The Fairy was fierce and passionate; with two blows of her wand she filled the gallery with frightful monsters, against whom the Prince was obliged to exert all his skill and courage. Some had several heads and arms, others the forms of centaurs and syrens. There were lions with human faces, sphinxes, and flying dragons. Sans-pair had only his crook and a small boar-spear, that he had armed himself with when he set out on his journey. The tall Fairy interrupted the combat every now and then, and demanded whether he would love her. His answer was always, that he had sworn to be faithful, and could not change.
Provoked by his firmness, she conjured up the form of Brilliante. "'Tis well!" said she to him; "thou seest thy mistress at the end of this gallery. Think on what thou art about to do. If thou refusest to marry me, she shall be torn to pieces by tigers before your eyes!" "Ah, Madam," cried the Prince, flinging himself at her feet, "I will die with pleasure to save my beloved mistress! Spare her life, and take mine!"—"I want not thy life, traitor," said the Fairy; "it is thy heart and thy hand I demand." Whilst they disputed, the Prince heard the voice of his shepherdess complaining, "Would you let me be devoured?" she asked him. "If you love me, resolve to do as the queen commands you."
The poor Prince hesitated. "Have you then abandoned me, Benigne," he exclaimed, "after all your promises?—Come, oh, come to our aid!" He had scarcely spoken, when he heard a voice in the air which pronounced distinctly these words:—
"Leave all to Fate: but be constant, and seek the Golden Branch."
The tall Fairy, who had made sure of victory through the assistance of so many illusions, was ready to go mad at finding so formidable an obstacle in her path as the protection of Benigne. "Fly my presence!" she exclaimed, "wretched and obstinate Prince!—as thy heart is so full of flame, thou shalt be a cricket that is fond of heat and fire!"
On the instant, the marvellously handsome Prince Sans-pair became a little dingy cricket, who would have burned himself alive in the nearest fireplace or oven, had he not remembered the friendly voice that had encouraged him. "I must seek the Golden Branch," said he; "perhaps that
