THE PRINCESS CAMION.

There was once upon a time a King and Queen who had but one son, who

was their only hope. Fourteen years had elapsed from the time of

his birth, and the Queen had had no other children. The Prince was

marvellously handsome, and learnt with facility everything they wished

him to know. The King and Queen loved him to distraction, and their

subjects placed all their affections on him, for he was affable to

everybody, and yet he knew well how to distinguish between the people

who approached him. His name was Zirphil. As he was an only son, the

King and Queen resolved he should marry as early as possible, in order

to secure the succession to the crown should they unhappily be deprived

of Zirphil.

They therefore sought on foot and on horseback a Princess worthy of

the heir-apparent,[34] but none was found suitable. At length, after

a most diligent inquiry, the Queen was informed that a veiled lady

desired a private audience of her Majesty, on business of importance.

The Queen immediately ascended her throne in the audience-chamber, and

ordered the lady to be admitted. The lady approached, without removing

her white crape veil, which reached to the ground. When she arrived

at the foot of the throne, "Queen" said she, "I am astonished that,

without consulting me, you have thought of marrying your son. I am the

Fairy Marmotte, and my name is sufficiently celebrated to have reached

your ears." "Ah, Madam," said the Queen, quickly descending from her

throne, in order to embrace the Fairy, "you will easily pardon me my

fault when you learn that I have only listened to all the wonders which

have been told me about you as to a nursery tale; but now that you do

me the favour to come to my palace, I no longer doubt your power, and

beg you will honour me with your advice." "That is not a sufficient

answer to a Fairy," replied Marmotte. "Such an excuse might perhaps

satisfy a common person, but I am mortally offended; and to begin your

punishment, I command you to marry your Zirphil to the person I have

brought with me."

At these words she felt in her pocket, and, drawing out a toothpick

case, she opened it, and out of it came a little ivory doll, so pretty

and so well made that the Queen, despite her grief, 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, in the most touching words, not to expose her to

the ridicule of her people, who would laugh at her if she announced

to them such a marriage. "Laugh, indeed, will they, Madam?" said the

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 tell you that she deserves to be adored. She

is small, it is true; but she has more sense than there is in all your

kingdom put together. When you hear her talk, you will be surprised

yourself; for she can talk, I promise you. Now, then, little Princess

Camion," said she, to the doll, "speak a little to your mother-in-law,

and show her what you can do." Then the pretty Camion jumped upon the

Queen's _palatine_,[35] and paid her a little compliment so tender and

so sensible that her Majesty suspended her tears to give the Princess

Camion a hearty kiss.

"Here, Queen," said the Fairy, "is my toothpick-case; replace your

daughter-in-law in it. I wish your son to get well accustomed to her

before marrying her. I think it will not be long first. Your obedience

may soften my anger; but if 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 the

evening, for it is important that she should not be out late."

At these words she raised her veil, and the Queen fainted with fright

when she perceived an actual live Marmot[36]--black, sleek, and as

large as a human creature. Her women came to her assistance, and,

when she recovered from her swoon, she saw nothing but the case that

Marmotte had left with her.

They put her to bed, and went to inform the King of the accident. He

arrived in a great fright. The Queen sent every one away, and, with

a torrent of tears, she related her adventure to the King, who would

not believe it till he saw the doll that the Queen drew from the case.

"Just heaven!" cried he, after having meditated a little, "is it

possible that kings should be exposed to such great misfortunes? Ah! we

are only placed above other men in order to feel more acutely the cares

and afflictions attached to our existence." "And in order to give the

greater example of fortitude, sire," added the Doll, in a small, sweet,

and distinct voice. "My dear Camion," said the Queen, "you speak like

an oracle."

At length, after a conversation of an hour between these three persons,

it was decided that they should not yet divulge the contemplated

marriage, and that they should wait until Zirphil, who was gone hunting

for three days, should have returned, and consented to obey the command

of the Fairy, which the Queen undertook to communicate to him. In

the interim, the Queen, and even the King, shut themselves up, in

order to converse with the little Camion. She had a highly-cultivated

intellect, she spoke well, and with a singular turn of thought which

was very pleasing. But although she was animated, her eyes had a fixed

expression which was not agreeable, and the Queen was annoyed by it,

as she began to love Camion, and feared that the Prince might take a

dislike to her.

More than a month had elapsed since Marmotte had appeared, but the

Queen had not yet dared to show Zirphil his intended. One day he

entered her room whilst she was in bed. "Madam," said he, "the most

singular thing in the world occurred to me some days since whilst I

was hunting. I had wished to conceal it from you, but at length it has

become so extraordinary, that I must positively tell you of it.

"I followed a wild boar with great ardour, and had pursued it into

the midst of a forest without observing that I was alone, when I saw

him throw himself into a hole which opened in the ground. My horse

having plunged in after it, I continued falling for half an hour, and

at length found myself at the bottom, without any hurt. There, instead

of the boar, which I confess I feared to find, I saw a very ugly woman,

who begged me to dismount from my horse and follow her. I did not

hesitate, and giving her my hand, she opened a little door which had

previously been hidden from my view, and I entered with her a saloon

of green marble, where there was a golden bath, covered with a curtain

of very rich stuff; the curtain rose, and I saw in the bath a person

of such marvellous beauty that I thought I should have fallen to the

ground. 'Prince Zirphil,' said the lady, who was bathing, 'the Fairy

Marmotte has enchanted me, and it is by your assistance alone that I

can be released.' 'Speak, Madam,' said I to her: 'what must I do to

help you?' 'You must either,' said she, 'marry me instantly or skin me

alive.' I was as much surprised at the first proposition as alarmed at

the second. She read in my eyes my embarrassment, and said, 'Do not

imagine that I jest, or that I propose to you an act of which you may

repent. No, Zirphil, dismiss your fears; I am an unfortunate Princess

to whom the Fairy has taken an aversion; she has made me half-woman,

half-whale because I would not marry her nephew, the King of the

Whiting, who is frightful, and even more wicked than he is hideous. She

has condemned me to remain in my present state until a Prince named

Zirphil shall fulfil one of the conditions that I have just proposed

to you; to expedite this matter, I caused my maid of honour to take

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 you shall have

fulfilled my desire in one manner or the other. I am 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, who listened

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 extremely interesting, her being half a fish

horrified me exceedingly; and the idea of skinning her alive threw me

into utter despair. 'But, Madam,' said I to her, at length (for my

silence became as stupid as insulting), 'is there not a third way?' I

had hardly uttered those unlucky works, than the Whale-Princess and

her attendant uttered shrieks and lamentations which were enough to

pierce the vaulted roof of the saloon. 'Ungrateful wretch! cruel tiger!

and everything that is most ferocious and most inhuman!' exclaimed the

former. 'Thou wouldst, then, that I should also be condemned to the

torture of seeing you expire? For if thou dost not resolve to grant my

request, the Fairy has assured me thou wilt perish, and I shall remain

a whale all my life!'

"Her reproaches pierced my heart; she raised her beautiful arms out

of the water, and joined her charming hands to implore 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 of

ceremony can be performed?' 'Skin me,' said she tenderly, 'and do not

marry me, I prefer that.' 'Skin her!' screamed the other, 'and fear

nothing.' I was in a state of perplexity which I cannot describe; and

while I considered what I ought to do, their shrieks and tears were

redoubled, till I knew not what would become of me. At length, after a

thousand and one struggles, I cast my eyes once more on the beautiful

Whale, and I confess that I found in her features an inexpressible

charm. I threw myself on my knees close to the bath, and taking her

hand, 'No, divine Princess,' said I to her; 'I will not skin you, I

would rather marry you!'

"At these words joy lighted up the countenance of the Princess, but a

modest joy, for she coloured, and casting down her beautiful eyes, 'I

shall never forget,' said she, 'the service that you render me; I am

so penetrated with gratitude, that you may expect anything of me after

this generous resolution.' 'Do not lose time,' cried the insupportable

Citronette; 'tell him quickly all that he must do.' 'It is sufficient,'

said the Whale-Princess, blushing again, 'that you give me your ring,

and that you should take mine; there is my hand, receive it as a pledge

of my faith.' I had hardly made this tender exchange, and kissed the

beautiful hand which she presented to me, when I found myself again

upon my horse in the midst of the forest. Having called my people, they

came to me, and I returned home without being able to utter a word, I

was so completely astounded. Since then, I am transported every night

without knowing how, into the beautiful green saloon, where I pass the

night near an invisible person; she speaks to me, and tells me that

the time is not yet 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 escaped from the saloon without resorting

to that alternative." At these words, a little voice, proceeding from

the Queen's pocket, 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 his astonishment; he felt

quickly in her pocket, which was hanging upon the arm-chair near the

bed, and drew from it the toothpick-case, which the Queen took from

his hand and opened. The Princess Camion immediately came out of it,

and the astonished Prince threw himself on his knees by the bed-side

of the Queen to inspect her nearer. "I vow, Madam," cried he, "that

this is my dear Whale in miniature. Is this some pleasantry, and have

you only wished to frighten me, by allowing me so long to believe

that you would not approve of my marriage?" "No, my son," at length

the Queen replied; "my grief is real, and you have exposed us to the

most cruel misfortunes by marrying that Whale, for, in fact, you were

promised to the Princess Camion whom you see in my hands." She then

related to him what had passed between her and the Fairy Marmotte, and

the Prince allowed her to say all she wished without interruption, so

much was he astonished to find that she and his father had agreed to

a proposition which 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, or that I should act

contrary to the wish of the King, my father, even when he commands me

to do anything as impossible as this appears to me to be; but had I

consented, could I even have fallen in love with this pretty Princess,

would your subjects ever have----" "Time is a great teacher, Prince

Zirphil," interrupted Camion; "but it is done; you cannot now marry me,

and my godmother appears to me a person who will not patiently suffer

any one to break their word with her. Diminutive as I am, I feel as

acutely as the largest woman would the disagreeable nature of this

adventure; but as you are not so much to blame, except perhaps for

having been a little too hasty, I may persuade the Fairy to mitigate

the punishment."

After these words Camion was silent, for she was exhausted with having

said so much. "My dear darling," said the Queen, "I implore you to take

some repose for fear you should be ill and not in a condition to speak

to the Fairy when she comes to afflict us; you are our consolation, and

however she may punish us, I shall not feel it so deeply if Marmotte

does not take you from us." The Princess Camion felt her little heart

beat at these words of the Queen: but being quite overcome, she could

only kiss her hand, and let fall upon it some tiny tears. Zirphil was

moved at this incident, and begged Camion to permit him to kiss her

hand in his turn: she gave it him with much grace and dignity, and

then re-entered her case. After this tender scene the Queen rose, in

order to go and tell the King what had passed, and take every rational

precaution against the anger of the Fairy.

The following night Zirphil, in spite of the guard which they had

doubled in his apartment, was carried off at midnight, and found

himself, as usual, in the company of his invisible wife; but instead of

hearing any of those sweet and touching things which she was accustomed

to say to him, he heard her weep, and found she kept aloof from him.

"What have I done?" said he at last, when quite tired of pursuing her.

"You weep, dear Princess, when you ought to console me for all the

peril I may have incurred, as the effect of my tenderness." "I know

all," said the Princess, with a voice interrupted by sobs--"I know all

the misery that may happen to me; but, ungrateful man! it is of you I

have most to complain." "Oh, heavens!" cried Zirphil, "what have you

to reproach me with?" "The love which Camion bears to you," replied

the voice, "and the tenderness with which you have kissed her hand."

"The tenderness," replied the Prince, quickly; "oh! divine Princess, do

you know so little of that I feel for you as to accuse me so lightly.

Besides, even if Camion could love me, which is impossible, as she only

saw me for a moment, can you be alarmed, knowing my love for you, and

after the proofs which I have given you of my attachment? It is you

whom I should accuse of injustice: for if I have looked at her with

any attention, it is because her features reminded me of yours, and

that being deprived of the pleasure of beholding you, anything which

resembled you gave me the greatest gratification. Be visible again, my

dear 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 little movement of

jealousy. I have too much reason to fear they will separate me from

you, not to feel afflicted by a circumstance which appeared to me to

announce the commencement of that misfortune." "But," said the Prince,

"may I not know 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 to flay me we should have

been very happy; but you had such a horror of that proposition, that

I did not dare press you further on the subject." "By what chance,"

interrupted the Prince, "was Camion informed of this adventure, for she

told me nearly the same thing?"

Hardly had he finished these words, when the Princess uttered a

frightful shriek. The Prince, in surprise, rose hastily. But what

was his alarm when, in the middle of the apartment, he perceived the

hideous Marmotte, who held by the hair the beautiful Princess, now no

longer either half a whale or invisible! He was about to seize his

sword when the Princess, in tears, begged him to moderate his anger,

for it would be of no avail against the power of the Fairy; and the

horrible Marmotte, grinding her teeth, emitted through them a blue

flame which scorched his beard. "Prince Zirphil," said she to him,

"a fairy who protects thee prevents me from exterminating thee, thy

father, thy mother, and all that belong to thee: but thou shalt suffer

at least in all that is most dear to thee, for having married without

having consulted me, and thy torment shall never finish, nor that of

thy Princess, until thou shalt have obeyed my commands."

In finishing these words the Fairy, the Princess, the chamber, and

the palace, all disappeared together, and he found himself in his own

apartment, in his night-dress, and his sword in his hand. He was so

astonished, and so transported with rage, that he did not feel the

severity of the cold, though it was in the depth of winter. At the

noise which he made his guards entered the room and begged him to go to

bed, or to allow them to dress him. He took the latter course, and went

to the Queen's chamber, who, on her part, had passed the night in the

most cruel state of anxiety. She had not been able to sleep after going

to bed, and in order to induce slumber she had wished to talk over her

grief with little Camion; but she sought in vain for her in her case:

Camion was no longer there. She feared she might have lost her in the

garden: she rose, and having ordered flambeaux to be lighted, went in

search of her, but without success--she had entirely disappeared, and

the Queen retired to bed again in an alarming state of affliction; she

gave fresh vent to it as her son entered. He was so distressed himself

that he did not perceive the tears of the Queen. She, on her part,

observing his agitation, exclaimed, "Ah! without doubt, you have come

to announce to me some dreadful tidings!"

"Yes, Madam," replied the Prince; "I come to tell you that I shall die

if I do not find my Princess." "How!" said the Queen; "do you already,

my dear son, love that unhappy Princess?" "What, your Camion?" said

the Prince: "can you suspect me, Madam, of such a thing? I speak of my

dear Whale-Princess who has been torn from me; it is for her alone 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 taken your Princess away from you, they have robbed me

of my Camion. Since last evening, she has disappeared from her case!"

They then related to each other their respective adventures, and wept

together over their common misfortunes. The King was informed of the

cries and despair of the Queen, and the grief of his son. He entered

the apartment in which this tragic scene was passing, and as he was

an exceedingly clever man, the thought occurred to him immediately of

advertising Camion, with the offer of a large reward to whoever should

bring her back. Everybody agreed this was a capital idea, and even the

Queen, in spite of her great grief, was obliged to confess that no one

of ordinary capacity could have imagined so singular an expedient. The

handbills were printed, and distributed, and the Queen became rather

calm in the hope of soon hearing some tidings of her little Princess.

As for Zirphil, the loss of Camion interested him no more than her

presence; he resolved to seek a fairy of whom he had 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 inhabited by the

Fairy; but neither time nor obstacles could check the fond impatience

of the youthful Zirphil. He passed through states and kingdoms without

number: nothing particular happened to him because he did not desire

it; for being handsome as Cupid and brave as his own sword, he would

have had no lack of adventures had he sought for them.

At length, after a year's travelling, he arrived at the commencement of

the desert wherein the Fairy had fixed her abode; he dismounted from

his horse, and left his equerry in a little cottage, with orders to

await him there, and not to be impatient. He entered the desert, which

was frightful from its solitude; screech-owls alone inhabited it, but

their cries did not alarm the valiant spirit of our Prince.

One evening, he perceived at a distance a light which made him think he

was approaching the grotto; for who but a fairy could live in such a

horrible desert. He walked all night long; at length, at break of day,

he discovered the famous grotto; but a lake of fire separated him from

it, and all his valour could not protect him from the flames, which

spread right and left. He looked about for a long time to see what he

could do, and his courage nearly failed him when he found that there

was not even a bridge. Despair proved his best friend, for in a frenzy

of love and anguish, he resolved to end his days in the lake, if he

could not traverse it. No sooner had he taken this strange resolution

than he put it in execution, and throwing himself bodily into the

flames, he felt a little gentle warmth which did not even inconvenience

him, and passed without the least trouble to the other side. Hardly had

he landed, when a young and beautiful Salamander emerged from the lake,

and said, "Prince Zirphil, if your love be as great as your courage,

you may hope for everything from the Fairy Lumineuse; she favours you,

but she wishes to prove you."

Zirphil made a profound bow to the Salamander in acknowledgment, for

she did not give him time to speak; she plunged again into the flames,

and he pursued his way. He arrived at length at the foot of a rock of

prodigious height, which from its great brilliancy appeared all on

fire. It was a carbuncle, so large that the Fairy was very commodiously

lodged in the inside. As soon as the Prince approached, Lumineuse came

out of the rock; he prostrated himself before her, she raised him, and

made him enter the grotto.

"Prince Zirphil," said she, "a power equal to mine has neutralized

the benefits I bestowed on you at your birth; but you may hope for

everything from my care. It requires as much patience as courage to

foil the wickedness of Marmotte; I can tell you nothing more." "At

least, madam," replied the Prince, "do me the favour to inform me if

my beautiful Princess is unhappy, and if I may hope to see her again

soon?" "She is not unhappy," replied the Fairy: "but you cannot see her

till you have pounded her in the mortar of the King of the Whiting."

"Oh! heavens!" cried the Prince; "is she in his power; and have I to

dread not only the consequences of his passion, but the still greater

horror of pounding her with my own hands?" "Summon up your courage,"

replied the Fairy, "and do not hesitate to obey; upon that depends all

your happiness, and that of your wife." "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 the

fury of Marmotte. Go and seek the King of the Whiting; tell him you are

the page I promised to send him, and rely on my protection."

She then pointed out to him on a map the road he must take to reach

the dominions of the King of the Whiting; and took her leave of him,

after having informed him that the ring which the Princess had given

him would show him all he had to do whenever the King commanded him to

execute a difficult task.

He departed, and after some days' travelling arrived in a meadow which

stretched down to the sea, to the shore of which was moored a small

sailing-vessel of mother-of-pearl and gold. He looked at his ruby, and

saw himself in it going on board the vessel. He therefore stepped into

it, and after having cast off, the wind took it out to sea. After some

hours' sail, the vessel brought up at the foot of a crystal castle,

built upon wooden piles. He jumped ashore, and entered a court-yard

which led through a magnificent vestibule to apartments without number,

the walls of which were of rock crystal, admirably cut, and which

produced the most beautiful effect in the world. The castle appeared

to be inhabited only by men with fishes' heads of all species. He

felt convinced this was the dwelling of the King of the Whiting, and

shuddered with rage; but he restrained himself so far as to inquire of

a turbot, who had the air of being a captain of the guard, 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 arms a thousand men with pikes' heads, who formed in line for him

to pass.

At length, after making his way through an infinite crowd of men-fish,

he came to the throne-room. There was not much noise, for the courtiers

were all dumb, the greater part having whiting's heads. He saw several

who appeared of more consequence than the rest, from the crowd which

surrounded them, and by the air which they assumed with the others.

They arrived at the King's cabinet, out of which he saw the council

issue, composed of twelve men who had sharks' heads. The King at length

appeared himself. He had a whiting's head, like many of the others;

but he had fins on his shoulders, and from his waist downwards he was

a veritable whiting. He could speak, and wore only a scarf made of the

skin of goldfish, which was very brilliant, and a helmet in the form of

a crown, out of which arose a codfish's tail, which formed the plume.

Four whiting carried him in a bowl of Japanese porcelain, as large as

a bath, full of sea water. His greatest pride consisted in causing it

to be filled twice a day by the dukes and peers of his kingdom. This

office was extremely sought after.

The King of the Whiting was very large, and had more the air of a

monster than of anything else. When he had spoken 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 has

promised you." "I know what she means," said the King, laughing, and

showing his teeth, like those of a saw. "Lead him into my seraglio,

and let him teach my crayfish to talk." Immediately a troop of whiting

surrounded him, and conducted him according to the King's orders. 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 a delicious garden, at the end of which was

a charming pavilion, built entirely of mother-of-pearl, and ornamented

with great branches of coral. The favourite Whiting introduced him

into an apartment similarly adorned, the windows of which overlooked a

magnificent piece of water. They made him understand that that was to

be his residence, and after having 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 himself

something very like a prisoner in the palace of his rival.

He was meditating on this position of affairs, when he saw the doors of

the chamber open, and ten or twelve thousand crayfish, conducted by one

larger than the rest, entered, and placed themselves in straight lines,

which nearly filled the apartment. The one which marched at their head

mounted upon a table near him, and said, "Prince, I know you, and you

owe much to my care; but as it is rare to find gratitude in men, I will

not tell you what I have done for you, for fear you should destroy the

sentiments with which you have inspired me. I have only, therefore,

to inform you that these are the crayfish of the King of the Whiting,

that they alone speak in this empire, and that you are chosen to teach

them refined language, the customs of the world, and the means of

pleasing their sovereign. You will find them intelligent; but you must

every morning choose ten to pound in the 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 in my concerns. The

gratitude I already feel towards you should induce you to abandon the

bad opinion you have conceived of men in general, since on the bare

assurance which you have given me of your friendship, I feel deeply

obliged to you. But what I am very anxious to learn is, the course I

should take in reasoning with the persons whose education you would

confide to me. If I were sure that they had as much intellect as you, I

should have no trouble, and I should feel a pride in the task; but the

more difficult I should find them to teach, the less should I have the

courage to punish them for faults for which they are not responsible.

And having lived with them, how can I have the heart to deliver them

to a torture?" "You are obstinate and a great talker," interrupted the

Crayfish; "but we know how to subdue you." So saying, she rose from the

table, and jumping to the ground, took her real form of Marmotte (for

she was that wicked fairy). "Oh, heavens!" cried the Prince; "so this

is the person who boasts of the interest she takes in my affairs--she

who has done nothing but make me miserable. Ah, Lumineuse," continued

he, "you abandon me!" He had hardly finished these words, when Marmotte

precipitated herself by the window into the reservoir and disappeared,

and he remained alone with the twelve thousand crayfish.

After having meditated a little as to how he should proceed to educate

them, during which time they waited in complete silence, it occurred

to him that he might very probably find amongst them his beautiful and

unfortunate Princess, because the hideous Marmotte had ordered him

to pound ten of them every morning. "And why should I be selected to

pound them," said he, "if it be not to drive me distracted? Never mind,

let us look for her," continued he, rising; "let us at least try to

recognise her, even if I die of grief before her eyes." Then he asked

the crayfish if they would kindly permit him to search amongst them for

one of his acquaintance. "We know nothing about it, my Lord," said the

first who spoke; "but you can make what inquiry you please up to the

time of our return to the reservoir, for we must positively pass the

night there." Zirphil commenced his inspection; the more 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 wickedness of Marmotte. This caused him inconsolable grief, for

he had to choose ten for the King's broth.

When evening came, they repeated that they must retire to the

reservoir, and it was not without pain that he relinquished the sweet

occupation of seeking the Princess. He had only been able in the whole

day to interrogate a hundred and fifty; but as he was certain at least

that she was not amongst them, he determined to take ten from that

number; he had no sooner chosen them than he proceeded to carry them

to the King's offices; but he was arrested by the most astonishing

peals of laughter from the victims he was about to immolate; he was

so surprised by it, that he was some time without speaking; at length

he interrupted them to inquire what it was they found so amusing in

their present circumstances? They renewed their shouts of laughter so

heartily that he could not help, in spite of his own sorrows, partaking

in their mirth. They wanted to speak, but could not for laughing; they

could only ejaculate, "Oh, I can say no more!" "Oh, I shall die of it!"

"No, there is nothing in the world so amusing!" and then roared again.

At length he reached the Palace with them all laughing together, and

having shown them to a pike-headed man, who seemed to be the principal

cook, a mortar of green porphyry, ornamented with gold, was set before

him, into which he put his ten crayfish, and prepared to pound them.

At that moment the bottom of the mortar opened, emitted a brilliant

flame, 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 was very reluctant to pound such

merry creatures. The man-pike, on the contrary, seemed sadly distressed

at this adventure, and wept bitterly. The Prince was as much surprised

at this as he was at the laughter of the crayfish, and he could not

ascertain the cause, as the pike's-head was dumb.

He returned, much disturbed by his adventure, to his pretty apartment,

where he no longer found the crayfish, for they 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 finest for pounding. The same adventure occurred--they

laughed, and the man-pike wept when they disappeared in the flame. For

three months this extraordinary scene was daily repeated; he heard

nothing of the King of the Whiting, and he was only uneasy at not

discovering his beautiful Princess.

One evening, returning from the kitchen to his own apartments, he

traversed the King's gardens, and passing near a palisade which

surrounded a charming plantation, in the midst of which was a little

sparkling fountain, he heard some one speaking; this surprised him, for

he believed all the inhabitants of that kingdom to be as dumb as those

he had seen. He advanced gently, and heard a voice, which said,--"But

Princess, if you do not discover yourself, your husband will never

find you." "What can I do?" said the other voice, which he recognised

as that he had so often heard. "The cruelty of Marmotte compels me

to remain silent, and I cannot discover myself without risking his

life as well as my own. The wise Lumineuse, who aids him, conceals

my features from him in order to preserve us to each other: he must

absolutely pound me, it is an irrevocable sentence." "But why should

he pound you?" inquired the other. "You have never yet told me your

history; Citronette, your confidante, would have related it to me had

she not last week been chosen for the King's broth." "Alas!" replied

the Princess, "that unfortunate has already undergone the torture which

I await; would that I were in her place, for assuredly by this time she

is in her grotto." "But," rejoined the other voice, "as it is such a

beautiful night, tell me now why you are subjected to the vengeance of

Marmotte. I have already told you who I am, and I burn with impatience

to know more about you." "Although it will renew my grief," replied the

Princess, "I cannot refuse to satisfy you, especially as I must speak

of Zirphil, and I take pleasure in all that relates to him."

One may easily judge of the delight which the Prince felt at 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 he heard:--

"My father was King of a country near Mount Caucasus; he reigned to

the best of his ability over a people of incredible wickedness; there

were perpetual revolts, and often the windows of his Palace were broken

by the stones which they hurled against them. The Queen, my mother,

who was a very accomplished woman, composed speeches for him to make

to the disaffected; but if he succeeded in appeasing them one day,

the next produced a new trouble. The judges were tired of condemning

to death, and the executioners of hanging. At length things arrived

at such a pitch that my father, seeing all our provinces were uniting

against us, resolved to withdraw from the capital, that he might no

longer witness so many disagreeable scenes. He took the Queen with

him, and left the kingdom to the government of one of his ministers,

who was very wise, and less timid than the King, my father. My mother

was expecting my birth, and travelled with some difficulty to the foot

of Mount Caucasus, where my father had chosen his habitation. Our

wicked subjects fired the guns for joy at their departure, and next day

strangled our minister, saying that he wished to carry matters with

too high a hand, and that they much preferred their old Sovereign.

My father was not at all flattered by their preference, and remained

concealed in his little retreat, where very soon I saw the light.

"They named me Camion, because I was so very diminutive.[38] Moreover,

the King and Queen, tired of the honours which had cost them so dear,

and wishing to conceal my high birth from me, brought me up as a

shepherdess. At the end of ten years (which appeared to them like ten

minutes, so happy were they in their retreat), the fairies of the

Caucasus, indignant at the wickedness of the people who inhabited our

kingdom, resolved to restore order in it. One day that I was tending my

sheep in the meadow which adjoined our garden, two old shepherdesses

accosted me, and begged me to give them shelter for the night; they had

such a sad dejected air that my soul was moved with compassion. 'Follow

me,' said I; 'my father, who is a farmer, will receive you willingly.'

I ran to the cottage to announce their arrival to him; he came to meet

them, and received them with much kindness, as did my mother also. I

then brought in my sheep, and set milk before our guests. Meanwhile,

my father prepared them a nice 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 father called to

me to bring it to him that he might kill it and roast it. I was not

accustomed to dispute his will, and therefore took it to him; but I

was so distressed at having to do so that I went and sat down weeping

beside my mother, who was so occupied in talking to these good women

that she took no notice of me. 'What is the matter with little Camion?'

said one of them, who saw me in tears. 'Alas, Madam!' said I to her,

'my father is roasting my pet lamb for your suppers.' 'How?' said the

one who had not yet spoken, 'is it on our account that pretty Camion

is thus distressed?' Then rising and striking the ground with her

stick, a table rose out of it magnificently covered, and the two old

women became two beautiful ladies, in dresses so dazzling with precious

stones, that I was struck motionless, so much so, indeed, that I paid

no attention when my little lamb 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 I was quite

amazed to find his wool all of silver purl, and covered 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 raised the King and Queen, who

had fallen at their feet. 'King and Queen,' said she who was the most

majestic, 'we have known you for a long time past, and your misfortunes

have excited our pity. Do not imagine that greatness exempts any one

from the ills attached to humanity. You must know by experience that

the more elevated the rank the more keenly are they felt. Your patience

and virtue have raised you above your misfortunes: it is time to give

you your reward. I am the Fairy Lumineuse, and I come to ask what

would be most agreeable to your majesties. Speak, and do not fear to

put our power to the proof; consult together, your wishes shall be

accomplished; but say nothing respecting Camion--her destiny 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 the value of her happiness when she shall have experienced the

ills of life; we will protect her by softening them: that is all we are

permitted to tell you. Speak; with that exception we can do anything

for you.'

"The Fairies, after this harangue, were silent. The Queen turned to

the King that he might reply, for she wept to find I was doomed to be

unhappy; but my father was no better able than herself to speak: he

uttered piteous exclamations, and I, seeing them in tears, left my lamb

to come and weep with them. The Fairies waited with much impatience,

and in perfect silence, till our tears were ended. At length my mother

pushed the King gently to let him know they were expecting his reply.

He took his handkerchief from his eyes and said, that as it was decided

that I should be miserable, nothing they could offer him could be

agreeable to him, and that he refused the happiness which they promised

him, as he should always find it embittered by the idea of what I

had to dread. The Queen added, seeing that the poor man could say no

more, that she begged the Fairies to take their lives on the day when

my sad destiny was to be fulfilled, for that her only wish was not to

be compelled to witness my misery. The good Fairies, affected by the

extreme grief which reigned in the royal family, spoke together in a

whisper. At length Lumineuse, who had already addressed us, said to the

Queen, 'Be consoled, Madam; the misfortunes which threaten Camion are

not so great but that they may terminate happily; for from the moment

that the husband destined for her shall have obeyed the commands of

fate, she will be happy with him, and the malignity of our sister can

have no further power over either. The Prince we have selected is one

worthy of her; and all we can tell you is, that you must absolutely

lower your daughter every morning into the well, and that she must

bathe in it for half-an-hour. If you strictly observe this rule,

perhaps she may escape the evil with which she is threatened. At twelve

years old the critical period of her fate will commence; if she reach

the age of thirteen in safety, there will be nothing more to fear. That

is all which regards her. Now wish for yourselves, and we can gratify

your desires.'

"The King and Queen looked at each other, and after a short silence,

the King asked to become a statue until after I should have completed

my thirteenth year; and the Queen limited her request to the modest one

that the temperature of the well in which I was to be dipped should be

always according to the season. The fairies, charmed at this excess of

parental tenderness, added that the water should be orangeflower water,

and that the King, whenever the Queen should throw this water over

him, should resume his natural form, and again become a statue when he

pleased. At length they took leave of us, after having lauded the King

and Queen for their moderation, and promised to assist them whenever

they should require it, by burning a bit of the silver purl with which

my lamb was covered.

"They vanished, and I felt real anguish for the first time in my life,

at seeing my father become a great statue of black marble. The Queen

burst into tears, and I also; but at length, as everything has an end,

I ceased to cry, and occupied myself in consoling my mother, for I felt

a sudden increase both 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 my ewes. Upon that

food we lived, for the Queen would not take anything else, and it was

only from love to me that she could be prevailed on to preserve an

existence, which to her was so full of bitterness. 'Alas! my daughter,'

said she, sometimes, 'of what use to us have been our grandeur and

our high birth? (for she no longer concealed from me my rank.) 'Would

it not have been better to have been born in a 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 moments when my soul seems impatient to leave me, and I confess

I feel pleasure in imagining that I shall soon die. It is not for me

you should weep,' added she, 'but for your father, whose grief, still

greater than mine, has carried him so far as to make him desire a worse

fate than ceasing to live. Never forget, my dear, the gratitude you owe

him.' 'Alas! Madam,' said I, 'I am not capable of ever forgetting it,

and still less can I forget that you have wished to live in order to

assist me.'

"I was bathed regularly every day, and my mother was sadly distressed

to see the King always an inanimate statue. She dared not, however,

recall him to life, fearing to inflict on him the pain of witnessing

the misfortune with which I was threatened. The Fairies not having

specified what it was, we were in mortal fear. The Queen especially

fancied no end of frightful things, because her imagination had an

unlimited field to range over. As for me, I did not trouble myself much

about it, so true is it that youth is the only time when we enjoy the

present.

"My mother told me repeatedly that she felt a great desire to bring my

father to life again, and I had the same inclination. At length, after

six months, finding that the Fairies' bath had greatly embellished

both my person and mind, she resolved to gratify this longing, if but

to give the King the pleasure of seeing my improvement. She therefore

desired me to bring her some water from the well. Accordingly, after

my bath, I drew up a vase of this marvellous water, and the statue was

no sooner sprinkled with it, than my father became a man again. The

Queen threw herself at his feet, to ask pardon for having troubled his

repose. He raised her, and embracing her tenderly, forgave her readily,

and she presented me to him.

"I am ashamed to tell you that he was both delighted and surprised.

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 to whom she spoke; "I also might boast

of being handsome, but is it possible to appear so in these frightful

shells? Pray continue, however, for I am eager to hear the rest of your

history." "Well, then," said the other voice, "the King was enchanted

with me, loaded me with caresses, and asked the Queen 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 have taken little interest in the world, which is

nothing to me without you.' 'Well,' said the King, 'I will tell you

some news, then; for do not think that I have been always asleep.

The Fairies who protect us have disclosed to me the punishment of my

subjects. They have made an immense pond of my kingdom, and all the

inhabitants are men-fish. A nephew of the Fairy Marmotte, whom they

have set up as their king, persecutes them with unequalled cruelty:

he devours them for the least fault; and at the end of a certain time

a prince will arrive who will dethrone him, and reign in his stead.

It is in this kingdom that Camion will be made perfectly happy. This

is all that I know; and it was not a bad way of passing my time' said

he, laughing, 'to have discovered these things. The Fairies came every

night to inform me of what was doing, and I should perhaps have known

much 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 do not 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 anxious when they thought of my

approaching the age of thirteen. As the Queen bathed me with great

care, she hoped that the prediction would not be fulfilled. But who can

boast of escaping their destiny? One morning that the Queen had risen

early, and was gathering some flowers to decorate our cottage, because

the King was fond of them, she saw come out from beneath a tube-rose an

ugly animal, something like a marmot. This beast threw itself on her,

and bit her nose. She fainted with the pain which this bite occasioned

her, and my father, at the end of an hour, not seeing her return, went

to seek her. Judge of his consternation at finding her nearly dead, and

covered with blood! He uttered fearful cries. I ran to his assistance,

and we together carried the Queen into the house, and placed her in

bed, where she was two hours without coming to herself. At length she

began to give some signs of life, and we had the pleasure of seeing her

very shortly recovered, except from the pain of the bite, which caused

her much suffering.

"She asked directly if I had been to bathe: but we had quite forgotten

it in our anxiety about her. She was much alarmed at hearing this;

however, seeing that as yet no accident had happened to me, she became

re-assured, and related to us her adventure, which surprised us

immensely.

"The day passed over without any other trouble; the King had taken his

gun and sought in every direction for the horrid beast without finding

it. The next day at sunrise the Queen awoke and came to fetch me, to

repair the fault of the preceding morning; she lowered me into the

well as usual, but alas, fatal and unlucky day! at this same instant,

although the heavens were quite serene, a dreadful clap of thunder rent

the air, the sky seemed suddenly all on fire, and from a burning cloud

there issued a flaming dart which flew into the well. My mother in her

fright let go the cord which held me, and I sank to the bottom, without

hurting myself, it is true, but horrified at discovering that I was

partially transformed into an enormous fish which they call a whale. I

rose to the surface again, and called the Queen with all my power. She

did not reply. I was sadly afflicted and wept bitterly, as much for

her loss as at my metamorphosis, when I felt that an invisible power

forced me to descend to the bottom of the well. Having reached it, I

entered a grotto of crystal, where I found a species of Nymph, ugly

enough, for she was like an immensely fat frog. However, she smiled at

my approach, and said to me--'Camion, I am the Nymph of the Bottomless

Well; I have orders to receive thee, and to make thee undergo the

penance to which thou art sentenced for having failed to bathe; follow

me, and do not remonstrate.'

"What, alas, could I do? I was so distressed and so faint at finding

myself on dry ground, that I had not the strength to speak. She dragged

me, not without pain, into a saloon of green marble which was near

the grotto; she there put me into an immense golden tub filled with

water, and I then began to recover my senses. The good Nymph appeared

delighted at this. 'I am called Citronette,' said she to me; 'I am

appointed to wait on thee; thou canst order me to do anything thou

wilt--I know perfectly well both the past and the present; as for the

future, it is not my province to penetrate it. Command me, and at least

I can render the time of thy penance less irksome to thee.'

"I embraced the good Citronette at these words, and related to her the

events of my life. I then inquired of her what had become of the King

and Queen. She was about to reply, when a hideous marmot, as large

as a human being, entered the saloon, and froze me with horror. She

walked upon her hind legs, and leant upon a gold wand, which gave her

a dignified air. She approached the tub, in which I would 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 thee but thy obedience and that of the husband whom

my sisters have destined for thee. Listen to me, and cast off this

fear, which does not befit a person of your rank. Since thine infancy

I wished to take care of thee, and to marry thee to my nephew, the

King of the Whiting. Lumineuse, and two or three other of my sisters,

combined to deprive me of this right; I was provoked, and not being

able to revenge myself on them, I resolved to punish thee for their

audacity. I doomed thee, therefore, to be a whale for at least half

the term of thy existence. My sisters protested so strongly against

what they called my injustice, that I diminished my vengeance by

three-quarters and a half; but I reserved to myself the right of

marrying thee to my nephew in return for my complaisance. Lumineuse,

who is imperious, and unfortunately my superior, would not listen to

this arrangement, because she had destined thee, before me, to a Prince

whom she protected. I was compelled then to consent to her plan, in

spite of my resentment; all that I could obtain was that the first who

should deliver you from my claws should be thy husband. Here are their

portraits,' continued she, showing me two gold miniature cases, 'which

will enable thee to recognise them: but if one of them come to deliver

thee, he must betroth himself to thee whilst thou art in the tub, and

before thou canst leave it, he must tear off the skin of the whale;

without that, thou wilt always remain a fish. My nephew would not

hesitate a moment to execute that order; but the favourite of Lumineuse

will consider it a horrible task, for he has the air of a very delicate

little gentleman. Set, then, thy wits to work to make him skin thee,

and after that thou shalt be no longer unhappy, if to be a beautiful

whale, very fat and well fed, and up to the neck in water, can be

called unhappiness.'

"To these words I made no reply, but remained very dejected, as much at

my present state as by the thought of scaling to which I must submit.

"Marmotte disappeared, leaving with me the two miniature cases. I wept

over my misfortunes and my situation, without dreaming of looking at

the portraits, when the good and sympathising Citronette said to me,

'Come, we must not lament over ills which cannot be remedied. Let us

see if I cannot help to console you; but first, try not to weep so

much, for I have a tender heart, and I cannot see your tears without

feeling inclined to mingle mine with them. Let us chase 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 hideous whiting's head,

painted, it is true, with all the advantages which could be given to

it; but, in spite of that, never in the memory of man had anything been

seen so ugly. 'Take away that object,' cried I to her; 'I cannot bear

the sight of it longer. I would rather be a whale all my life than

marry that horrible Whiting!'

"She did not give me time to finish my imprecations on this 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 only too soon convinced. A noble and charming

countenance presented itself to my view; fine eyes full of tenderness

embellished a face which was both mild and majestic; an air of

intellectuality was spread over it, which completed the fascination of

this delightful painting; a profusion of black hair, curling naturally,

gave an air to it which Citronette mistook for indifference, but which

I interpreted, and I think rightly, as conveying a precisely opposite

sentiment.

"I contemplated this beautiful face with a pleasure of which I was

scarcely conscious. Citronette remarked it first. 'Without a doubt,'

cried she, 'that is the one we will choose.' This bantering roused

me from my reverie, and colouring at my own ecstasy, 'Why should I

trouble myself,' said I; 'ah, my dear Citronette, this appears to me

very like another trick of that cruel Marmotte; she has exhausted her

art in endeavouring to make me regret the impossibility of finding

a similar object in nature.' 'What,' said Citronette, 'already such

tender reflections on this portrait? Ah! truly, I did not expect that

so soon.' I blushed again at this jest, and became quite embarrassed

at finding that I had too innocently betrayed the effect which this

beautiful painting had produced on 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 tell you

that Marmotte does not deceive you, and that there is in the world a

Prince who is the veritable original of the picture.'

"This assurance filled me with joy at the moment; but the next instant

that feeling departed, when I remembered that this Prince would never

see me, as I was in the depths of the earth, and that Marmotte, by

her power, would sooner enable her monster of a nephew to penetrate

my abode than give the least assistance to a prince whom she hated,

because they had destined me to him without her consent. I no longer

concealed what I thought from Citronette; the attempt, indeed, would

have been useless, for she read with surprising facility the utmost

secret of my thoughts; I therefore preferred to take the credit of

candour; she deserved my confidence for her attachment to me, and I

found it a great consolation, for I have felt from that time that when

the heart is filled with one object there is much happiness in being

able to speak of it. In fact, I loved from that moment, and Citronette

dissipated, with much address and clear-sightedness, the confusion and

trouble which the commencement of a violent passion produces in the

mind. She soothed my grief by allowing me to speak of it; and when I

had exhausted words, she gently changed the conversation, which almost

always, however, bore upon my troubles or my affection.

"She had informed me that the King, my father, was transported to the

abode of the King of the Whiting; and that the Queen, at the moment

that she lost me, had become a crayfish. I could not understand this.

'One cannot become a crayfish,' said I. 'Can you better understand how

you have become a whale?' said she.

"She was right; but we are often surprised at things which happen

to others, although we have in ourselves still greater subject for

astonishment. My small experience was the cause of this. Citronette

laughed frequently at my innocence, and was surprised to find me so

eloquent in my affection, for truly I was so on that subject; and I

found that love throws much light into the mind. I could not sleep;

I woke the good-natured Citronette an hundred times in the night to

talk to her of my Prince; she had told me his name, and that he hunted

almost every day in the forest beneath which I was interred. She

proposed to me to try to attract him to our dwelling, but I would not

consent, although I was dying to do so. I was afraid that he would die

for want of air; we were accustomed to it, that was a different thing;

I feared also that it would be too great a freedom; besides, I was in

despair at appearing to him in the form of a whale, and I measured his

aversion for me by that which the portrait of the King of the Whiting

had inspired me with. Citronette re-assured me, telling me that spite

of the whale's body my face was charming. I believed it sometimes,

but more often I was uneasy, and after having looked at myself, I

could not imagine I was sufficiently handsome to inspire with love one

who had made me so well acquainted with it. My self-love came to the

support of my prudence. Alas! how rarely it is that our virtues can be

traced to purer inspirations.

"I passed my time in forming projects for obtaining a sight of him,

and letting him see me, and rejected by turns each that occurred to

me. Citronette was a great assistance to me at this time; for it must

be confessed that she has plenty of sense, and still more gentleness

and amiability. One day that I was even more sad than usual--for love

has the peculiarity of infecting gentle souls with melancholy--I saw

the frightful Marmotte enter, with two persons whom I did not at first

recognise. I took it into my head that it was her wretched nephew whom

she brought with her; I uttered frightful shrieks as they approached me

hastily. 'Why, she could not cry louder,' said the horrid Marmotte, 'if

they were skinning her! Look what terrible harm is done to her!' 'Good

gracious, sister,' said one of these persons who accompanied her, and

whom I then remembered with joy having formerly seen in our village; 'a

truce to your stories of skinning, and let us tell Camion what we have

to tell her.' 'Willingly,' said Marmotte; 'but on the conditions which

you are aware of.'

"'Camion,' said the good Fairy, without replying to Marmotte, 'we

are too much distressed at your condition not to think of remedying

it, more especially as you have not deserved it. My sisters and I

have resolved to ameliorate it as much as lies in our power. This,

therefore, is what we have determined on. You are about to be presented

at the Court of the Prince to whom I have destined you from your

infancy; but, my dear child, you will not appear there as you are,

and you are commanded to return three nights a week and plunge again

in your tub; for until you are married'--'and skinned!' interrupted

the odious Marmotte, laughing violently. The good Fairy merely turned

towards her, shrugging her shoulders, and continued--'Until you are

married you will be a whale in this place. We can tell you no more;

the rest you will be informed of by degrees; but above all keep your

secret; for if a word escape you which tends to discover it, neither I

nor my sisters can do anything for you, and you will be delivered up to

my sister Marmotte.' 'That is what I expect,' said the wicked Fairy;

'and I already see her in my power; for a secret kept by a girl would

be a phenomenon.' 'That is her own affair,' said Lumineuse (for it was

she who had already spoken). 'To proceed, my daughter,' said she, 'you

will become a little doll made of ivory, but capable of thinking and

speaking; we shall preserve all your features, and I give you a week

to consider whether what I propose to you will suit you; we will then

return, and you shall tell me if you consent to it, or if you would

prefer awaiting here the event which must bring you one of the two

husbands selected for you.'

"I had not time to reply; the Fairies departed after these words, and

left me astounded by what I had just seen and heard. I remained with

Citronette, who represented to me that it was a great treat for me to

become an ivory doll. I sighed when I thought that my Prince would

never take a fancy to such a bauble; but at length the desire to see

him and become acquainted with him overcame the anxiety to please

him, and I resolved to accept the proposal which was made to me, and

the more readily as Zirphil (for they had mentioned his name) might

possibly be forestalled by the King of the Whiting, and this idea made

me nearly die of grief.

"Citronette told me that Prince Zirphil hunted daily in the forest

which was above us; and I made her take every day the form of a stag,

a hound, or a wild boar, in order that she might bring me some news,

which never failed to be in some way connected with the subject

which occupied my heart. She described him to me as an hundred times

handsomer than his picture, and my imagination embellished him to such

a degree that I resolved to see him or to die. But one more day had to

elapse before the expected arrival of the Fairies, and Citronette, in

the form of a wild boar, was roaming the forest to find food for my

curiosity, when suddenly I saw her return, followed by the too amiable

Zirphil. I cannot describe to you my joy and astonishment; there are

no terms which can express them to you. But what enchanted me most

was, that this charming Prince appeared equally delighted with me;

perhaps I desired this too much not to help to deceive myself. However,

I thought I saw in his eyes that he felt the impression he had made.

Citronette, more anxious for my happiness than mindful of our ecstasy,

aroused us from it, by begging him either to skin or to marry me. Then

coming to myself, and feeling the danger of my situation, I joined in

her entreaties, and by our prayers and tears induced him to plight me

his faith. I had hardly accepted it, when he vanished, I know not how,

and I found myself in my ordinary form, lying on a good bed; I was

no longer a whale, but I was still in the depths of the earth in the

green saloon, and Citronette had lost the power of leaving it and of

transforming herself.

"I expected the Fairies in a state of the greatest trepidation. My

love had redoubled since I had become personally acquainted with its

object, and I feared that my charming husband might be included in

the vengeance of the Fairies for not having waited till they could

witness my marriage. Citronette had enough to do to re-assure me; I

could not overcome my grief and fear. Marmotte appeared with the dawn

of day, but I neither saw Lumineuse nor her companion; she did not

seem more irritable than usual; she touched me with her wand without

speaking to me, and I became a charming little doll, which she put in

her toothpick-case, and then transported herself into the presence of

the Queen-mother of my betrothed. She gave me to her, with orders to

marry me to her son, or to expect all the evil which she was capable of

inflicting, telling her that I was her goddaughter, and was called the

Princess Camion. I took, in fact, a great fancy to my mother-in-law; I

considered her charming, as being the mother of Zirphil, whom I adored,

and my caresses were returned by her. I was transported every night

into the green saloon, and there enjoyed the pleasure of meeting my

husband, for the same power acted on him, and transported him likewise

into this subterraneous dwelling. I knew not why 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 will see," continued the speaker, with a

sigh, "how impossible it is to avoid one's fate. But it begins to get

light, and I feel I am quite tired with being so long out of the water;

let us return to the reservoir, and to-morrow, at the same hour, if we

are not selected for the soup of that worthless King of the Whiting, 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 the Princess his being so near

her; but the fear of increasing her misfortunes by this indiscretion,

consoled him for not having risked it; the misery of knowing she was

likely to perish by his hand made him resolve to continue his diligent

search amongst the crayfish.

He retired to bed, but not to sleep, for he did not close his eyes all

night. To have found his Princess in the form of a crayfish, ready

to be made into soup for the King of the Whiting, appeared to him a

still more frightful torment than the death to which he had believed

her destined. He was sighing and distressing himself cruelly, when he

was disturbed by a great noise in the garden; he at first heard it

confusedly, but listening attentively, he distinguished flutes and

conch shells. He rose and went to the window, when he saw the King of

the Whiting, accompanied by the dozen sharks who composed his council,

advancing towards the pavilion; he hastened to open the door, and the

train having entered, the King first had his tub filled with sea water

by the peers of the realm who bore it, and after a short repose, and

making the 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 day a broth which I cannot

swallow; but, young man, I must tell you, that if you are leagued with

evil powers to poison me, you have taken a very foolish part. As nephew

of the Fairy Marmotte I am beyond all such attempts, and my life is

safe."

The Prince, astonished at being suspected of so base an act, was about

to reply with haughtiness, but by chance, as he raised his hand, he

cast his eyes upon his ring, and saw therein Lumineuse, who placed

her finger on her mouth as a sign to him to be silent; he had not

before thought of consulting his ring, he had been so engrossed by his

grief. He accordingly held his tongue: but he betrayed his indignation

in his countenance, which the sharks remarked, for they made signs

of approbation, which appeared to say that they did not believe him

capable of such a thing. "Ho, ho!" said the King, "as this myrmidon

appears so angry, we must make him work before us. Let them go to my

kitchen; let them bring 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 large

net, which they threw into the reservoir from the window, and drew in

three or four thousand crayfish. During the interval that the council

was employed in fishing, and the pike'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 present conduct. He armed himself with resolution for whatever

might come to pass, and placing all his hopes in the Fairy Lumineuse,

he implored her to be favourable to him. At the same moment he looked

at his ring, and saw in it the beautiful Fairy, who made a sign to him

to pound courageously; this revived him, and took from him some of the

pain he felt at consenting to this cruelty.

At length the horrid mortar was produced. Zirphil approached it boldly,

and prepared to obey the King. The council put in the crayfish with

great ceremony, and the Prince tried to pound them; but the same thing

happened to them as to the former ones in the kitchen--the bottom of

the mortar opened and the flames devoured them. The King and the odious

sharks amused themselves for a long time with this spectacle, and were

never tired of filling the mortar; at length there was but one left

of the four thousand; it was surprisingly large and fine. The King

commanded that it might be shelled, in order to see if he should like

to eat some of them raw. They gave it to Zirphil to shell; he trembled

all over at having to inflict this new torture, but still more when

this poor fish joined her two claws, and, with her eyes filled with

tears, said, "Alas! Zirphil, what have I done to you that you should

wish to do me so much harm?"

The Prince, moved by these words, and his heart pierced with grief,

looked at her sadly, and at length took it on himself to beg the

King to allow her to be pounded. The King, jealous of his authority,

and firm in his resolution, was enraged at this humble request, and

threatened to pound Zirphil himself if he did not shell it. The

poor Prince took it again from the hands of the shark to whom he

had confided it, and with a little knife which they had given him

he tremblingly touched the crayfish; he looked at his ring, and saw

Lumineuse laughing and talking to a veiled person whom she held by

the hand. He could not understand this at all, and the King, who did

not give him time to reflect, cried out to him so loudly to finish,

that the Prince stuck the knife with such force under the shell of the

crayfish that it cried piteously; he turned away his eyes from hers,

and could not help shedding tears. At length he resumed his task,

but to his great astonishment he had not finished the shelling when

he found in his hands the wicked Marmotte, who jumped to the ground,

uttering shrieks of laughter so loud and disagreeable in mockery of

Zirphil, that it prevented him from fainting, or he 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, my dear Whiting, I

come to tell you a terrible piece of news." Whiting grew pale at

these words, and the council assumed an air of satisfaction, which

increased the ill-humour of the King and his terrible aunt. "The fact

is, my darling," continued Marmotte, "you must return to your watery

dominions, for this rash boy whom you see here has chosen to display

a constancy that nothing can shake, and has triumphed over all the

traps I set for him to prevent him from carrying off the Princess I had

destined for you."

At these words the King of the Whiting fell into such a rage, that he

could not contain himself: he committed extravagances which proved he

was possessed of the most violent passions. Marmotte tried in vain to

calm him; he broke his bowl into a thousand pieces, and, being on dry

ground, he fainted. Marmotte, mad with rage, turned to Zirphil, who had

remained a quiet spectator of this tragic scene, and said to him, "Thou

hast conquered, Zirphil, by the power of a fairy whom I must obey; but

thou art not yet at the end of thy troubles. Thou canst not be happy

till thou shalt have given into my own hand the case which enclosed the

accursed Camion. Even Lumineuse agrees to this, and I have obtained her

consent for you to suffer until that time."

At these words she took the King of the Whiting on her shoulders, and

threw him into the reservoir, as well as the sharks, the palace, and

all its inhabitants. Zirphil found himself alone at the foot of a

great mountain, in a country which was as arid as a desert, without

being able to perceive the vestige of a habitation, or even of the

great reservoir. All had disappeared at the same moment. The Prince

was even more distressed than astonished at so extraordinary an event.

He was accustomed to wonders--he was only alive to the grief which the

persecution of the Fairy Marmotte occasioned him. "I cannot doubt,"

said he, "that I have pounded my Princess. Yes, I must have pounded

her; yet I am none the happier for it. Ah, barbarous Marmotte! And you,

Lumineuse, you leave me without help, after having obeyed you at the

expense of all which a heart as sensitive as mine could suffer!"

His grief, and the little repose which he had taken since the previous

night, threw him into such a state of weakness, that he would have

sunk altogether if he had not had the courage to wish to live. "If I

could but find something to support me," said he; "but in this horrible

desert I shall seek in vain a single fruit which can refresh me." He

had not pronounced the word when his ring opened, and a little table

covered with excellent viands came out of it. It became in a moment

large enough to accommodate the person for whom it was intended. He

found on it all that could tempt his eye and his appetite, for the

repast was so beautifully arranged, that in fact nothing was wanting,

and the wine was delicious. He returned thanks to Lumineuse, for who

else could have assisted him so opportunely? He ate, drank, and felt

strong again.

When he had finished, the table lost its form, and re-entered the

ring. As it was late, he did not make much progress in ascending the

mountain, but stretched himself under a wretched tree, which had hardly

enough leaves to protect him from the night air. "Alas!" said he,

as he laid himself down, "such is the nature of man. He forgets the

good that is past, and is only sensible of present evil. I would now

willingly exchange my table for a couch a little less hard than this."

A moment after he felt that he was in a comfortable bed; but he could

see nothing, for it appeared to him that the darkness was redoubled. He

ascertained that this was caused by the ample curtains which surrounded

his bed, and protected him from the cold and dew, and having again

thanked the good and attentive Lumineuse, he dropped off to sleep.

On waking at daybreak, he found himself in an angel-bed,[40] of

yellow taffety and silver, which was placed in the middle of a tent of

satin of the same colour, embroidered all over with ciphers in bright

silver, which formed the name of Zirphil, and all the ciphers were

supported by whales formed of rubies. Everything that could possibly

be required was to be found also in this beautiful tent. If the Prince

had been in a more tranquil state of mind he would have admired this

elegant habitation generally; but he only looked at the whales,

dressed himself, and went out of the tent, which folded itself up, and

re-entered the ring from which it had issued.

He began to ascend the mountain, taking no longer any trouble in

seeking food or lodging, for he was certain to have both as soon as he

wished for them. His only anxiety was to find Lumineuse; for his ring

was mute on that subject, and he found himself in a country so strange

to him, and so deserted, that he was necessarily compelled to trust to

chance.

After having passed several days in ascending without discovering

anything, he arrived at the brink of a well which was cut in the rock.

He seated himself near it to rest, and began to exclaim, as usual,

"Lumineuse, can I not find you, then?" The last time he pronounced

these words, he heard a voice which proceeded from the well say, "Is it

Zirphil who speaks to me?" His joy at hearing this voice was increased

by recognising her to whom it belonged. He rushed to the brink of the

well, and said, "Yes, it is Zirphil. And are you not Citronette?"

"Yes," replied Citronette, emerging from the well, and embracing the

Prince.

It is impossible to express the pleasure which this sight gave him.

He overwhelmed the nymph with questions about herself and about the

Princess. At length, after the excitement of their first meeting had

subsided, they spoke more rationally together. "I am about to inform

you," said she, "of all that you are ignorant of; for since the time

you pounded us, we have enjoyed a happiness which was only alloyed by

your absence, and I awaited your arrival here on the part of the Fairy

Lumineuse, to tell you what remains for you to do in order to obtain

possession of a Princess who loves you as much as you love her. But as

some time must elapse before you can arrive at this happiness, I will

relate to you the rest of the marvellous history of your amiable bride."

Zirphil kissed the hand of Citronette a thousand times, and followed her

into her grotto, where he thought he should die of mingled pleasure

and grief when he recognised the spot in which he had for the first

time seen his divine Princess. At length, after partaking of a repast

which came out of the ring, he begged the good Citronette to have the

kindness to resume the narrative of the Princess from where she had

herself left off in the palace garden.

"As it is here," said Citronette, "that Lumineuse is to meet you, you

shall, whilst waiting for her, learn all that you wish to know, for

it is useless for you to run after her. She confides you to my care,

and a lover is less impatient when one talks to him about her whom he

loves. The fairy Marmotte was not ignorant of your marriage; she had

transformed our friend into an ivory doll, believing that you would

be disgusted at her. Lumineuse conducted this affair herself, knowing

that nothing could deprive you of the Princess if you married her,

or if you destroyed her enchantment by skinning her. You chose the

former alternative, and you know what followed. By night she resumed

her proper form, and lamented at having to pass all her days in your

royal mother's pocket, for Marmotte had been permitted by Lumineuse to

torment the Princess until you had fulfilled your destiny, which was,

to skin her; so enraged was she at finding that you had married her,

and that the King of the Whiting, her nephew, could not become her

husband.

"As the Princess was no longer a whale, there was no fish to skin; but

Marmotte, fertile in expedients, determined to make you pound her, and

had forbidden the Princess to tell you anything about it, under pain

of your life, promising her afterwards the greatest felicity. 'How

will he ever resolve to pound me?' said she when expecting you. 'Ah,

my dear Citronette, if it were only my life that Marmotte threatened,

I would give it cheerfully to shield my husband from the torments they

prepared for him; but they attack his life--that life which is so dear

to me. Ah, Marmotte! barbarous Marmotte! Is it possible that you can

take pleasure in making me so miserable when I have never given you

any cause for it?' She knew the period prescribed for your separation

from her, but she dared not tell you of it. The last time that you saw

her, you know that you found her in tears; you asked her the cause, she

pretended it was on account of your attentions to little Camion, and

accused you of inconstancy. You appeased her apparent jealousy; and

the fatal hour at which Marmotte was to fetch her arrived. 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 under her arm, and ascending a car drawn by two

adders, we arrived at the palace of the King of the Whiting. This

palace was that of the royal father of the Princess: the city, changed

into a lake, formed the reservoir which we have inhabited, and all the

men-fish that you have seen were the wicked subjects of that good King.

"I must tell you, my Lord," said Citronette, interrupting herself,

"that that unfortunate Monarch, and the Queen, his wife, being in

despair at the moment when the Princess sank to the bottom of the well,

the Fairies who had formerly come to their assistance, appeared, to

console them for her loss; but the unhappy pair knowing that it was to

their kingdom that Camion would be exiled, chose to be there rather

than at a distance from her, notwithstanding what they had to fear from

the cruelty and ferocity of the King of the Whiting, whom his Aunt had

caused to be crowned by these men-fish. The Fairies did not conceal

from them the future fate of the Princess; and the King, her father,

begged to be the clerk of the kitchen and keeper of the King of the

Whiting's mortar. The Fairy immediately gave him a tap of her wand,

and he became the pike-headed man you saw in that situation; and you

need no longer be surprised at his having wept bitterly whenever you

brought the crayfish to pound, for as he knew that his daughter must

undergo this torture, he always thought she was amongst the number; and

the miserable Monarch had not a moment's rest, because his daughter had

no means of making herself known to him. The Queen had requested to be

changed into a crayfish, in order to be with the Princess, and her wish

was also granted.

"As soon as we arrived at the palace of the King of the Whiting, the

Fairy presented us to him, and ordered him to have crayfish soup made

for his dinner every day. We were then thrown into the reservoir. My

first care was to seek the Queen, in order to soothe a little the grief

of the Princess, but either by the decree of fate or stupidity on my

part, I found it impossible to discover her. We passed our days in

this mournful search, and our pleasantest moments were those in which

we recalled the circumstances of our unhappy lives. You arrived at

length, and they presented us to you; but the Fairy had forbidden us

to make ourselves known before you should interrogate us, and we dared

not infringe this rule, so continually were we compelled to submit to

severities for trifles.

"The Princess told me she thought she should have died of fright at

observing you in conversation with the cruel Marmotte; we saw you

searching amongst our companions with a mortal impatience, it being

obvious that, by the direction you took, you had little chance of

arriving at us.

"We knew that we must be pounded; but we had also learnt that

immediately after we should be restored to our former condition, and

that the wicked Marmotte would have no further power over us. On the

eve of the day on which you were to commence the infliction of this

torture on us, we were all assembled in a cavity of the reservoir,

weeping over our destiny, when Lumineuse appeared. 'Do not weep, my

children,' said that admirable fairy; 'I come to inform you that

you will escape the punishment they threaten you with, provided you

go gaily to the mortar, and do not answer any questions that may be

addressed to you. I can say no more at present--I am in haste; but do

as I have told you, and you will not repent it. Let her whose fate

appears the most cruel not lose hope--she will soon find relief.' We

all thanked the Fairy, and appeared before you perfectly resolved

to keep our secret. You spoke to some, who only made vague replies,

and when you had chosen ten, we returned to the reservoir, where the

assurance of our speedy deliverance inspired us with a natural gaiety

which assisted the project of our protectress.

"The last words Lumineuse had spoken gave to the beautiful Camion a

lightness of heart which rendered her charming in the eyes of her

mother and me; for the Queen had at length recognised her, and we three

were inseparable. At length your choice fell on the Queen and me, and

we had not time to say adieu to the Princess. An unknown power acted

on us at the moment, and inspired us with such gaiety that we thought

we should die of laughter at the absurd things we said to each other.

You carried us to the kitchen, and we had not touched the bottom of

the fatal mortar before Lumineuse herself came to our assistance, and

restoring me my natural form, transported me to my customary abode. I

had the consolation of seeing the Queen and our companions also resume

theirs, but I know not what became of them. The Fairy embraced me, and

told me to await you, and relate to you everything when you should come

to seek the Princess.

"I awaited this moment with impatience, as you will well believe, my

Lord," said Citronette to the Prince, who listened most eagerly to

her; "and yesterday I seated myself at the mouth of the well, when

Lumineuse appeared. 'Our children are about to be made happy, my

dear Citronette,' said she to me; 'Zirphil has only to recover the

toothpick-case of Marmotte to finish his labours, for at length he has

skinned the Princess.' 'Ah! great Queen,' cried I, 'are we so happy

as to be certain of this?' 'Yes,' replied she, 'it is quite true;

he thought that he only skinned Marmotte, but it was in reality the

Princess. Marmotte was concealed in the handle of the knife he used

for that act, and the instant he had finished his task she caused the

Princess to vanish, and appeared in her place, for the purpose of again

intimidating him!" "What!" cried the Prince, "was it to my charming

bride that I did that harm? Have I had the barbarity to inflict on her

such a cruel torment! Ah, heavens! she will never pardon me, and I do

not deserve she should!" The unhappy Zirphil 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 overcome by his

reflections, "how, you did not know it?" "No, I did not know that,"

said he; "what determined me to take the shell off that unhappy and too

charming crayfish was, that I saw Lumineuse in my ring speaking to a

veiled person who even laughed with her, and who, I flattered myself,

was my Princess; and I thought that she had passed through the mortar

like the rest. Ah, I shall never forgive myself for this mistake!"

"But, my Lord," said Citronette, "the charm depended on your skinning

or pounding her, and you had done neither one nor the other; besides,

the person to whom Lumineuse spoke was the mother of the Princess; they

awaited the end of your adventure in order to seize on your bride and

protect her for you; it was quite necessary that it should so happen."

"Nevertheless," said the Prince, "if I had known it, I would rather

have pierced my own heart with that horrid knife!" "But consider,"

said Citronette, "that in piercing your heart you would have left the

Princess for ever in the power of your enemy and frightful rival, and

that it is far better to have shelled her than to have died and left

her in misery."

Apparently this argument, so obviously founded on truth, appeased the

grief of the Prince, and he consented to take a little 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; she descended from it, assisted by the Prince,

who bathed the hem of her garment with a torrent of tears. The Fairy

raised him, and said, "Prince Zirphil, to-day you are about to reap

the fruit of your heroic labours. Console yourself, and enjoy at

length your happiness. I have vanquished the fury of Marmotte by my

prayers, and your courage has disarmed her: come with me to receive

your Princess from her hands and mine." "Ah, Madam," cried the Prince,

throwing himself at her feet, "am I not dreaming? Is it possible that

my happiness is real?" "Do not doubt it," said the Fairy, "come to your

kingdom and console the Queen, your mother, for your absence, and for

the death of the King, your father: your subjects wait to crown you."

The Prince in the midst of his joy felt a pang at the tidings of the

death of his father; but the Fairy to divert him from his affliction,

made him place himself by her side, permitted Citronette to seat

herself at their feet, and then the butterflies spread their brilliant

wings, and set out for the empire of King Zirphil.

On the road, the Fairy told him to open his ring, and he there found

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 they were expected with the

utmost impatience. Zirphil's mother 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 his grief; he tenderly embraced his mother, and all ascended to a

magnificent apartment which the Queen had prepared for the Fairy.

They had hardly entered, when Marmotte arrived in a car lined with

Spanish leather, and drawn by eight winged rats. She brought with

her the beautiful Camion, with the King and Queen, her father and

mother. Lumineuse and the Queen hastened to embrace Marmotte, Zirphil

respectfully kissed her paw, which she extended to him, laughing; and

he returned her the toothpick case. She then permitted him to claim his

bride, and presented her to the Queen, who embraced her with a thousand

expressions of joy.

This numerous and illustrious assemblage began speaking all together.

Joy reigned supreme amongst them. Camion and her charming husband

were the only persons who could not speak a word. They had so much to

say. There was an eloquence in their silence which affected every one

present; the good Citronette wept with joy whilst kissing the hands of

the divine Princess.

At length, Lumineuse took them both by the hand, and advancing with

them towards the Queen, mother of Zirphil: "Behold, Madam," said she,

"two young lovers who only wait your consent to be happy: complete

their felicity; my sister Marmotte, the King and Queen, here present,

and I myself, all request you to do so."

The Queen replied as she ought to this courteous speech, and

tenderly embracing the happy pair, said, "Yes, my children, live

happily together, and permit me, in relinquishing my crown to you,

to participate in that happiness." Zirphil and the Princess threw

themselves at her feet, from whence she raised them, and again

embracing them, they conjured her not to abandon them, but to aid them

by her counsels.

Marmotte then touched the beautiful Camion with her wand, and her

clothes, which were already sufficiently magnificent, became silver

brocade embroidered with carat diamonds, and her beautiful locks fell

down and rearranged themselves so exquisitely that the Kings and Queens

declared her appearance was perfectly dazzling: the toothpick-case

which the Fairy held was changed into a crown formed entirely of

brilliants, so beautiful and so well set that the room and the whole

palace became illuminated by it. Marmotte placed it on the head of the

Princess. Zirphil, in his turn, appeared in a suit similar to that of

Camion; and from the ring which she had given him came forth a crown

exactly like hers.

They were married on the spot, and proclaimed King and Queen of that

fine country. The Fairies gave the royal wedding-breakfast, at which

nothing was wanting. After having spent a week with them, and having

overwhelmed them with good things, they departed, and reconducted the

King and Queen, father and mother of Camion, into their kingdom, the

old inhabitants of which they had punished, and repeopled it by a new

race faithful to their master. As for Citronette, the Fairies permitted

her to come and pass some time with her beautiful Queen, and consented

to allow Camion, by only wishing for her, to see her whenever she

pleased.

The Fairies at length departed, and never were people so happy as King

Zirphil and Queen Camion. They found their greatest felicity in each

other: and days seemed to them like moments. They had children who

completed their happiness. They lived to an extreme old age; loving

with the same intensity, and striving which should most please the

other. On their decease their kingdom was divided, and after various

changes it has become, under the dominion of one of their descendants,

the flourishing empire of the Great Mogul.