The Blue Fairy Book

er of a great many children, and of them all only one daug

id of losing her that she quite spoiled her, and never tried to correct any of her faults. The consequence was that this little person, who was as pre

nothing too good for her. She was dressed almost always in the prettiest frocks, as a fairy, or

rtrait to be taken by the cleverest painters and sent it to

t had a different effect. One fell ill, one went quite crazy, and a few of the luckiest set off to s

nk of to make themselves agreeable, and after having spent ever so much money in giving a

songs, which were sent her by all the poets in the world. All the prose and the poetry that was written just then was about Bellissima — for that w

any of them might have cut off his head five or six times a day just to please her, and she would have thought it a mere trifle, so little did she care? You

oud. What makes you despise all these nice kings? I wish

red: “do leave me in peace, madam

es,” said the Queen, “and I shall be very angry if y

ever or handsome enough for her; and her mother, who was getting really angry at her determina

s safely must throw to them a cake made of millet flour, sugar-candy, and crocodile’s eggs. This cake she prepared with her own hands, and putting it in a little basket, she set out to seek the Fairy. But as she was not used to walking far, she soon felt very tired and sat down at the f

ing too frightened to run a single step, she began to cry,

eard some one s

p the tree, and there she saw a litt

are of the lions; and you are quite right too, for they have eaten many ot

poor Queen. “Alas! I should not care so mu

face, and lived in the orange tree). “I’m really glad to hear that, for I’ve been looking for a wife all over th

aid of his ugly little face as she had been of the

ied the Dwarf. “You must be ver

saw the lions, which were ru

ur rows of teeth, and their skins were as

like a dove when it sees a hawk, cried out as loud as sh

sima is pretty enough, but I don’t particul

t distress, ado not refuse her. She is

arity I will take her; but be sure

range tree, in rushed the Queen, only just in time, an

d of thistles and nettles. It was encircled by a muddy ditch, and a little further on was a tiny thatched cottage, out of which came the Yellow Dwarf with

ttles she can feed a donkey which she can ride whenever she likes; under this humble roof no weather can hurt her; she will drink the water of this brook and eat frogs — which grow ver

fe her daughter would have with this Dwarf could not bear

in her life. At first she thought that all her adventures, the terrible lions, and her promise to the Yellow Dwarf that he should marry Bellissima, must have been a dream, but th

aid that she was ill, or that one of her neighbors was threatening to make war against her. Bellissima knew quite well that something was being hidden from her — and that neither of these was the real reason of the Queen’s uneasiness. So she made

her room very early, pretending that she was going to bed; but instead of that, she wrapped herself

putting down her basket, she sat down to eat them. But when it was time to go on again the basket had disappeared and, though she looked everywhere, not a trace

, my pretty one?” said he.

g that I have lost the basket of cake that was to help m

little monster, “for I am a friend of hers, and, for

I am afraid that perhaps I am the cause of it, for she very much wishes me to be married, and I must tell you truly that

the Dwarf. “I can tell you all you want to know better than she

t. She would have told me if she had. I am too much interested in the mat

before her, “I flatter myself that you will not be displeased at her choice wh

y mother wishes me to marry you! How can y

rf angrily; “but here are the lions coming; they’ll eat you up in

poor Princess heard their dreadf

ed. “Must all my happy day

he, “you have the satisfaction of dying unmarried. A lovely Princess like you must

clasping her hands. “I’d rather marry all the dw

u give me your word,” said he. “I don

e looked at you enough. I am so frightened. S

how she got there she could not tell, but she was dressed in the most beautiful lace and ribbons, and on her finger w

t sadness, which surprised and alarmed the whole Court, and the Queen more than anyone else. A hundred t

arf, and she could not think of a better way of getting rid of the little monster than to marry some powerful king, therefore she replied to their request much more favorably than they had hoped, saying that, though she was very happy as she was, still, to please them, she would consent to marry the King of the Gold Mines. Now he was a very handsome and powerful Prince, who had been in love with the Princess for years, but had n

the ships that brought it. Messengers were sent to all the gayest and most refined Courts, particularly to the Court of France, to seek out everything rare and precious to adorn the Princess,

she was almost as much in love with him as he was with her. How happy they were as they wandered about in the beautiful gardens t

orest al

incess wal

ossoms the

uttering to

e may tre

flowers on

t her as

htly through

incess, b

our song

this ench

wander, ha

uccessful rivals had gone home in despair. They said good-by to t

y do you waste your pity on these princes, who love you so much that

who were leaving me for ever; but for you, sire, it is very different: you have every reason to be

atured way of taking his interference, and, throwing himself at her fe

leep at all, and she got up before it was light to give the necessary orders and to choose the jewels that the Princess was to wear. These were nothing less than diamonds, even to her shoes, which were covered with them, and her dress of silver brocade was embroidered with a dozen of the sun’s rays.

ng hall had been arranged a thousand barrels full of gold, and numberless bags made of velvet embroidered with pearls and filled with money, each one containing at least a hundred thousand gold pieces, w

them came a tall old woman, whose ugliness was even more surprising than her extreme old age. She wore a ruff of black taffeta, a red velvet hood, and a farthingale all in rags, and she leaned heavily upon a

the Desert; without the Yellow Dwarf and his orange tree my great lions would soon have eaten you up, I can tell you, and in Fairyland we do not suffer ourselv

, weeping, “what is this that

Bellissima sadly, “what d

from his happiness by this wicked old woman, went

or ever, miserable creature, lest I take y

e cried, rushing between the Fairy of the Desert and the King. “Dare to lay a finger upon this illustrious Fairy! Your quarrel is with me only. I am your enemy and your rival. That faithless Princess w

to such a treasure? Do you know that you are a dwarf — that you are so ugly that one cannot bear to look at y

ely see at all. The thunder crashed, and the lightning seemed as if it must burn up everything; the two basilisks appeared, one on each side of the bad Dwarf, like giants, mountains high, and fire flew from their mouths and ears, until they looked like flaming furnaces. None of these things could terrify the noble young King, and the boldness of his looks and actions reassured those who were looking on, and perhaps even embarrassed the Yellow Dwarf himself; but even HIS courage gave way when he saw what was happening to his beloved Princess. For the Fairy of the Desert, looking more terrible than before, mounted upon a winged griffin, and with long snakes coiled round

ich he was quite powerless to prevent, and to make matters worse his sight failed him, e

ctly she saw him. She thought that if she carried him off to some frightful cavern and chained him to a rock, then the fear of death would make him forget Bellissima and become her slave. So, as soon as they reach

OU, dear Prince? What misfortune ha

e deceived by her alte

my sight, but by her voice I recognized her as the Fairy of the Dese

nd she will certainly have anything she takes a fancy to.” While she was thus pretending to be sorry for the King, he suddenly noticed her feet, which were like those of

noticed anything, he sai

she protects the Yellow Dwarf and keeps me chained here like a criminal. It is true that I love a c

you say, Prince?” said

flattering to my vanity to be loved by a fairy than by a simple princess. But, ev

from the giddy height at which they were rushing through the air, he saw his beloved Princess in a castle built of polished steel, the walls of which reflected the sun’s rays so hotly that no one could approach it without being burnt to a cinder! Bellissima was sitting in a little thicket by a broo

Dwarf brought me? Must I also be made to know that the King of the Gold Mines ceased to love me

ly sad at being so rapidly torn away from his beloved Princess, but he knew too well how powe

, and she tried to read in the King’s eyes the e

appy princess for whom I once had a passing fancy, before I was lucky enough to meet you, has affected m

“can I believe that you

ou wish to convince me that you have some regard for

him suspiciously. “Do you want me to employ my art against the Yellow Dwarf, who is my b

e brooks murmured softly under the shady trees, where it was always cool and fresh. A little way off stood a splendid palace, the walls of which were of transparent emeralds. As soon as the swans which drew the Fa

ithin a hear

strive agai

ut feel a s

greater t

just that he might not feel that he was a prisoner; but he felt sure that she had not really gone quite away, but was watching him from some hiding-place. So walking up to a great

table a grander coat than his own, he put it on carefully. The

d she, “and I must tell you that you have succeeded perfectly alre

f upon the sea-shore. The Fairy of the Desert had by her enchantments raised such a terrible storm that the boldest pilot would not venture out in it, so she was not

up and down, he wrote these vers

ay I upon

sorrow with

as! I se

o yet my sa

O raging,

d winds, from

my loved on

aptive to

still more wi

is crue

thus in e

incess snatc

ymphs, from

sweet true

calm the f

desperate

ever, he looked all round, and presently saw a lovely lady floating gently toward him upon the crest of a huge billow, her long hair spread all

to him, “I know how sad you are at losing your Princess and being kept a prisoner by the Fairy of the Desert; if you like I wi

h very much to escape, but he was afraid that this might be only another device by which the Fairy of t

that I am not likely to wish to help them, especially since I constantly see your poor Princess, whose beauty and

hatever you tell me; but if you have seen my Princess I be

carry you to the Castle of Steel, and we will leave upon this shore a

d a bundle of sea-weed, and, bl

e King, who stood looking at them in great astonishment, for they were even dressed in a coat like his, but they lay there pale and still as the King himself might have

t she soon fainted away with pain and terror, and did not recover till they were within the walls of his frightful Castle of Steel. Here she was received by the prettiest girls it was possible to find, who h

nes, “if Bellissima forgets me, and conse

id, “the Princess thinks of no one but you, and the

th your story,

, and saw you with the Fairy of the Desert, who was so cleverly disguised that the Princess took her to be

d the King. “What a fatal mistake! W

him. “When people are as much in love with one another

e next the sea being the only one which the Yellow Dwa

er, take this sword; armed with it you may dare any danger, and overcome the greatest difficulties, only beware of one thing — that is, never to let it fall from your hand. Farewell; now I will wa

an the sun. He could not find words to express his gratitude, but he begged her to believe that

, and calling upon her eleven sisters, who were also fairies, and who came to her assistance. But they were all taken in by the image of the King, for, clever as they were, the Mermaid was still cleverer, and all they could do was to help the Fairy of the Desert to make a wonderful monument over what they thought was the grave of the King of the Gold Mines. But while they were collecting jasper and porphyry, agate and marble, gold and bronze, statues and devices, to immortalize the King’s memory, he was thanking the good Mermaid and begging her still to help him, which she graciously promised to do as she disappeared; and then he set out for the Castle of Steel. He walked fast, looking anxiously round him, and longing once more to see his darling Bellissima, but he had not gone far before he w

t you pass great misfortunes will happen to you and to us. We beg you not to insist upon go

t all his ideas as a knight to do anything a lady begged h

not spare, or your Pri

thout further hindrance to the little wood where he had seen Bellissima. She was seated by the brook looking pale and weary when he reached her,

thing. I am not faithless or to blame for what has happened. I am a mise

flying through the air with the loveliest b

he unexpected help of a friendly mermaid, who brought me here to rescue you, my Princess, from the unworthy hands that hold you. Do not refuse the aid of your most faithful lover.” So saying, he threw himself at her feet

ly irritated the little monster; muttering a few magical words he

, but I will give him his life and permission to depar

nd times rather,” cr

s, “must you die? Could a

ittle wretch would be far mor

inued she, “let

action of dying for you

ing to the Dwarf; “rather tha

uld you make my life horrible to me

afraid; you shall not see our marriage.” So saying, in spite of Bellissima’

at her feet, could no longer live without him;

en the Mermaid could help, because all the mag

d the Fairy of the Desert, when she heard of the King’s adventures, pulled down the grand monument which she had bu

d into two tall palm trees, which stand always side by side, whispering together