As she leaned her head against a tree, and looked up to the sky, she observed, on one side, a beautiful golden chariot drawn by six great tufted hens, with a cock for coachman, and a fat chicken for postilion. In the chariot was a lady, so handsome—so handsome—that she resembled the sun. Her dress was embroidered all over with gold spangles and bars of silver. She saw also another chariot to which were harnessed six bats. A crow was the coachman, and a beetle the postilion. In it was a frightful little monkey-faced woman, whose dress was made of a serpent's skin, and upon her head a large toad by way of a fontange.[1]
Never, no never in the world was any one so astonished as the young princess. As she contemplated these wonders, she suddenly perceived the chariots advance to meet each other; and the lovely lady wielding a golden lance, whilst the ugly one grasped a rusty pike, they commenced a furious combat, which lasted more than a quarter of an hour. At length, the beauty was victorious, and the fright flew away with her bats. The former immediately descended, and addressing Printaniere, said to her: "Fear nothing, amiable princess, I came hither only to serve you. The combat I have fought with Carabossa was only for the love of you. She claimed the right to whip you for having left the tower four days before you were twenty, but you perceive that I took your part and have put her to flight. Enjoy the happiness I have won for you." The grateful princess flung herself at the lady's feet. "Great Queen of the Fairies," said she to her, "your generosity transports me; I know not how to thank you; but I feel that there is not a drop of this blood you have saved which I would not shed to serve you." The Fairy embraced her three times, and made her more beautiful than she was before—supposing such a thing to be possible.
The Fairy ordered the cock to proceed to the royal fleet, and tell the admiral to approach without fear, and sent the fat chicken to her palace to fetch the most beautiful dresses in the world for Printaniere. The admiral was so overjoyed at the tidings brought him by the cock, that he narrowly
- ↑ A knot of riband, so called from the celebrated Madame de Fontange, whose hair coming down during a hunting party at Vincennes, tied it up hastily with one of her garters. Louis XIV. was so pleased with the effect, that he requested her to continue to wear her hair so arranged; and the next day the ladies of the court made their appearance with a riband or top-knot, thenceforth known as a fontange.
