they believed the mistress rather than him. Afterthis, he went into the fields with his sheep, and the farmer'swife said to him, "Well! will you now give me a sheep?""I should be very sorry to do so," said Fatal; "you can dowhat you will with me, but you cannot oblige me to tell a lie."To revenge herself, the wicked creature then set all the otherservants to treat Fatal ill. He remained in the fields nightand day; and instead of giving the same food to him as to the[Pg 502]other servants, she sent him nothing but bread and water, andwhen he returned she accused him of all the harm that wasdone in the house.

He passed a year with this farmer, and although he lay onthe bare ground and was so ill-fed, he became so strong thathe appeared to be fifteen when he was only thirteen; besides,he was become so patient, that he did not mind even whenthey scolded him unjustly. One day that he was at thefarm, he heard say that a neighbouring King was engaged ina great war. He asked his master to discharge him, and wenton foot into the kingdom of this Prince to become a soldier.He engaged himself to a Captain who was a great lord, butbehaved himself more like a common porter, he was so brutal;he swore, he beat his soldiers, he robbed them of half themoney which the King gave for their food and clothing; andunder this wicked Captain, Fatal was even more unhappy thanwith the farmer. He had engaged himself for ten years, andalthough he saw the greater number of his comrades desert,he would never follow their example, for he said, "I havereceived the money to serve ten years; I should rob the Kingif I failed in my word." Although the Captain was a wickedman, and ill-treated Fatal like the others, he could not helpesteeming him because he saw that he always did his duty.He gave him money to do his commissions, and Fatal hadthe key of his chamber when he went to the country, wherehe dined with his friends.

This Captain was not fond of reading; but he had a largelibrary, to make believe to those who came to his house thathe was a clever man, for in that country they thought thatan officer who did not read history could never be anythingbut a fool and an ignoramus. When Fatal had finished hisduties as a soldier, instead of going to drink and gamble withhis comrades, he shut himself up in the Captain's chamberand tried to learn his profession by reading the lives of greatGenerals, and by these means he became capable of commandingan army.

He had already been seven years a soldier when he went tothe war. His Captain took six soldiers with him, to make asearch in a little wood; and when in this little wood, thesoldiers said quite low, "We must kill this wicked man, whobeats us and steals our bread." Fatal told them they must[Pg 503]not do such a wicked action; but, instead of listening to him,they said they would kill him with the Captain, and all fivedrew their swords. Fatal placed himself by the side of theCaptain, and fought with so much valour that he alone killedfour of the soldiers. His Captain, seeing that he owed hislife to him, begged his pardon for all the ill he had donehim; and having reported his conduct to the King, Fatalwas made a Captain, and the King granted him a largepension.

Oh, you may be sure the soldiers did not wish to killFatal, for he loved them like his children; and far fromrobbing them of what belonged to them, he gave them hisown money when they were wounded, and never took it awayagain when in an ill humour. Meanwhile a great battle wasfought, and the General commanding the army having beenkilled, all the officers and soldiers were retreating in disorder,but Fatal cried aloud that he would rather die sword in handthan fly like a coward. His own men answered that theywould not abandon him, and their good example havingshamed the others, they rallied round Fatal and fought sowell that they routed the enemy, and took the hostile King'sson prisoner. The other King was very pleased when heheard that he had gained the battle, and said to Fatal thathe would make him General of all the army. He presentedhim to the Queen and the Princess his daughter, who gavehim their hands to kiss.

When Fatal saw the Princess, he remained motionless.She was so beautiful, that he felt madly in love with her, andthen he was indeed miserable; for he felt that a man likehimself was not fit to marry a great Princess. He resolved,therefore, carefully to conceal his love, and every day hesuffered the greatest torment; but it was much worse whenhe found that Fortuné, having seen a picture of the Princess,who was named Gracieuse, had fallen in love with her,and that he had sent ambassadors to demand her hand inmarriage.

Fatal thought he should die of grief; but the PrincessGracieuse, who knew that Fortuné was a wicked, cowardlyPrince, begged the King, her father, so hard not to make hermarry him, that he replied to the ambassador that thePrincess did not wish to marry yet. Fortuné, who had never[Pg 504]been contradicted, was in a fury when he heard the reply ofthe Princess; and his father, who could refuse him nothing,declared war with the father of Gracieuse, who did not distresshimself much about it, for he said, "So long as I have Fatalat the head of my army, I do not fear being defeated."

He sent for his General, and ordered him to prepare forwar; but Fatal, throwing himself at his feet, told him thathe was born in the kingdom of the father of Fortuné, and thathe could not fight against his native Sovereign. The father ofGracieuse was in a great rage, and told Fatal that he wouldput him to death if he refused to obey him; but that, on thecontrary, he would give him his daughter in marriage if hegained the victory over Fortuné. Poor Fatal, who lovedGracieuse passionately, was sorely tempted, but in the endresolved to do his duty.

Without saying anything to the King, he quitted theCourt, and abandoned all his wealth. Meanwhile, Fortunéput himself at the head of his troops, and marched to givethe King battle; but at the end of four days he fell ill offatigue, for he was very delicate, never having taken anyexercise. The heat, the cold—everything made him ill. However,the ambassador, who wished to make his court toFortuné, told him that he had seen at the Court of Gracieusethe little boy who had been banished from the Palace, andthat they said the father of Gracieuse had promised him hisdaughter. Fortuné at this news put himself in a greatpassion, and as soon as he was better, set out again determinedto dethrone the father of Gracieuse, and promised a largesum of money to any one who would bring Fatal to him deador alive.

Fortuné won a great victory, although he did not fighthimself, for he was afraid of being killed. At length hebesieged the capital city of his enemy, and resolved to takeit by assault. The eve of this day they brought Fatal tohim, bound in chains, for a great number of people had beentempted by the reward to seek for him. Fortuné, charmedat being able to revenge himself, resolved, before commencingthe assault, to have Fatal beheaded in sight of the enemy.That same day he gave a great feast to his officers to celebratehis birthday, being just twenty-five years old. The soldiersin the besieged city having learnt that Fatal was taken, and[Pg 505]that in an hour he was to be beheaded, resolved to perishor save him, for they remembered the benefits he had conferredon them whilst he was their General. They askedpermission of the King to make a sortie, and this time theywere victorious.

The gift of Fortuné had ceased, and he was killed in endeavouringto escape. The victorious soldiers ran to take off thechains of Fatal, and at the same moment they saw two brilliantchariots appear in the air. The Fairy was in one ofthese chariots, and the father and mother of Fatal were inthe other, but asleep. They only awoke as their chariottouched the ground, and they were very much astonished tofind themselves in the midst of the army.

The Fairy then addressing the Queen, and presenting Fatalto her, said, "Madam, behold in this hero your eldest son;the misfortunes which he has undergone have corrected thedefects of his character, which was violent and passionate.Fortuné, on the contrary, who was born with good inclinations,has been entirely spoilt by flattery, and God has notpermitted him to live longer, because he would have becomemore wicked every day. He has just been killed; but to consoleyou for his death, learn that he was on the point ofdethroning his father, because he was tired of waiting to beKing." The King and Queen were very much astonished,and embraced Fatal with all their heart, of whom they hadheard speak honourably. The Princess Gracieuse and herfather learnt with joy the adventures of Fatal, who marriedGracieuse, with whom he lived a long time in perfect happiness,because it was founded in virtue.

APPENDIX.

CHARLES PERRAULT.

Member of the Académie Française, andpremier commis desbatimens du Roi, was born, as he himself tells us in theMémoires he left to his children, in Paris, on the 12th ofJanuary, 1628; and at eight and a half years of age was sentto the College of Beauvais, where he gave early proof of hisliterary abilities. He died in 1703. Although the author ofmany creditable compositions, both in prose and verse, he isindebted for his celebrity to that collection of Fairy taleswhich, under the title ofHistoires, ou Contes du Temspassé, were first published in 1697, and speedily obtaineda world-wide popularity asLes Contes de ma Mère l'Oye,known in England asMother Goose's Fairy Tales.

They were published by Perrault, under the name of hisson, Perrault D'Armancour, at that time a child only tenyears old, whose name is appended to the dedication of thefirst edition to "Mademoiselle,"i.e., Elizabeth Charlotted'Orleans, sister of Philippe, Duke of Chartres, and, after thedeath of Louis XIV., Regent of France. Mademoiselle wasborn 13th September, 1676. The title,Contes de ma Mèrel'Oye, has given rise to much controversy, and a great dealof paper, not to say learning, has been wasted in the attemptto discover the original source of the stories, and the reasonof their being called those of "Ma Mère l'Oye." The formerquestion I shall reserve for discussion in my notices of thetales themselves. The latter we will dispose of at once.Monsieur Colin de Plancy, in his valuable edition of theŒuvres Choisis de Charles Perrault, 8vo, Paris, 1826; and[Pg 510]Baron Walkenaër in hisLettres sur les Contes des Féesattribués à Perrault, &c., Paris, 12mo, same date, havepretty well exhausted the subject. The three principal derivationsthat have been insisted upon, are:—

Firstly. That in an ancientfabliau, "a goose is representedtelling stories to her goslings, worthy of them and ofher."

Secondly. That in the frontispiece to the first edition ofPerrault'sFairy Tales, an old woman is represented spinning,and beside her are three children, one boy and two girls,whom she is apparently amusing by her stories; and thatas underneath this are the wordsContes de ma Mère l'Oye,[47]this old woman is no less a personage than Ma Mère l'Oyein propria persona.

Thirdly. That Ma Mère l'Oye is one and the same individualwith La Reine Pédauque, the goose or bird-footedQueen, a soubriquet applied by some to a Bertha, Queen ofFrance; and by others to St. Clotilde and the Queen of Saba.

The first is an assertion without proof. The second a mereopinion, which is instantly met by another—namely, that theold woman is repeating to her hearers the stories of Ma Mèrel'Oye. The third is a tangible proposition, and has beendealt with accordingly.

At St. Marie de Nesle, in the diocese of Troyes, atSt. Bénigne de Dijon, at St. Pierre de Nevers, St. Pourcain inAuvergne, and in divers other churches in France, the statueis to be seen of a queen with a web-foot, and therefore calledLa Reine Pied-d'oie, or Pédauque.[48] This statue is said byMabillon, but without giving any authority for his assertion,to represent St. Clotilde.

The Abbé Lebœuf believes that the origin of this name isto be found at Toulouse. He quotes a passage in Rabelais,who, speaking of certain large-footed persons, says, "theywere splay-footed, like geese, or Queen Pédauque in her portraitformerly at Toulouse;" "and the Abbé concludes," saysMonsieur de Plancy, "curiously enough, that the QueenPédauque is the Queen of Saba;" supporting his opinion bythe following tale in theTargum of Jerusalem:—

"The Queen of Saba was so fond of bathing, that she plungedevery day in the sea. When she went to visit Solomon, hereceived her in an apartment of crystal. The Queen ofSaba on entering it, imagined that the Monarch was in thewater, and in order to pass through it to him, she lifted herrobe. The King then seeing her feet, which were hideous, saidto her: 'Your face unites all the charms of the most beautifulwomen, but your legs and feet correspond but little to it.'"

Even if we could suppose Solomon to have been so ungallant,there does not appear much in this Hebrew story tobear upon the subject; for what possible reason was there forattributing these stories to the Queen of Saba? Bullet,doyenof the University of Besançon, goes back to the eleventhcentury, in France, for the source of this epithet. TheGood King Robert had married his relative, Bertha; GregoryV. compelled him to divorce her, and imposed on hima penance of seven years. The King, who loved Bertha,refused obedience, and the Pope excommunicated him. Hewas deserted by everybody except two servants. In themeanwhile, Bertha was said to have been brought to bed of amonster resembling an ill-formed duck, or, according to others,a goose. Abbon, Abbot of Fleury, brought the supposedoffspring to the King, who, horrified at the sight of it, repudiatedBertha, leaving her, however, the title of Queen. Thedreadful story was circulated that she had given birth to agoose, and that she had herself become goose-footed, as apunishment for her criminal marriage. Her name of Berthagave more authority to this story in the eyes of the people.They remembered that Bertha or Bertrade, wife of Pepin-le-bref,was surnamed "Bertha with the Great Foot," becauseshe had one foot larger than the other; and they called therepudiated wife of Robert, "Bertha au pied d'Oie." It ispossible also, remarks Mons. de Plancy, that this fable wasinvented to flatter Queen Constance, who succeeded her, forit was the period of credulity and superstition. Constancewent to Toulouse. She was lodged in front of an aqueductso narrow that a man could not pass through it. To amusethe Princess, they told her it was the bridge of Queen Goose,or of the queen with the goose's foot. This story was afterwardsamplified, and it became a saying that Queen Pédauquewas of Toulouse.

In theContes d'Entrapel, by Noël Dufail, published duringthe latter half of the sixteenth century, a man is made toswear by "the spindle of Queen Pédauque;" and thereforeBullet assumes that she must have been Queen Bertha, becausethere is an old French saying, "when Queen Bertha spun,"[49]which is applied to any marvellous story of bygone days, orto events that are said to have happened "once upon a time."This is very inconclusive. In the middle ages, spinning was afavourite occupation of queens and princesses, and QueenBertha was by no means an exception.[50] There is anotherFrench saying, similarly applied to an incredible tale—"It isof the time when King Robert sang to the lute," the saidKing Robert being the husband of Queen Bertha. This isall tantamount only to our old English sayings, "When Adamwas a little boy," and "When Adam delved and Eve span,"&c. It is also more than probable that the Bertha ofthe proverb is identical with the Frau Berchta of Germansuperstition. She is said to live in the imaginations of theupper German races in Austria, Bavaria, Swabia, Alsace,Switzerland, and some districts of Thuringia and Franconia.She appears inThe Twelve Nights as a woman with shaggyhair, to inspect the spinners, when fish and porridge are to beeaten in honour of her, and all the distaffs must be spun off.This superstition was also common in England:—

That is, the day after Twelfth Day, and is evidently the relicof some pagan rite in honour, most probably, of Freya orFrega, the Venus of the Scandinavians. "Dame Berthahorned," is one of the characters in Les Evangiles desConoilles (Quenouilles), the joint composition of Jean d'Arrasand three other writers, in 1475. It was translated intoEnglish, and printed by Winkyn de Worde, with the title ofThe Gospelles of Distaffs.[51]

A writer who signs himself Philetymus, has acutely pointedout a more probable origin of the title of Contes de ma (orde le)Mère l'Oye, which it is clear, from passages in Boileauand Molière, was applied to a certain collection of old stories,long before Perrault published hisHistoires du Temps Passé.This writer refers us to the customs of antiquity and thesuperstitions of the middle ages. He recals to us that theancient Romans confided their dwellings to the care of theirgeese. He alludes to the two hundred thousand Crusaderswho, in 1096, directed their march by the flight of a goosefrom Hungary to Jerusalem; to the guardian fairies of theChâteau de Piron in the Contentin, who, at the time of theinvasion of the Normans, transformed themselves into wildgeese; to thebenevolent andprotecting dwarfs of the Cantonof Berne, who are said to have been all goose-footed; andabove all, to Marguerite de Navarre, who, in herHeptameron,calls herself Oisille; and he concludes by saying, "C'est quela bonne dame Oisille, veuve de grand expérience y représentela Mère l'Oie; c'est que du conté le moins discret elle saittirer toujours une conclusion favorable à la morale.... Contesde la Mère l'Oie c'est à dire contes de la vieille grand mère,jaseuse et criande comme l'Oie mais comme l'Oie, surtoutgardienne vigilante de la maison.... J'allais dire de laVertu."

There is, amidst all this suggestion, one fact to reposeupon. It is, that Perrault was not the inventor of the storieshe published; that he merely transmitted to writing, no doubtwith some touches of his own, tales of the nursery whichhad descended orally from the earliest ages of the Celticoccupation of Armorica or Bretagne, to the peculiar superstitionsof which we shall find, as we proceed, they all have moreor less reference, and that the particular stories printed in thefirst edition of hisHistoires du Temps Passé, had long beenpopularly known asContes de ma Mère l'Oye. In 1678, atthe age of fifty, Perrault retired from his public office todedicate himself entirely to literature and the education ofhis children. Some ten years afterwards he composed a novelin verse, founded on a celebrated tale in theDecamerone ofBoccaccio, and well known to us asPatient Grizzel, his titlebeingLa Marquise de Salusses; ou, la Patience de Griselidis.It was published at Paris, by Jean Baptiste Coignard, in[Pg 514]1691. La Fontaine had, as early as 1678, said, in the fourthFable of his eighth Book,Le Pouvoir des Fables—

These lines it would seem induced Perrault to versify the oldnursery story ofPeau d'Ane, with which Louis XIV., whenan infant, used to be rocked to sleep; and in 1694, on thepublication of the second edition of hisGriselidis, he addedto it his metrical version ofPeau d'Ane, andLes SouhaitsRidicules, known to us asThe Three Wishes. The successof these stories led him to publish, in 1697, his collection ofLes Contes de ma Mère l'Oye, under the title ofHistoires duTemps Passé, and in the name of his son, as before stated.This collection consisted of eight stories only, all in prose:La Belle au Bois Dormant,Le Petit Chaperon Rouge,BarbeBleue,Le Chat Botté,Les Fées,Cendrillon,Riquet à laHoupe, andLe Petit Poucet—a proof thatPeau d'Ane wasnot one of theContes de ma Mère l'Oie, any more thanGriselidisor Les Souhaits Ridicules. The same eight storiesalone appear in the second edition in 1707 (four years afterthe death of Perrault), and in the third edition by NicolasGosselin, in 1724. It is not until 1742, when an edition oftheHistoires du Temps Passé was published at the Hague,[52]that we find any addition to the first eight stories, and thenwe have for the first time the story ofL'Adroite Princesse;ou, Les Aventures de Finette, presented to us, with a dedicationto the Countess of Murat, as a story by Perrault, althougha story with that title and on that subject was published byMadlle. Lheritier in 1696, in a work entitled,Œuvres Mêlées,contenant Nouvelles et autres Ouvrages en Verse et en Prose,in which also appears a letter from the author to the daughterof Perrault. But even in the Hague edition of 1742, there isnoPeau d'Ane, and it is only in comparatively modern collectionsthat a prose version of that story, as well as the one inverse actually written by Perrault, is, withL'Adroite Princesse,Griselidis, andLes Souhaits Ridicules, added to theeight originalContes de ma Mère l'Oie, orHistoires du TempsPassé.

From these eight stories I have selected six, omitting onlyLe Petit Chaperon Rouge, andLes Fées, so well known in thenursery asLittle Red Riding Hood (why "Riding?") andToads and Diamonds, and for the atmosphere of which they arealone calculated. On the others I shall now offer a few observationsin their order of publication, and in the same spirit asthose appended to the Fairy Tales of the Countess d'Aulnoy.

BLUE BEARD.

La Barbe Bleue is founded, according to Mons. Colin dePlancy, on a tradition of Lower Brittany; and he remarks thatPerrault must have heard it from the lips of nurses, or perhapspeasants, to have written with so muchnaïveté the scene ofSister Anne. He states also that it is pretended that BlueBeard was actually a nobleman of the house of Beaumanoir.He does not, however, seem to have been aware that the originalof this terrible portrait is also said to have been Gilles deLaval, Seigneur de Raiz, created Maréchal de France, June 21st,1429, for his defence of Orleans against the English, butwhose infamous conduct in Brittany so exasperated the publicagainst him, that in 1440 he was arrested by order of theProcureur-Général de Bretagne, and having been tried andfound guilty, was condemned to be hanged and burnt, andunderwent that sentence in a field at Nantes, on the 8th ofOctober (some say 23rd of December) of that same year,after exhibiting, says the chronicler, great signs of repentance;his body was taken out of the flames, and buried in the churchof the Carmelites at Nantes. It was, we are told, his tastefor luxury and libertinism which plunged him into all thecrimes for which he was so fearfully punished. He squandereda revenue of two hundred thousand crowns per annum,an enormous sum in those days, and which he had inheritedat the age of twenty. He never travelled without being accompaniedby an army of cooks, musicians, dancers of both[Pg 516]sexes, packs of hounds, and two hundred saddle horses. Unfortunatelyfor him, he thought it necessary to include inhis suite of attendants some fortune-tellers and pretendedmagicians, which it is possible in those days may have causedthe credulous multitude to impute to him some atrocitiesof which he may have been innocent. The wholeprocèsis said to be still extant: but we are not furnished withany details which would identify him with the gentlemanwho rejoiced in a blue beard, and expiated his offencesby being run through the body with cold iron, instead of beingroasted at a stake like the guilty but penitent Marshal.[53]Whether the line of Beaumanoir or of Laval has the bestclaim to the honour of his relationship, may be still a matterof dispute; but the fact more important to our presentinquiry is, that in either case it is a tradition of Bretagne,and therefore strengthens the theory of Mons. de Plancy andthe Baron Walkenaër.

There is no fairy in this story, but there is an enchantedkey. "La clef," says the author, "etait fée." In the oldtranslations this is rendered "the key was a fairy." "Fée"is, however, in such instances as these, not a noun substantive,but an adjective, now obsolete, but to be found in Cotgrave,spelt with a third e in the feminine. "Fée, m.; éee, f.: Fatallappointed, destined; also, taken,bewitched or forespoken; also,charmed,inchanted."—Edit. 1650.

There is another popular passage in this story which requiresa word of remark:—"Je ne vois rien que le soleil qui poudroieet l'herbe qui verdoie." This has been generally translated,"I see nothing but the sun which makes a dust, andthe grass whichlooks green." Mons. de Plancy appends anote to this passage, as follows:—"1. Poudroyer, darder,éblouir les yeux. 2. Verdoyer, jeter un éclat vert."

With great submission to so high an authority, I mustventure to differ with him on this point. "Poudroyer" is anold French verb, signifying to reduce to powder. "Je poudroie,tu poudroies, il poudroie," &c. "Un cheval Espagnolpoudroyanttous les champs," J. B. Rouss; and Bescherelle, in hisDictionnaire National, remarks, quoting the actual passagefrom Perrault, "Ce mot sonore poètique, épargnant une périphraseest a regretter." Verdoyer is also a verb active, signifyingto grow or become green, and I have therefore takenthe liberty to render the above celebrated reply, "I seenothing but the sun making dust" (that is to say, reducingthe soil to dust by its heat), "and the grass growing green."It is the flock of sheep that afterwards raise or makea dust.It may be thought I am "making a dust," to use a familiarphrase, about a trifle; but I wished to point out that unlesswe could say in English, "the sun thatdusts and the grassthatgreens," we cannot approach the terse and graphic descriptionof dear Sister Anne.

Mons. de Plancy observes that the incidents of this story(excepting, of course, that of the enchanted key) are notimpossible, provided they are supposed to have occurred inthe middle ages; but that Perrault has placed them nearerhis own times, by saying that Blue Beard's widow employedpart of her fortune in purchasing commissions for her twobrothers, as the sale of commissions in the French army wasnot known before the reign of Francis I.; but he does notnotice that the mention of dragoons and musqueteers bringsthem still nearer. Blue Beard has been a favourite subjectwith the dramatists, both French and English. The celebratedmelodrama by George Colman the younger, produced at DruryLane Theatre, in 1798, in which the scene was transferredto the East, was rendered still more popular by the music ofMichael Kelly: the "March in Blue Beard" was perpetratedon every piano alternately with the "Duke of York's March,"the "Battle of Prague," and the "Overture to Lodoiska."

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOOD.

The charming fairy tale ofLa Belle au Bois dormant is thegem of the collection. Its popularity is as great at thepresent day as it was two hundred years ago. I have calledthe reader's attention in a marginal note to the first mention[Pg 518]probably of seven league boots,[54] but I reserved for the Appendixsome observations upon the earliest mention of Ogresand Ogresses. The Baron Walkenaër, in his letters alreadyquoted, has, I think successfully, combated the earlier notionthat the word Ogre was derived from a classical source. Hededuces it from the Oigours or Igours, a Turkish race mentionedby Procopius in the sixth century. Some tribes ofOigurs established themselves in the Crimea, and theirlanguage was called "LinguaOuguresca" by the Italianmerchants who first traded with them. In the twelfth andthirteenth centuries all Tartars were confounded under thename of Oigurs. When the Magyars, a Tartar tribe fromthe banks of the Wolga, overran Dacia and Pannonia, thenames of the ancient Huns and of the ferocious Oigurswere united to designate them. They were first calledHunnie-Gours, and their country Hunnic-Gourie, from whenceHongrois and Hungary. The atrocities committed by andattributed to the Oigurs spread horror and alarm throughoutEurope. Their cruelties to infants, in which they have beenonly equalled by the barbarous Sepoys in the recent calamitousevents in India, took especial hold of the imaginations ofthose to whose care children were specially entrusted, andthe appellation of Oigur or Ogre became synonymous withthat of cannibal, or any other ferocious monster in humanform. In Roquefort'sGlossaire de la Langue Romaine, Ogreis also derived from the same source. That "l'Huorco"of the Italians, the Orco of Bojardo and Ariosto, may bederived from the Latin Orcus, according to Minucci, asMr. Keightley imagines, I am not prepared to dispute.Such curious coincidences are common to all who have wanderedin the mazes of etymology; but I will merely suggestthat it is quite as probable that Orco and Huorco were alsoderived from Oigur, the name by which the Tartars of theCrimea were known to the Italians as early as the twelfthcentury, as we have already seen. Florio, however (1598), says,"Orco as Orca, asea monster," which the Ogre never was.

Spinning with the distaff is the oldest form. A wheelappears in illuminations of the fourteenth century, but thewoman hent stood to her work. The more modern spinning-wheel,at which women sit, was invented in 1530, by a citizenof Brunswick, named Jurgen. For illustration of the accidentto the Princess, it is perhaps worthy of remark that inthe Pyrenees and western provinces of France the spindle issometimes pointed with iron. "It is thus," says Mr. Akerman(the author of a paper on the Distaff in theArchæologia, vol.xxxvii.), "rendered a stiletto, with which the woman coulddefend herself." The same antiquary informs us that "theart of spinning in its simplest and most primitive forms is yetpursued in Italy, where the women of Caià still twirl thespindle unrestrained by that 'ancient rustic law which forbadeits use without doors.'" So that the father of the SleepingBeauty had a sort of precedent for his "Must not spin withspindles Act."

The Germans have a version of this story calledBriar-Rose:vide Grimm'sKinder und Hausmärchen.

MASTER CAT; OR PUSS IN BOOTS.

Maître Chat; ou, le Chat Botté.—This capital story issaid by Mr. Dunlop and Mr. Keightley to be taken from acollection of stories by Giovan Francesco Straparola, printedat Venice in 1550-54, under the titles ofTredici PiacevoleNotte, and translated into French "with considerable embellishments"in 1585. That the first story of the EleventhNight is derived from the same source as Perrault's therecan be little doubt; but I am not by any means prepared toadmit that Perrault was indebted to that or any otherprinted collection for this or any one of those eight storieswhich it is clear were well known in France asLes Contes dema Mère l'Oye. Straparola, who seems to have borrowedlargely from Morlini, and collected stories wherever he couldfind them, drew upon the traditions of Brittany as well as on thefabliaux of Provence. It is indeed notorious that the Italiannovelists were indebted almost entirely to the Trouvères orTroubadours of Languedoc, whilst they themselves admitthat the plots of their romances were of Armorican origin.

Says the old translator of theLai le Fraine, the author of[Pg 520]which Mr. Dunlop acknowledges "must have been betterinformed than any modern writer" (History of Fiction, 8vo,1845, p. 196). In the second edition of the CountessD'Aulnoy'sFairy Tales, I took an opportunity of vindicatingthat lady from the charge so hastily preferred againsther both by Mr. Dunlop and Mr. Keightley, and I now contestas strongly the accuracy of the opinions of the samewriters respecting the tales of Charles Perrault. Neither inthe story of Straparola, first of the Eleventh Night, nor intheGagliuso of Signor Basile (whosePentamerone, publishedin 1672, is also roundly asserted to have been the"origin" of the FrenchContes des Fées [55]), do we findPussin Boots. What wouldLe Maître Chat be, were he notalsoLe Chat Botté? Nor is there an Ogre—that especialcharacteristic of a legend of Brittany—nor consequently thedelicious scene between him and Puss, which so dramaticallywinds up the French story. The same unmistakeable indicationsof its being a veritableHistoire du Temps Passé,militate against the belief alluded to by M. de Plancy, thatthe Marquis de Carabas was intended as a portrait of someparticular nobleman of the time of Louis XIV.; and thereforethat the usurpation of the castle and property of the ogremight be an allusion to the indelicate seizure by D'Aubignéof the domains of a Protestant, an exile in consequence ofthe religious persecutions at the close of the seventeenthcentury, "In which case," he adds, "the Cat would beMadame de Maintenon!" What a pity so ingenious an ideashould be destitute of foundation. It is more probable thatthe wits of the day compared the illustrious individuals tothe Marquis de Carabas and his Cat.

I have kept the old English title ofPuss in Boots, thoughit is not literally that of the original. It would have beenan indictable offence to have altered it.

The tricks of the cat to catch the rats are described almostin the words of Lafontaine, in his fable ofLe Chat et le VieuxRat, in which Maître Mitis, "l'Alexandre des chats," a secondRodillard, "se pend la tête en bas" and "s'enfarine" for thesame purpose.

CINDERELLA; OR THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER.

Cendrillon; ou, la Petite Pantoufle de Verre. Here,again, could it enter the heart of an Englishman to call thisanything butCinderella? I am proud to say I was notequal to such a sacrifice to principle. I should have beenafraid to meet the eyes of my grandchildren. There arepersons, however, who have been cruel enough to tamperwith the second title, to destroy "the little glass slipper,"and tell us that in the original story it was not a pantoufle"deverre," but "devair"—i.e., a fur much worn in themiddle ages, and from which the charge of vair in heraldrywas taken. I thank the stars that I have not been able todiscover any foundation for this alarming report. Evenshould it be unfortunately the fact, it would not affect theConte de ma Mère l'Oye, as handed down to us by Perrault.In that, it is an undeniable "pantoufle deverre," and hasbeen said to represent allegorically the extreme fragility ofwoman's reputation, and the prudence of flight before it istoo late. There appears to be no doubt that this story isfounded on an old Armorican tradition, as in 1826 an alterationof an ancient Breton chronicle was published by MadamePiette, entitledLaurette de Karnabas; ou, la Nouvelle Cendrillon,which is taken from the same source, but divested ofits fairy agency; and the Countess d'Aulnoy had previouslyavailed herself of some portions of the tale ofCendrillon inher story ofFinette Cendron.

The trial of the slipper is like that of the ring in the storyofPeau d'Ane, and a "little glass shoe" is the subject of aGerman fairy tale. The Germans have also a version ofCinderella, in which the slipper is of "pure gold."

At the banquet it will be remembered that the Prince issaid to have given Cinderella both oranges and citrons.These do not appear to us at present as particularly suggestiveof the magnificence of a royal collation; but in the seventeenthcentury, Portugal oranges were considered a present worthyprinces of the blood. "Monsieur, me vint voir," says theDuchesse de Montpensier, in herMemoirs, "il me donne[Pg 522]des oranges de Portugal." Molière, in his description of thecomedy which formed a portion of the famous fêtes given atVersailles, in 1668, by Louis XIV., tells us that "d'abordon vit sur le théâtre une colation magnifique d'oranges dePortugal;" and in his own comedy,L'Avare, when Harpagonapologises to his mistress for not having prepared a collationfor her, his son replies, "J'y ai pourvu, mon père, et j'ai faitapporter ici quelques bassinsd'oranges de la Chine, de citronsdoux, et de confitures." Also, according to L'Emery (Traitésdes Aliments, 1705), the citron was supposed to give a bettercolour to the lips, and the ladies of the Court in the 17thcentury, therefore, "portoient en maindes citrons doux,quelles mordoient de tems en tems pour avoir les livres vermeilles."—LeGrand D'Aussi.—Vie Privée des Français,tom. i. p. 251.

RIQUET WITH THE TUFT.

Riquet à la Houpe is perhaps the least known of the eightContes de ma Mère l'Oye; but although it has not theattractive qualities which have occasioned the popularity ofthe others, it is an excellent story, with a valuable moral,though, strangely enough, themoralité with which it concludestakes no notice of it. The object of the story is evidentlyto show the superiority of mental to personal qualifications,and the power of the former not only to compensatefor ugliness and deformity, but even to make one forget them.The concluding verses, however, point only to the fact thatlove can embellish its object, and turn even defects intobeauties, passing over the more important one of the cause ofthe love itself.

Some writers have fancied the hero of this story to havebeen a person of distinction at the Court of Louis XIV., forgettingthat, like the rest in the collection, it is a "histoiredu tems passé." But, as Monsieur de Plancy remarks, "Onvoit souvent des allusions ou il n'y en a point;" and, as inthe case ofLe Chat Botté, the application may have beenmade to the man from the story.

The reader has been referred to this Appendix by a marginalnote at page 32, respecting theQueue de Renard. The[Pg 523]explanation offered by the editor of the French edition of1826 is, that "les cuisiniers élégans se coiffaient dans leurnégligé de travail de la peau de quelqu' animal, dont ilslaissaient pendre la queue;" and he adds, "on voit encore,dans certaines provinces, deschasseurs coîffé ainsi." That ahuntsman should sport a fox's brush, or wear a cap made ofthe fur of any animal, is not in the least remarkable or uncommon;but I do not see how it can be taken as a fact insupport of the assertion that cooks did so either in the timeof Louis XIV. or at present; and the Editor does not give usany authority for that assertion. Of all animals, a fox wouldbe the last I should imagine a French cook would select tofurnish him with a trophy or a sign of company, and that"twenty or thirty rôtisseurs" shouldall have "la lardoire àla main etla queue de renardsur l'oreille," appears to me, ifwe are to consider the author to have meant actually the tailof a fox, a very remarkable circumstance, as the use of thedefinitive article in both cases shows the "queue de renard"must have been as much the mark of a cook as the "lardoire,"or larding-pin. I confess I am not satisfied with this explanation;and all my own researches and those kindly made forme by friends both in Paris and London, have hitherto failedin throwing any light upon this curious passage. "Queuede Renard" is the name of a plant known by us as foxtail,and it is also applied to a particular family of flowers; but itis likewise the name of an implement. "Outil a deux biseaux ouchanfreins par le bout dont on sesert pour percer."—Bescherelle.This description looks vastly like some accessory to thelarding-pin.

The same authority has also: "Queue de renard à étouper.Le queue de cet animal dont se servent les doreurs pourappliquer les feuilles d'or ou d'argent." This, as we know, isnot the entire brush, but a portion of the hair. In defaultof any positive information, I will merely make three suggestions:1. A portion of the herb foxtail, dried, which might beused as a whisk. 2. A small instrument for piercing orskewering. 3. A portion of the brush, as used by gilders ofwood or metal, and probably by therôtisseurs of that day, aswe find it was customary to gild the beaks and legs of thegame and poultry served up at the royal banquets. Favin,amongst other writers, tells us of a grand banquet in which[Pg 524]"le quatrième service fut d'oyseaux tans grands que petits, ettous le service fut doré."

In the Form of Cury there is a receipt for making "ViandeRiall" (royal), in which the cook is told, after he has dressedit in "dysshes plate," to "takea barre of golde foyle andanother ofsilver foyle, and lay hom (them) on, Saint Andrew'scross wyse, above the potage, and then take sugre plate, orgynger plate, or paste royale, and kutte hom of lozenges, andplante hom in the voide places between the barres, and servehit forthe." The peacock served in his "hakell,"—i.e., neckfeathers, or in his "pride"—i.e. with tail displayed, &c.—hadalways his bill gilt.

Whatever, in fine, the "queue de renard" may have been,I cannot doubt that, worn "sur l'oreille," it was a distinctivemark of arôtisseur of that day, as a pen behind the ear hasbeen of a clerk in ours; and the probability is in favour ofthe third interpretation, asrôtisseurs were, as their nameimplies, those cooks who prepared the roasted dishes only,and in all the old accounts it is especially the "rotie" that is"doré."

Riquet à la Houpe is supposed to have inspired Madamede Villeneuve with the idea of theBeauty and the Beast.In my notice of that story, I shall have a word to say inrefutation of that supposition.Riquet with the Tuft was thefirst of those fairy extravaganzas which the public have sokindly received during twenty years, at the Olympic, CoventGarden, Drury Lane, the Haymarket, and the Lyceum. Itwas written in conjunction with Mr. Charles Dance, andproduced at the Olympic under Madame Vestris's management,December 26th, 1836.

LITTLE THUMBLING.

Le Petit Poucet.—This story, under the titles ofHop o'my Thumb,Little Thumb and his Brothers, &c., has beencontinually reprinted amongst our English nursery tales; andas I have already spoken of ogres and seven-leagued boots,there is little else in it that calls for observation. The latterare said to have been "fées"—i.e. enchanted, as the key in[Pg 525]Blue Beard. The attempt of the parents to lose thechildren in the wood is an incident in Madame d'Aulnoy'sstory ofFinette Cendron, drawn, no doubt, from the samesource, as Cambry, in hisVoyage au Finisterre, bears witnesstoLe Petit Poucet having been an "ancien conté populaire,"which has for ages amused "les enfans de la Basse Bretagne."I think it is quite unnecessary for me to go into the questionof this story being founded on an episode in Homer'sOdyssey, to prove that Perrault was not thinking of Ulyssesin the cave of Polyphemus, or that the pebbles and breadwere not suggested by the clue of Ariadne.

In Grimm'sKinder und Hausmärchen are several storiesabout Thumbling; and I need scarcely remind the readerthat England has her own renownedThomas Thumb.

THE COUNTESS DE MURAT.

Henriette Julie de Castelneau, daughter of Michel, secondMarquis de Castelnau, Governor of Brest, and granddaughterby the mother's side, to the Count d'Angnon, Marshal ofFrance, was born at Brest in 1670. At the age of sixteen,she came to Paris in the costume worn by the peasants inBrittany, the language of which province she spoke veryfluently. Her appearance in this dress caused such a sensationthat the Queen desired her to wear it on her presentationat Court. She married Nicholas, Count de Murat, Colonel ofInfantry and Brigadier des Armées du Roi, descended from afamily established in Auvergne before 1300, and that afterwardspassed into Dauphiné. Being suspected by Madamede Maintenon of having been part author of a libel in whichall the persons composing the Court of Louis XIV., in 1694,were caricatured or insulted, she was banished to Auch, Departmentdu Gers. After the death of Louis XIV., the RegentDuke of Orleans, at the request of Madame de Parabere, recalledMadame de Murat in 1715. She did not, however, long enjoyher return to Paris, as she died at her Château de la Buzardierein Maine the following year (1716), at the early ageof forty-six. She was the author of many works, both inprose and verse,[56] but is best known by herContes des Fées,six of the most popular of which are here translated. Fourof these (Le Parfait Amour,Anguillette,Jeune et Belle, andLe Palais de la Vengeance) were printed in 1766, and againin 1817, in the collection of Fairy Tales attributed to theCountess d'Aulnoy, of whom Madame de Murat was thecontemporary, but certainly not the rival. Her stories havemore the character of romances and novels than fairy tales,with a strong infusion of sentiment, such as is to be found inthe writings of Madame de Scuderi, Madlle. de La Fayette,the Countess d'Auneuil, and others of that period.

For to this she is specially invited in the verses at the end ofthe prose story ofL'Adroite Princesse, which is dedicated toher, and attributed to Perrault. It has been shown, however,that if that version ofL'Adroite Princesse were really writtenby him, it was not published till 1742, thirty-nine years afterthe death of the reputed author, and twenty-six after the deathof the lady to whom it is dedicated.

PERFECT LOVE.

Le Parfait Amour is a story exhibiting considerabletalent, although deficient in those lively sallies, those amusingwhimsicalities and allusions to the manners and dressesof the period which give so much piquancy to the FairyTales of Perrault, and the more elaborate compositions ofMadame d'Aulnoy. The interest is entirely of a seriouscharacter; but the magic ring, with its power over the fourelements—the value of which is destroyed by the too hastywish of the lover—is an ingenious and dramatic idea, and thefatal lamps a truly affecting situation. This is the first FairyTale that gives us a picture of the Gnomes, and theirsubterraneous magnificence—a superstition existing all overEurope; the Trolls, or underground men of the North; thelittle people and ground mannikins of Germany; and theKorr or Korred of Brittany.

And accordingly we find them singing the charms of Irolite,and entertaining the lovers with "une musique fort harmonieuse,mais un peu barbare."

ANGUILLETTE.

Anguillette is a story of the same character asLe ParfaitAmour. The interest is wholly serious, and the terminationtragical, reminding one, by the transformation of the victimsinto trees, of the catastrophe of theYellow Dwarf ofMadame d'Aulnoy. The inconstancy of Atimir is verynaturally drawn; and there is considerable merit in thegeneral conduct of the story.

YOUNG AND HANDSOME.

Jeune et Belle might almost be placed amongst the pastoralromances of D'Urfey and George de Montemayor. Itis full of Watteau-like tableaux, many of them suggested,probably, to the writer as to the painter by the Fêtes Champêtreso much in vogue during the seventeenth and eighteenthcenturies at the Court of Versailles.

The sudden and unexpected introduction of Zephyr at thevery close of the story as the Deus ex machinâ, is quite inaccordance with the taste of the period, though much out ofplace in a fairy tale. It is not, however, for me to find faultwith it, as it afforded me a hint for a character which enabledMr. Robson to display the versatility of his genius in thelast of that long series of extravaganzas I have alreadyalluded to.

In the "Collection" above mentioned, this tale was substitutedfor Madame d'Aulnoy'sSerpentin Vert, thedénouementof which is also produced by the incongruous introduction ofmythological personages.

THE PALACE OF VENGEANCE.

Le Palais de la Vengeance was printed in the "Collection"as Madame d'Aulnoy's, under the title of thePalace ofRevenge. It is principally remarkable for its satirical conclusion—avery original one for a fairy tale, as the loversare married, and do not "live happy ever afterwards."

THE PRINCE OF LEAVES.

Le Prince des Feuilles is, to the best of my knowledge,presented for the first time in an English garb. It is moreof a fairy tale than the four preceding it, and appears to meto have been suggested to Madame de Murat by her residenceat Auch, where, indeed, it is most likely to have beenwritten.

The natural history of the turquoise had been newlypopularized by the publications of Chardin and other Orientaltravellers; and more particularly by that of a book byBoethius de Boot,Le Parfait Joallier; Lyons, 1644. Theturquoise "de la Vieille Roche," that Madame de Muratspeaks of, is a stone found near Nichapour and Carasson, inPersia—the true Oriental turquoise; whilst those called "dela Nouvelle Roche," are not stones, but petrified bones, andare found in Europe, particularly in France, at Auch, (thevery place to which Madame de Murat was exiled;) and nearSimmorre, in the Département du Gers; and in the Nivernais,according to the account of Reamur in theMémoires del'Académie, 1715.

Turquoises were formerly very highly prized, and all kindsof virtues and properties attributed to them, the greater partof which are fabulous, although detailed gravely by de Boot,who was physician to Rodolph II., Emperor of Germany.The jewellers, even in his day, took great pains to distinguishbetween those that retained their colour and those thatturned green. A fine unchanging turquoise, the size of afilbert, sold in that day for two hundred thalers and upwards."The turquoise possesses such attractions," says de Boot,"that men do not think their hands are well adorned, northeir magnificence sufficiently displayed, if they are notdecked with some of the finest." The name is supposed tohave been derived from Turkey, the country from which theywere probably first imported; but others deduce it fromTurchino, a name given by Italians to a particular blue.

Even at this day, the discoloration or loss of a turquoise isconsidered a prognostication of evil.

THE FORTUNATE PUNISHMENT.

L'Heureuse Peine is also, I believe, new to the Englishreader. It is an exceedingly graceful story, and thedénouementis novel as well as ingenious. The "little animal" intowhich the unfortunate Naimée is transformed, is not specifiedby the author, but from an allusion to itsmanière demarcher, I suppose it to be a crayfish, a favourite with thewriters of fairy tales.

MADEMOISELLE DE LA FORCE.

Charlotte Rose de la Force was the daughter ofFrançois de Caumont, Marquis de Castel-Moron, and granddaughterof Jacques de Caumont, Duc de la Force, whoseescape from the massacre of St. Bartholomew is celebrated intheHenriade of Voltaire, and who afterwards greatly signalizedhimself by his exploits during the reign of Henry IV.and Louis XIII. She was born in the Castle of Casenove,near Bazas, in Guienne, about 1650, and died in Paris in 1724.Her mother, Marguerite de Vicof, was Dame de Casenove, anddaughter of the Baron de Castelnau. Mademoiselle de laForce would therefore appear to be maternally connected withMadame de Murat. She is said to have been married, in 1687,to Charles de Brion; but that the marriage was declared nulland void ten days afterwards. She was the author of severalmemoirs and romances, and of an Epistle, in verse, to Madamede Maintenon; but is best known by her fairy tales,Contes desContes, though only one of them has, to my knowledge,appeared previously in English. That one is—

FAIRER THAN A FAIRY.

Plus Belle que Fée was published, with the usual abridgmentsand alterations, about twenty years ago, in a collectionof nursery tales. The story bears a strong resemblance totheGracieuse and Percinet of the Countess d'Aulnoy; andthough the plot is rendered more intricate by the addition ofanother pair of lovers, it does not gain in interest as much asit loses in coherence and simplicity. The fair author has,however, appended a note to her story calledL'Enchanteur,which forbids us to suppose that she was indebted to anyprevious writer for the plot of her story. She says—"Thisstory (L'Enchanteur) is taken from an ancient romance[Pg 532]('ancien livre Gothique') namedPerséval, several thingsbeing omitted which were not in accordance with ourmodern tastes, and several others added. Some names arechanged. It is the only story that is not entirely thecomposition of the author.All the others are purely ofher invention." After this positive declaration, which wehave no right to question, why should we refuse to givecredit to the Countess d'Aulnoy for the possession of equalpowers of imagination?

I am by no means impugning the originality ofPlus Belleque Fée, in pointing out that the notion of theFair of Timeseems to have been suggested by an old fairy legend ofNormandy. "Near the village of Puys, half a league to thenorth-east of Dieppe, there is a high plateau, surrounded onall sides by high entrenchments, except that over the sea,where the cliffs render it inaccessible. It is named 'La Citéde Limes,' or 'Le Camp de Cæsar,' or simply 'Le Catel' or'Castel.' Tradition tells thatthe Fées used to hold a fairthere, at which all sorts of magic articles from their secretstores were offered for sale, and the most courteous entreatiesand blandishments were employed to induce those who frequentedit to become purchasers; but the moment any onedid so, and stretched forth his hand to take the article he hadselected, the perfidious Fées seized him, and hurled him downthe cliffs."[58] I cannot say that Mademoiselle de la Force hasmade the most of this tradition, supposing her to have beenacquainted with it. Her allusion to the entertainments atMarly, to which alone she says this fair was to be compared,has reference, I think, to a "Fancy Fair," as we should nowcall it, in which the stalls were attended, as in our days, bythe principal personages of the Court. I feel satisfied that Ihave somewhere seen an account of that entertainment, butunfortunately have no note which would enable me to turn tothe authority.

THE GOOD WOMAN.

La Bonne Femme is far superior toPlus Belle que Fée. Itis indeed worthy of Madame d'Aulnoy, and I cannot accountfor its never having previously met with a translator. It willbe recognised by playgoers as the foundation of my FairyExtravaganza,The Good Woman in the Wood, in which formthe dramatic incidents of this charming story were firstintroduced to a London public. As we are bound, after theauthor's declaration, to consider it an original story, we neednot trouble ourselves to hunt after its source. The otheroriginal fairy tales—Percinet,Tourbillon,Vert et Blue,LePays des Délices, andLa Puissance d'Amour—bear no comparisonto the two I have selected.

MADAME DE VILLENEUVE.

Gabrielle Susanne Barbot, "daughter of a gentlemanof Rochelle," and widow of Monsieur de Gallon, Seigneur deVilleneuve, Lieutenant-Colonel of Infantry, died at Paris, inthe house of Crebillon, the tragic writer, Dec. 29th, 1755.Such is the sum of the information afforded us by editorsand biographers, concerning the author of one of the mostpopular fairy tales ever written.

THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.

La Belle et la Bête.—Thousands of English readers haveno doubt been all their lives under the impression that theyknew nearly by heart the story ofBeauty and the Beast; andthough few, alas! may have taken the trouble to inquire whowas the author of it, those who have, imagine themselvesindebted for it to Madame Leprince de Beaumont. Nay,there are many, no doubt, in France who are under the samebelief, for "La Belle et la Bête, par Madame Leprince deBeaumont," is, without a word of explanation, at this momentcirculating as a portion of the French Railway Library, andwas published, with various other stories, in a small editionofContes des Fées only last year, under her name, by a bookselleron the Quai des Augustins, Paris. It is only those whohave read the original story by Madame de Villeneuve, eitherin theContes Marins,[59] or in theCabinet des Fées, who willnot be surprised to find that Madame de Beaumont hasmerely the merit of having cut this admirable work down tothe smallest comprehensible dimensions, and made a prettylittle nursery tale of one of the most ingeniously constructedstories in the whole catalogue of fairy chronicles.

The storyof the Beast is but alluded to in a few words, and that of thereal parents of Beauty altogether omitted. It is no answerto say that the version by Madame de Beaumont is an agreeablestory, that the moral is preserved, and that there are portionsof the original tale which required alteration or omission.In justice to Madame de Villeneuve, it ought never to beprinted without the acknowledgment that it is simply anabridgment of her composition, adapted to the use of juvenilereaders, by Madame de Beaumont. I have omitted a dozenlines, and softened one objectionable expression; but, with theexception of this very slight and indispensable alteration,Madame de Villeneuve's story is now placed before the Englishpublic in its entirety.

It was published in 1740, and Mr. Dunlop remarks that"it surpasses all that has been produced by the lively andfertile imaginations of France or Arabia;" but in his noticeof the tales of Perrault, he says that it is an expansionof and adoption fromRiquet à la Houpe. I think thisis one of those hasty conclusions of which we are all occasionallyguilty. I cannot, for my part, see any resemblancebetween the two stories. InRiquet, an ugly and deformedprince wins the hand of a lovely princess—the usual triumphof mind over matter; but inBeauty and the Beast, thesuitor is not merely a repulsive man, but a monster ofthe most horrible and tremendous description, and whois specially prohibited from availing himself of those mentalpowers which might in the slightest degree affect the judgmentof the lady. Pity and gratitude are the motiveswhich influence Beauty to sacrifice her own happiness toensure that of the Beast. In the other case, admiration ofthe talent of Riquet renders the Princess gradually blind tothe defects of his person.Le Mouton of Madame d'Aulnoyoffers infinitely more points of resemblance. The transformationof the King into a ram by a jealous and vindictive fairy,and the permission given by him to Merveilleuse to visit herfamily, on her solemnly promising to return by a stated period,are features too obvious to be overlooked. The despair ofthe Ram in consequence of her not fulfilling her promise onthe last occasion, is also like that of the Monster; but[Pg 536]Madame de Villeneuve has avoided the tragical catastrophe;and notwithstanding the similarity I have pointed out,Beauty and the Beast, taken as a whole, deserves all thepraise that those who are best acquainted with it have unanimouslyaccorded to it.

It is a curious circumstance that theGatta Cennerentola ofBasile, and the German version ofCinderella, both commencewith the departure of the father on a journey, and the requestsof his daughters corresponding exactly in their general characterwith those inBeauty and the Beast, while we findnothing of the sort in Perrault'sCendrillon. I infer fromthis that the Italian and German writers have mixed two oldstories together, and that Madame de Villeneuve's is foundedon one of them.

THE COUNT DE CAYLUS.

Anne Claude de Tubierre,de Grimoad,de Pestils,deLevi,Comte de Caylus, was born in Paris, in 1692, anddied the 3rd of September, 1765. He entered the Frencharmy early, and distinguished himself in Catalonia and at thesiege of Fribourg. After the Peace of Rastadt he visitedItaly, and in 1717 went to the Levant in the suite of theAmbassador of France to the Sublime Porte. During thisjourney he undertook an adventure which proves his courageas well as his love of art. On arriving at Smyrna, he wasanxious to profit by the necessary delay of a few days to visitthe ruins of Ephesus, which are about twelve hours' journeyfrom that place. The neighbourhood was at that time infestedby a band of brigands, the chief of which was the notoriousand terrible Caracayoli. The roads were exceedingly unsafefor travellers; but the Count de Caylus was not to be daunted.He provided himself with a dress made simply of sail-cloth,and carrying nothing about him that could tempt the mostpetty thief, he sought out two of the band of Caracayoli, andbargained with them for a safe conduct from Smyrna toEphesus and back again, the money to be paid only on hisreturn. It being their interest to take care of him, he foundthem the most faithful guides in the world. Caracayoli, onlearning the object of his journey, politely offered to assisthis researches. He informed the Count that in the neighbourhoodof his retreat there were some ruins well worthyhis inspection, and to expedite his visit to them, he mountedhim and one of his guides on two fine Arabian horses. Theruins proved to be those of Colophon. The Count returnedto the retreat of Caracayoli, and passed the night there, andthe next morning proceeded to the site of the ancient city ofEphesus, from whence he was safely conducted back to Smyrnaby the brigands, each party well satisfied with their bargain.

After his return to France, in 1717, he made several otherjourneys abroad, and paid two visits to London. At Paris heoccupied himself with drawing, music, painting, writing, andsculpture. He wrote the lives of the most celebrated paintersand sculptors of the Royal Academy, and founded in thatAcademy an annual prize for the students who were mostsuccessful in expressing the passions. In 1742 he was electedan honorary member of "L'Académie des Inscriptions," inwhich he founded another prize of five hundred livres for thebest essays on the manners and customs of the ancients. Heformed a splendid collection of Etruscan, Greek, Roman, andGaulish antiquities, an account of which was published (sevenvols. 4to, the last in 1767) by Monsieur le Beau. He discoveredthe ancient art of encaustic painting, and of tingingmarble, from hints in the works of the elder Pliny. But allthis occupation and study did not prevent this eminentscholar and antiquary from indulging in the lighter pursuits ofliterature. He did not disdain to acknowledge the fascinationof a fairy tale, or to contribute to the number of them.I have selected three from hisFéeries Nouvelles, which arein my judgment the best, and display the greatest variety ofstyle and power of imagination. The first,—

PRINCESS MINUTE AND KING FLORIDOR.

La Princesse Minutie et le Roi Floridor is written in aspirit of playful satire, which reminds one of those sprightlycaricatures of fairy tales which flowed so pleasantly fromthe pen of Count Hamilton; but, unlikeLe Belier andFleur d'Epine of that accomplished satirist,Princess Minuteand King Floridor presents us with a sound and seriousmoral, which at this moment, when the sacrifice of importantinterests to routine and etiquette has caused so much animadversion,is singularlyapropos. It also reads a pleasantlesson to those who neglect or misuse the great means andopportunities which it has pleased Providence to bestow uponthem, and amidst all its whimsical extravagances, never ceasesto whisper in the words of Solomon—

Floridor was the name of a celebrated French actor of theseventeenth century. InLe Temple du Destin, written by Le[Pg 539]Sage, and acted at the Fair of St. Laurent in 1715, theHigh Priest of Destiny observes upon the vanity of anactor—

THE IMPOSSIBLE ENCHANTMENT.

L'Enchantement Impossible is an amusing story with oneblemish, which I have ventured to correct by the omission ofhalf a dozen lines, and the suppression of an unnecessaryindelicacy. Unlike the last, this is a mere work of fancy,without any particular object—a sort of illustration of theold song and saying,Love will find out the way. The Mer-manand his sister would seem to point out a Breton originfor this story, as the belief in these marine marvels is strongupon the coast of Brittany, where the females are calledMorgan (sea-women), or Morver'de (sea-daughters), and aresupposed to draw down to their palaces of gold and crystal,at the bottom of the ocean, those who venture imprudentlytoo near the edge of the water; but the Count de Cayluswas too well acquainted with the classical Tritons and Syrensto render it necessary for him to draw upon the legends ofArmorica for such materials, and it is probable the story isentirely of his own invention.

The absurd fashions in hair-dressing, glanced at in this story,by the introduction of a fairy with her hair dresseden chienfou, are commented upon in a little volume calledHistoiresdes Modes Française; Amsterdam and Paris, 1773. "Thenumber of thesefrisures," says the writer, "is almostinfinite. Every year, every month, produces new ones. Wehave seen, in succession, hair dresseden bequille (crutchfashion),en graine d'epinards (spinach fashion!),en batonrompu (broken stick!); yesterday it wasen aile de pigeon,to-day it isen débacle."

BLEUETTE AND COQUELICOT.

Bleuette et Coquelicot is a charming fairy tale of the pastoralorder, unexceptionable in its style, and salutary in itsinstruction. I have only to add, in further illustration of thehead-dress of Arganto (p. 360), that "ForeignMarshallePowder" was advertised in 1781 at sixteen shillings per pound,by R. Langwine, at the sign of the "Rose," opposite NewRound Court, Strand; and that receipts for making it occuras late as in Gray'sSupplement to the Pharmacopœia, in 1836.The author ofL'Histoire des Modes Française, quoted above,says he does not "despair of one day seeing rose-coloured hairpowder, blue heads," &c.; and inPlocacosmos (1781), weactually find receipts for making yellow,rose-pink, and blackhair powder; while Goldsmith, in hisCitizen of the World,Letter III., mentions both black andblue.

MADEMOISELLE DE LUBERT.

Of this lady we have but very meagre information. Shewas born about the year 1710, and is said by some writers tohave been the daughter of a President; and by others, of a"Trésorier de Marine." She appears to have led a studiousand retired life, her love of literature indisposing her to marriage.HerContes des Fées were commenced about 1740;and several have been attributed to her pen which she disavowed.Those she acknowledged were:—Terserion,LaPrincesse Lionette et le Prince Coquerico,Le Prince Glacéet la Princesse Etincelante, La Princesse Couleur de Roseet le Prince Celadon,La Princesse Camion, andLa NouvelleLéonille. She was also the author of a translation ofAmadisdes Gaules,Les Hauts Faits d'Esplandian, andAnecdotesAfricaines, published in 1752. Voltaire and Fontenellecalled her "Muse et grace." She was living in 1772, and diedbefore 1779. She had disappeared from society for some timepreviously, and was presumed to be still living at that date;but a letter written by some one who knew of her decease,inserted in theJournal de Paris of that year (No. 69),addressed to the author ofL'Almanach des Dames Illustres,by "l'Ombre de Mademoiselle de Lubert," and dated from the"Mille et unième Bosquet des Champs Elisées," seems tohave been considered sufficient authority; though as no precisetime or place is mentioned, the letter might have beenwritten by the lady herself had she wished to deceive thepublic. She had, however, reached a very respectable age,and it is probable that she was dead at that period.

"HerContes des Fées," remarks one of her critics, "arenot nearly equal to those of Mademoiselle de Murat and otherladies who have written in that style. They have less of moralpurpose and allegorical allusion." This is quite true; and[Pg 542]my object in publishing the two I have selected is to illustrate,as I have mentioned in my preface, the decline of the Fairytale. Mademoiselle de Lubert is one of the latest of her class.Her stories are only designed to amuse. The publication ofThe Thousand and One Nights, by Galland, and the immensepopularity that work immediately obtained, evidently affectedthe composition of fairy tales. Wild, extravagant adventures,unconnected incidents, transformations without point or object,a straining after the merely marvellous, and a total abandonmentof the laughing philosophy and the unaffected moralitywhich distinguish and immortalize the stories of Perraultand d'Aulnoy, were the first effects of the circulation of theArabian Nights Entertainments. The next was the Orientalizingof every tale of enchantment. Dull Caliphs andSultans deposed the merry old Kings who "once upon atime" ruled in Fairyland. The amours of the seraglio andthe harem were substituted for the innocent courtships ofprinces or shepherds. The manners and dresses of the time,those delicious anachronisms which impart so much pleasantry—ay,and instruction—to the fairy tale, were carefullyavoided; and the characters, arrayed in what the writersflattered themselves were Eastern costumes, were seriouslyplaced in situations compared to which that of Molière'sMonsieur Jourdain asMamamonchi was a nearer approach toreality. Even those that had some claim to Oriental originwere so altered and "manufactured for the European market"that they were said to appear—

Le Mercure Galant was flooded with these productions.Almanzor et Zehra, Conte Arabe;Almerine et Zelima, ConteOriental;Balky, Conte Oriental;Zaman, Histoire Oriental,&c.Then we haveContes Mogol,Contes Turcs,Contes Chinois,Contes Tartares,Contes Persans,&c.; but we are forgettingMademoiselle de Lubert and her

PRINCESS CAMION.

A translation ofLa Princesse Camion, much abridged andaltered, was published in theChild's Fairy Library sometwenty years ago, under the title ofPrincess Minikin. Theplot of this story is intricate without being ingenious. Thepersecution of Camion by Marmotte is purely capricious, andher contrivances are of the clumsiest description. In theoriginal, Zirphil is commanded to "take off, one by one, thescales of the whale;" but a whale has no scales that it couldfeel the deprivation of. It is skinning the fish alive thatwould be a cruel operation, and I have therefore rendered"écorcher" in that sense, and not to scale, as it had beenpreviously translated, in accordance with the specific directionquoted above. The transformation of the unfortunate Princessinto a crayfish, and her being shelled instead of pounded as Marmottehad decreed, is all of the same character. The long storytold by her in that state to the other crayfish in the plantationis a lame way of enlightening either Zirphil or the reader,and has to be continued in as lame a manner by Citronette.The pounding the crayfish for the King's soup, and the disappearanceof them in flames when they are put into themortar, seems to point to an Eastern origin. The latterportion reminds us of the black man flinging the fish into thefire, in the story of "The Fisherman and the Genius," in theArabian Nights, where there is also a city changed into a lake,and all its inhabitants into fishes, and re-transformed in theend and restored to the rightful monarch, the young King ofthe Black Island. The crayfish broth may be an allusion tothe well-knownBisque d'Ecrévisse, but it is also an Orientaldish; for while this book was passing through the press, amorning journal announced that "the eldest royal son of hisMajesty the First King of Siam," on his arrival at Claridge'sHotel, "after satisfying himself that due provision had beenmade for the comfort of his staff, retired to rest, having firstpartaken of a frugal repast, prepared by his ownchef-de-cuisine,consisting ofcrabfish pounded with various Easterncondiments."—Morning Post, October 31st, 1857.

The eagerness with which the nobles of the Court soughtfor the servile office of filling the King of the Whiting's bowl[Pg 544]with sea-water, is the only stroke of satire in the story, andevidently levelled at the candle-holding and similar ceremoniesof "le grand et le petit coucher." To stand and hold a"bougeoir allumé," while Louis XIV. undressed himself,was, says St. Simon, "une distinction et une faveur qui secomptait, tant le Roi avait l'art de donner l'être à des riens."

In a note to the expression, "shrieks like Melusine's,"page 398, I have suggested that some portion ofPrincessCamion might have been founded on the romance ofMelusine.This romance was composed towards the end of the fourteenthcentury, by Jean d'Arras, at the desire of the Duke de Berri,son of John, King of France, and was founded on an incidentrecorded in the archives of the family of Lusignan, which werein possession of the Duke. It is briefly as follows:—

THE LEGEND OF MELUSINE.

A King of Albania, named Elinas, had married the beautifulFay Pressine, by whom he had three daughters at abirth, Melusine, Melior, and Palatine. Fay had stipulatedthat he should never enter her chamber during theperiod of her confinement; but the King having broken hispromise in his anxiety to embrace his newly-born children,the Queen cried out that she was compelled to leave him, andimmediately disappeared with her three daughters. Sheretired to the Court of her sister, the Queen of the "IslePerdue," and as her children grew up, instructed them in theart of sorcery. Melusine having learned from her mother theconduct of her father, determined to be revenged on him, andproceeding to Albania, by means of her newly-acquired artcarried off the King and shut him up in a mountain calledBrandelois. The Queen, who still retained some affection forher husband, on becoming acquainted with this unnaturalact, punished Melusine by sentencing her to become everySaturday a serpent from the waist downwards, till she shouldmeet with a lover who would marry her on condition of neverintruding on her during the time of her transformation, whenshe was ordered to bathe; with a promise that if she strictlyattended to this injunction, she might eventually be relievedfrom her weekly disgrace and punishment. Melusine wasexcessively beautiful, and Raimondin, son of the Count de[Pg 545]Forez, having met with her in the forest of Colombiers,[61] fellin love with her so deeply that he married her without hesitationon the prescribed conditions. She built for him, nearthe spot where they had met, the Castle of Lusignan, andbore him several children; but her husband's jealousy beingexcited by a cousin, who suggested to him that Melusine hada criminal object in secreting herself on a Saturday, he madea hole with his sword in the door of the chamber to whichshe was wont to retire, and perceived her in her state oftransformation. The various versions of this legend differ inthe details of the consequences; but all agree in stating thatMelusine, reproaching him with the breach of his word, disappeared,and left him to end his days as a hermit on Montserrat.The popular belief was, that she appeared on whatwas called the Tower of Melusine when any of the lords ofLusignan were about to die; and Mezeray assures us, on thefaith "of people who were not by any means credulous," thatprevious to the death of a Lusignan, or of a king of France,she was seen on this tower in a mourning dress, and utteredfor a long time the most heart-piercing lamentations. TheDuke de Montpensier destroyed the castle in 1574, on accountof the resistance made to his arms in it by the Huguenots;but the family of Lusignan, till it merged in that of Montmorency-Luxembourg,continued to bear for its crest a womanbathing, in allusion to the story of Melusine.

PRINCESS LIONETTE AND PRINCE COQUERICO.

La Princesse Lionette et le Prince Coquerico is an infinitelybetter story thanLa Princesse Camion: but, likethat, its aim is no higher than to excite the interest andawaken the wonder of its readers. As a work of fancy, however,it is one of the best of its class, and I believe is nowfor the first time translated into English.

I do not recollect any story on which it could be said to befounded; but at the end ofLa Tyranine des Fées détruite,by the Countess d'Anneuil, is a story, entitledLa PrincesseLionne, in which a princess is changed into a lioness, andpersecuted by a fairy called La Rancune; but there the similarityends. Mademoiselle de Lubert edited an edition of theNouveaux Contes des Fées of the Countess d'Anneuil, andmay have taken an idea from that particular incident.

The model of the globe in which Prince Coquerico saw andheard all that passed in the universe, and witnessed the opera,the play, and the orations at theAcadémie Française, remindsone of the room in the Palace of the Beast, the variouswindows of which afforded Beauty similar entertainment.

The Fairy Tigreline's employments of spinning and threadingpearls, is in strict accordance with the manners of thesixteenth century. "Passons avec les dames," says Rabelais,"nostres vie et nostres tempsà enfiler les perles ou à filer,comme Sardanapalus."—Livre i. chap. 33. I have mentioned(p. 438) that the opera ofArmide was considered thechef-d'œuvreof Quinnault. The music was composed by Lulli,and it is reported that he made Quinnault write the last actover again five times, which so disgusted the poet that heceased to write for the stage from that period. The incidentof the shield is that in which Ubaldo holds before Rinaldohis adamant or diamond shield, in which the latter seeshimself reflected in his effeminate attire, is awakened to asense of his degraded situation, and abandons the enchantedgardens of Armida.—Book xvi.

MADAME LEPRINCE DE BEAUMONT.

Jeanne Leprince de Beaumont was born at Rouen, in1711, and commenced her literary career in 1748, by theproduction of a romance, calledLa Triomphe de la Vérité;shortly after which she came to England, and resided inLondon for a considerable time, occupying herself as agoverness, and in writing works for the instruction as well asthe amusement of youth. That which acquired the mostpopularity wasLe Magazin des Enfans, in which appearedher abridgment ofBeauty and the Beast, and her originalFairy Tales. She was twice married. Her first was anunfortunate union, annulled almost immediately afterwards.Her second marriage took place in England, but to aFrenchman; and in 1762 she returned to France for thebenefit of her native air. In 1768, she purchased a smallestate, called Chenavoi, and died in 1780. Her miscellaneousworks amount to seventy volumes; but evenLe Magazin desEnfans is scarcely remembered in the present day, and thefour short fairy tales which terminate this volume are, withthe abridgment ofBeauty and the Beast, the only effusionsby which she is popularly known in England. The best ofthem is

PRINCE DÉSIR AND PRINCESS MIGNONE.

It is more like one of the good old Breton stories—pleasant,short, and with a sound moral.

PRINCE CHÉRI,

Corrupted into "Prince Cherry" in our children's books,exhibits the influence of the importations from the East.But that it has so manifest a moral, it might pass for a[Pg 548]French alteration of an Oriental tale. The names of Sulimanand Zélie would encourage the suspicion.

THE WIDOW AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS.

La Veuve et ses Deux Filles is better known by the titleofBlanche and Vermillion, under which it has been frequentlyprinted, and was also produced on the French stage by Mons.Florian, in March, 1781. The moral of the story is declaredby the Fairy to be that excessively trite and common-placeaxiom, that happiness consists in content, or, in the words ofthe author, the possession of things only that are necessarywithout wishing for more; but the author forgot to show usthat Blanche was discontented. It does not appear that shewished for superfluities, or to be a "great Queen," or thatsuch an idea ever entered her head till the Fairy promisedher she should become one, "not to reward," but "to punish,"her for begrudging to give away her plums. Poor Blancheis therefore made anunhappy queen; her low birth rendersher an object of contempt at Court; the King is a worthlessperson, who neglects the innocent girl his passion induced himto place upon his throne, and who is the mother of hischildren; and at length the miserable wife exclaims that"happiness is not to be found in magnificent palaces but inthe innocent occupations of the country." Now this isfoolish—it is worse, for it is false and injurious. There isas much happiness in palaces and on thrones, thank God, asthere is in cottages. The occupations of a virtuous sovereignare as innocent as those of a husbandman, while the power todo good, existing with the will, must make the balance ofhappiness greatly in favour of the former. The cares of Stateare burdensome enough, no doubt, and the more conscientiousthe monarch, the weightier the sense of responsibility; buthas the countryman no cares, no sorrows, novices? The legaloccupations of all classes are "innocent." Is it only kingsand nobles who yield to temptations or indulge in the evilpropensities of our common nature? There has been toomuch of this fallacy infused into what are called moral stories,and at the risk of being accused of breaking a butterfly on the[Pg 549]wheel, I have singled out this particular instance, asBlancheand Vermillion is to be found in almost every child's story-book.That the author's intention was laudable, I do notdoubt; but to read a wholesome lesson, she should have shownBlanche to have been discontented with the lot assigned toher by Providence, pining to mix in society for which shewas neither fitted by birth nor education, and dreaming thathappiness consisted solely in rank, wealth, and luxury. Themoral should have been, not that such possessions were incompatiblewith virtue and happiness, but that their owners werenot exempted from the frailties and sufferings of humanity, andthat unequal marriages were rarely fortunate ones. All this,it will be said, she might mean, but it is not evident; and theonly impression made upon a child's mind by this story, ifany impression can be made by it whatever, is the very absurdand objectionable one, that all kings and queens are wickedand unhappy, and all farmers and dairy-maids virtuous andcontented.

PRINCE FATAL AND PRINCE FORTUNÉ.

This is another of the moral Fairy Tales of Madame deBeaumont, and, asFatal and Fortuné, a great favourite withthe compilers of children's story-books. It is healthier intone than the preceding: the value of adversity is difficult toimpress on a young mind, and it is pointed out in this littletale as well, perhaps, as it could be; but there is one observationI must venture to make in reference to a point of taste.The writers of the old Fairy Tales never mix up the Almightywith fairies and enchanters. The superior powers are invariablythe mythological divinities of ancient Greece and Rome.Their heroes and heroines pray to "the gods," not to "God."The introduction of the sacred name is, I am well aware, toofrequent in familiar French conversation, to render it a matterof criticism in the original language; and I fully acquit Madamede Beaumont of any intentional irreverence; but it is a factworthy of remark, that in an age and at a Court which aredescribed as particularly licentious, the writers for youth orentertainment carefully abstained from an unnecessary profanityof which they had examples enough in the olderfabliaux and romances, not only of their own country, but[Pg 550]throughout Europe; and that although the majority of theseauthors were in the highest ranks of society—members of thecircle that surrounded the throne of one of the most despoticmonarchs in the civilized world—they never spared the foiblesor the crimes of princes, or the hypocrisy and treachery oftheir parasites.

The fearless frankness, indeed, with which they satirizedthe follies and inveighed against the vices of the great, is ashonourable to them as their perfect freedom from that questionablemorality which would deny in any class the existenceof virtue and the enjoyment of happiness founded upon it.Madame de Beaumont's admission that such may be the caseconcludes her story ofFatal and Fortuné more satisfactorilythan her insinuation to the contrary does that ofThe Widowand her Two Daughters.

So much has been said in this Appendix aboutPeau d'AneandL'Adroite Princesse, that although, as in the case ofPrince Marcassin andLe Dauphin, in my former volume, Ihave not included them in the body of the work, I think itmay be as well, as in the above instance, to give in this placean analysis of their plots, they being undoubtedly two of theoldest fairy tales of their class on record.

PEAU D'ANE.

A Princess, in order to escape the persecution of the King,her father, on a point of conscience, consults a fairy, who isher godmother, and by her advice successively requests herfather to give her three dresses—the first of the colour of thesky, the second of the colour of the moon, and the third ofthe colour of the sun, believing he will be unable to fulfil hispromises. He succeeds, however, in procuring for her thethree dresses; and she is then instructed to ask him for theskin of a marvellous ass in the royal stables, which suppliesthe King daily with an ample quantity of gold coin, underthe impression that his Majesty will never consent to such asacrifice. The infatuated Monarch, however, does cause theass to be killed and flayed, and the Princess, on the receiptof the skin she has requested, is reduced to flight. The Fairytells her to put the three fine dresses and all her jewellery, &c.in a large trunk, which by magical power is to follow herunderground, and appear whenever she needs it; and begrimingher face and hands, and wrapping herself up in theass's skin, the Princess escapes from the palace, and travelsinto the dominions of a neighbouring monarch. She thereobtains employment in a farm as a scullion and keeper of thepigs and poultry, her only pleasure consisting in occasionallylocking herself up in her miserable room, and putting on her[Pg 552]fine dresses and jewellery, which appear at her wish, as theFairy promised her.

The son of the King of this country happens to visit thisfarm occasionally as he returns from hunting, and one daypeeps through the keyhole of the door, and sees Peau d'Ane(as the Princess is called, from the only dress she wears inpublic) arrayed in one of her richest robes. He is dazzledwith her beauty, and believing her to be some divinity, he isafraid to burst open the door, and returns to the palace,where he falls perfectly love-sick, refusing to eat, drink, ortake any amusement. He inquires who lives in that wretchedroom at the farm, and is told an ugly, dirty, kitchen wench,called Peau d'Ane, for the reason aforesaid. He declaresthat nothing can cure him but a cake made by her hands.After all sorts of expostulations, they yield to his wishes, andPeau d'Ane is ordered to make a cake for the Prince. Shehas seen him on his visits to the farm, and is equally in lovewith him. She makes the cake, and drops, by accident ordesign, a magnificent emerald ring into it. The Prince devoursthe cake, and finds the ring. He immediately declares thathe will marry no one but the woman who owns that ring.On this determination being made public, all the unmarriedladies in the Court and kingdom endeavour to fit on the ring,but it is too small for any one to pretend to the ownership.At length Peau d'Ane is sent for at the Prince's wish, anddropping her hideous ass's skin, appears in magnificent attire,and places the ring easily on her finger. Everybody is astonished,the Prince and his parents delighted, and the nuptialstake place, being honoured by the presence of Kings andFairies from all quarters, and specially by the father of thePrincess, who has recovered from his infatuation.

This story, founded originally on the legend of St. Dipne,was a favourite in France from an exceedingly early period,and was versified by Perrault, and published withLes SouhaitsRidicules, as I have already stated, in 1694. He alludes tothe original nursery tale in hisParallele des Anciens et desModernes, 1689, in which he makes the partisan of theancients say, "Les fables Milesiennes sont si puériles, quec'est leur faire assez d'honneur que de leur opposer nos ContesdePeau d'Ane et dela Mère l'Oye." The prose version ofthis tale was not published until many years after his death,[Pg 553]and is supposed by Baron Walkenäer not to have been hiscomposition; and I think there is a point unnoticed by theBaron which supports that opinion. The story is dedicatedto Mademoiselle Eleanore de Lubert.[62] Now, if this be Mademoisellede Lubert, author ofLa Princesse Camion, &c., shewas not born till some years after the death of Perrault; andas in the dedication we find the lines

the dedication itself could not have been written much before1720, Mademoiselle de Lubert having been born about 1710.

There is another story in theContes ou Joyeux Devises deBonaventure Desperiers, Novel 130, of a young girl named"Peau d'Ane," and "how she got married by the meansfurnished her by the Ants." A gentleman fell in love witha merchant's daughter, named Pernette. The father andmother, not daring flatly to refuse their consent, attached toit what they considered an impossible condition—namely,that for a given period previous to her marriage the girlshould wear no other apparel than the skin of an ass.Pernette, returning the gentleman's affection, was not to bediscouraged by this obstacle, and cheerfully wore the skin ofan ass for the appointed time. Foiled in this matter, they settheir wits to work to invent something more impracticable.They insisted that she should lick up, grain by grain, a bushelof barley, which they spilt for that purpose on the ground.Nothing daunted, she applied herself to this task; but theants repaired to the same spot, and took away all the barleyby degrees, without being noticed, so that it appeared as ifPernette had done it; and her parents considering furtheropposition useless, the girl obtained her husband. The storyconcludes with the assertion that "Vray est que tant quellevesquit le sobriquet de Peau d'Ane lui demeura."

There is nothing whatever in this story to remind one ofthe last, beyond the simple circumstance of the skin; nor havewe any clue as to which may be the oldest: but both werecalledPeau d'Ane, and it may be just possible that one furnisheda hint for the other, or, indeed, that there was acollection of stories so entitled; for La Porte, the valet ofLouis XIV., tells us, in hisMémoires, that when that monarchwas still a child, but had passed from the hands of femalesinto those of men, he could not go to sleep "parcequ'on nelui contait plusles contes de Peau d'Ane ainsi que les femmesqui le gardaient avaient coutume de le faire."

L'ADROITE PRINCESSE; OU, LES AVENTURES DE FINETTE.

A King departing for the Crusades commits to a Fairy thecharge of his three daughters—Nonchalante, Babillarde, andFinette, names descriptive of their characters. They areshut up in a tower without a door, and furnished with threeenchanted distaffs of glass, which they are told will break onthe commission of any indiscretion. They were to be providedwith everything they might properly require by means of abasket let up and down by a crane and pulley fixed on thetop of the tower. The two eldest Princesses soon becomeweary of solitude, and one day pull up in the basket an oldbeggar woman, Nonchalante hoping she will be her servant,and Babillarde being anxious to have somebody else to talkto. The beggar woman proves to be a Prince disguised, theson of a neighbouring King who is a bitter enemy of thefather of the three Princesses, and who has had recourse tothis expedient in order to revenge himself for some insult orinjury he has sustained. By flattering the foibles of the twoPrincesses who introduced him into the tower, he succeeds incausing them to break both their distaffs, but all his artificesare foiled by Finette (L'Adroite Princesse), who gets rid ofhim by making him fall through a trap door into the ditchunder the tower. Enraged at his defeat, he has recourse toanother scheme, and succeeds in inducing Finette to descendin the basket to procure assistance for her sisters, who aresuffering from the consequences of their indiscretions. Heseizes Finette, and is about to have her rolled down a precipicein a tub filled with spikes, when she adroitly flings himinto it, and he suffers the fate he had projected for thePrincess. Mortally hurt, he bequeaths his vengeance to hisbrother, who swears to him that he will marry Finette, andmurder her on the night of his nuptials. She, however,[Pg 555]places a figure of straw in the bed, which the Prince unwillinglystabs, and is only too delighted to find he is not guiltyof murdering a woman he loves, and who becomes his happyQueen.

This story was not published till 1742, when it was printedas Perrault's, although it was well known that MademoiselleLheritier, who had read Perrault'sHistoires du Temps Passéin manuscript, had conceived from them the idea of tryingher hand at the same sort of composition, and had actuallypublished, in 1695-6, this very story, under the title ofLesAventures de Finette in herŒuvres Meslées, with a letter tothe daughter of Perrault.

Speaking of that very story she says—"vous savez quedans leConte de Finette, les deux sœurs sont très eloignéesd'être aussi vertueuses que je les fais, on ne parle point demariage: ce sont deux indignés personnes de qui on racontedes faiblesses odieuses avec les circonstances choquantes;" andshe also observes, "j'ai pour moi la tradition qui met ceConte deFinette; au Temps des Croisades."

There cannot surely be more evidence required to refutethe assertion of Mr. Dunlop, thatL'Adroite Princesse (be itwritten by Perrault or Mademoiselle Lheritier) is taken fromthePentamerone, with little variation of machinery or incident.The story he alludes to is the fourth of the third day,and is entitledSapia Liccarda. There is no such name asFinette in it, and it is well known, independently of MademoiselleLheritier's declaration, thatLe Conte de Finettewas one of the oldest of the French nursery tales.

Nor can we desire clearer evidence of the way in whichthese stories were written than that which is afforded to us bythe repeated acknowledgments of Mademoiselle Lheritier:—

Let any one compare these lines with those of the concludingportion of the story ofL'Adroite Princesse commencing"Voila Madame," &c., and they must be struck bythe singular resemblance.

There will be many general readers, and perhaps somecritics, who may think I have been unnecessarily minute inmy notes and humble attempts at illustration; but whilst Ifeel that the fairy tales I have selected contain in themselvesnothing that may not afford innocent entertainment tochildren, I certainly hope that the little information I havebeen able to collect respecting some hitherto obscure and disputedpoints may give both this and the book that precededit an interest in the eyes of elder readers, who may meet, wherethey least expect it, some fact or suggestion, trifling in itself,but furnishing a clue to more important matter.

My principal object has been, however, in this volume,to disabuse the minds of those who have taken for grantedthe assertions of our historians of fiction concerning theoriginal sources from whence Perrault and Madame d'Aulnoyin particular derived the plots of their fairy tales—assertionswhich I confess I had not thought necessary to noticeuntil, in a kind and complimentary review of my formervolume, it was publicly regretted as an omission. I trust Ihave now made it perfectly clear that whether or not thewriters of those tales were cognizant of the existence in thecollections of Straparola and Basile of some half-dozen meagreand garbled versions of stories told for ages in all thetongues of Europe and Asia, that the real foundation of thoseof Perrault were the old BretonContes de ma Mère l'Oye,which in company

he had heard in his own nursery, and with which Louis XIV.had been rocked to sleep when a child, as well as all the restof the children in his dominions; and that Madame d'Aulnoy,when not indebted to similar recollections, drew upon herown fertile and lively imagination, introducing occasionally anincident from one of the old Trouvères of Languedoc, or someof those Oriental stories which were circulated in manuscriptlong before their publication by Galland, or picked up by[Pg 557]herself during her residence in Spain from the Moorish andTurkish slaves around her, nay, from her own little servantZayde, who, though she could speak no language but her ownat the time her mistress so pleasantly describes her, mighthave eventually acquired sufficient French or Spanish for sucha purpose.

Her account of this child is so interesting that I shall notapologise for quoting it:—

"They have here great numbers of slaves who are boughtand sold at high prices. They are Moors and Turks, some ofthem worth four or five hundred crowns a piece....You are extremely well served by these unhappy wretches,they are far more diligent, laborious, and humble than otherservants.... I have one that is not above nine yearsold. She is as black as jet, and would be reckoned in herown country a wonderful beauty, for her nose is quite flat, herlips prodigiously thick, her eyes of a red and white colour, andher teeth admirable in Europe as well as in Africa. Sheunderstands not a word of any language than her own. Hername is Zayde; we have got her baptized.... Thosewho sold her to me told me she was a girl of quality; and thepoor child will come often and fall down on her knees beforeme, clasp her hands, cry, and point towards her country. Iwould willingly send her thither if she could there be aChristian; but this impossibility obliges me to keep her.Iwould fain understand her, for I believe her to be intelligent—allher actions show it. She dances after her fashion, andso pleasantly that she affords us much entertainment. Imake her wear white patches, with which she is mightilytaken. She is dressed as they are at Morocco, that is, in ashort gown almost without any plaits, large shift sleeves offine cloth striped with different colours like those of ourBohemians and gipseys. A pair of stays made of merely astrip of crimson velvet on a gold ground, and fastened at thesides with silver buckles and buttons, and a mantle of exceedinglyfine woollen stuff, very long and very large, inwhich she wraps herself, and with one corner of it covers herhead.

"This dress is very handsome; her short hair, which lookslike wool, is cut in several places, on each side like a half-moon,on the crown in a circle, and in front like a heart. She cost[Pg 558]me twenty pistoles. My daughter has made her governess ofher Marmoset, the little monkey given to her by the Archbishopof Burgos. I assure you Zayde and the Marmosetare capitally matched, and understand each other extremelywell."—Relation du Voyage en Espagne.

With this characteristic and suggestive extract from abook deserving to be better known, I leave a subject to whichit is not likely I shall return in print, though it will nevercease to interest me in the study.

Alfred Elmore, R.A.	George Thomas.	Birket Foster.
F. R. Pickersgill, R.A.	John Gilbert.	S. Read.
J. E. Millais, R.A.	F. W. Topham.	James Godwin.
John Tenniel.	William Harvey.	J. Sleigh.
John Absolon.	Thomas B. Dalziel.	G. Dodgson.
J. R. Clayton.	A. Maddox.	H. Weir.
E. Duncan.	J. Allon Pasquier.	Alexander Johnstone.
	J. M. Carrick.

Scutari and its Hospitals.	The Commissariat again.	The Bashi-Bazouk.
Miss Nightingale.	A Camp Dinner.	Russian Officers and Soldiers.
Balaklava.	The Heights before Sebastopol.	The French Officer.
A Snow Storm.		The Zouave.

PAGE
PREFACE	ix
BLUE BEARD	3
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOOD	8
MASTER CAT; OR, PUSS IN BOOTS	17
CINDERELLA; OR, THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER	22
RIQUET WITH THE TUFT	28
LITTLE THUMBLING	35
PERFECT LOVE	47
ANGUILLETTE	75
YOUNG AND HANDSOME	108
THE PALACE OF REVENGE	131
THE PRINCE OF LEAVES	145
THE FORTUNATE PUNISHMENT	163
FAIRER THAN A FAIRY	183
THE GOOD WOMAN	203
THE STORY OF BEAUTY AND THE BEAST	225
PRINCESS MINUTE AND KING FLORIDOR	329
THE IMPOSSIBLE ENCHANTMENT	336
BLEUETTE AND COQUELICOT	358
PRINCESS CAMION	375
PRINCESS LIONETTE AND PRINCE COQUERICO	416
PRINCE DÉSIR	477
PRINCE CHÉRI	483
THE WIDOW AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS	494
PRINCE FATAL AND PRINCE FORTUNÉ	498
APPENDIX	509

Movatterモバイル変換

Fairy Tales.

CONTENTS.

PREFACE.

CHARLES PERRAULT.

BLUE BEARD.

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOOD.

MASTER CAT;OR,PUSS IN BOOTS.

CINDERELLA;OR,THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER.

RIQUET WITH THE TUFT.

LITTLE THUMBLING.

THE COUNTESS DE MURAT.

PERFECT LOVE.

ANGUILLETTE.

YOUNG AND HANDSOME.

THE PALACE OF REVENGE.

THE PRINCE OF LEAVES.

THE FORTUNATE PUNISHMENT.

MADEMOISELLE DE LA FORCE.

FAIRER THAN A FAIRY.

THE GOOD WOMAN.

MADAME DE VILLENEUVE.

THE STORYOFTHE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.

THE COUNT DE CAYLUS.

PRINCESS MINUTE AND KINGFLORIDOR.

THE IMPOSSIBLE ENCHANTMENT.

BLEUETTE AND COQUELICOT.

MADEMOISELLE DE LUBERT.

THE PRINCESS CAMION.

PRINCESS LIONETTE AND PRINCECOQUERICO.

MADAME DE BEAUMONT.

THE PRINCE DÉSIRandTHE PRINCESS MIGNONE.

PRINCE CHÉRI.

THEWIDOW AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS.

PRINCE FATAL AND PRINCEFORTUNÉ.

APPENDIX.

CHARLES PERRAULT.

BLUE BEARD.

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOOD.

MASTER CAT; OR PUSS IN BOOTS.

CINDERELLA; OR THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER.

RIQUET WITH THE TUFT.

LITTLE THUMBLING.

THE COUNTESS DE MURAT.

PERFECT LOVE.

ANGUILLETTE.

YOUNG AND HANDSOME.

THE PALACE OF VENGEANCE.

THE PRINCE OF LEAVES.

THE FORTUNATE PUNISHMENT.

MADEMOISELLE DE LA FORCE.

FAIRER THAN A FAIRY.

THE GOOD WOMAN.

MADAME DE VILLENEUVE.

THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.

THE COUNT DE CAYLUS.

PRINCESS MINUTE AND KING FLORIDOR.

THE IMPOSSIBLE ENCHANTMENT.

BLEUETTE AND COQUELICOT.

MADEMOISELLE DE LUBERT.

PRINCESS CAMION.

THE LEGEND OF MELUSINE.

PRINCESS LIONETTE AND PRINCE COQUERICO.

MADAME LEPRINCE DE BEAUMONT.

PRINCE DÉSIR AND PRINCESS MIGNONE.

PRINCE CHÉRI,

THE WIDOW AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS.

PRINCE FATAL AND PRINCE FORTUNÉ.

PEAU D'ANE.

L'ADROITE PRINCESSE; OU, LES AVENTURES DE FINETTE.

MASTER CAT;
OR,
PUSS IN BOOTS.

CINDERELLA;
OR,
THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER.

THE STORY
OF
THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.

PRINCESS MINUTE AND KING
FLORIDOR.

PRINCESS LIONETTE AND PRINCE
COQUERICO.

THE PRINCE DÉSIR
and
THE PRINCESS MIGNONE.

THE
WIDOW AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS.

PRINCE FATAL AND PRINCE
FORTUNÉ.