Free Andrew Lang_Fairy Book 03 by The Green Fairy Book

suddenly to an enormous
size, pounced each upon a maiden and carried her off into the air,
and in an instant they were all lost to view. This amazing
occurrence plunged the whole court into the deepest affliction,
and Prince Mirliflor, after giving way to the most violent grief
at first, fell gradually into a state of such deep dejection that
it was feared if nothing could rouse him he would certainly die.
Surcantine came in all haste to see what she could do for her
darling, but he rejected with scorn all the portraits of lovely
princesses which she offered him for his collection. In short, it
was evident that he was in a bad way, and the Fairy was at her
wits' end. One day, as he wandered about absorbed in melancholy
reflections, he heard sudden shouts and exclamations of amazement,
and if he had taken the trouble to look up he could not have
helped being as astonished as everyone else, for through the air a
chariot of crystal was slowly approaching which glittered in the
sunshine. Six lovely maidens with shining wings drew it by rose-
coloured ribbons, while a whole flight of others, equally
beautiful, were holding long garlands of roses crossed above it,
so as to form a complete canopy. In it sat the Fairy Paridamie,
and by her side a Princess whose beauty positively dazzled all who
saw her. At the foot of the great staircase they descended, and
proceeded to the Queen's apartments, though everyone had run
together to see this marvel, till it was quite difficult to make a
way through the crowd; and exclamations of wonder rose on all
sides at the loveliness of the strange Princess. 'Great Queen,'
said Paridamie, 'permit me to restore to you your daughter
Rosanella, whom I stole out of her cradle.'
    After the first transports of joy were over the Queen said to
Paridamie:
    'But my twelve lovely ones, are they lost to me for ever? Shall I
never see them again?'
    But Paridamie only said:
    'Very soon you will cease to miss them!' in a tone that evidently
meant 'Don't ask me any more questions.' And then mounting again
into her chariot she swiftly disappeared.
    The news of his beautiful cousin's arrival was soon carried to the
Prince, but he had hardly the heart to go and see her. However, it
became absolutely necessary that he should pay his respects, and
he had scarcely been five minutes in her presence before it seemed
to him that she combined in her own charming person all the gifts
and graces which had so attracted him in the twelve Rose-maidens
whose loss he had so truly mourned; and after all it is really
more satisfactory to make love to one person at a time. So it came
to pass that before he knew where he was he was entreating his
lovely cousin to marry him, and the moment the words had left his
lips, Paridamie appeared, smiling and triumphant, in the chariot
of the Queen of the Fairies, for by that time they had all heard
of her success, and declared her to have earned the kingdom. She
had to give a full account of how she had stolen Rosanella from
her cradle, and divided her character into twelve parts, that each
might charm Prince Mirliflor, and when once more united might cure
him of his inconstancy once and for ever.
    And as one more proof of the fascination of the whole Rosanella, I
may tell you that even the defeated Surcantine sent her a wedding
gift, and was present at the ceremony which took place as soon as
the guests could arrive. Prince Mirliflor was constant for the
rest of his life. And indeed who would not have been in his place?
As for Rosanella, she loved him as much as all the twelve beauties
put together, so they reigned in peace and happiness to the end of
their long lives.
    By the Comte de Caylus.

Sylvain and Jocosa
*
    Once upon a time there lived in the same village two children, one
called Sylvain and the other Jocosa, who were both remarkable for
beauty and intelligence. It happened that their parents were not
on terms of friendship with one another, on account of some old
quarrel, which had,