accomplishments, and an imagination ever suggesting new and original ideas.
The Prince testified to the Princess his extreme impatience to arrive speedily either at his or her royal father's court, as she had promised, that with the consent of their parents, she would accept him as her husband. What you will have some difficulty perhaps in believing is, that while waiting for this happy day, and being with her in forests and solitudes, where he was at full liberty to make to her any proposals he pleased, he conducted himself in so respectful and prudent a manner, that never in the world has there been known to exist so much love and virtue together.
After Ravagio had scoured the mountains, forests, and plains, he returned to his cavern, where Tourmentine and the young Ogres impatiently awaited him. He was laden with five or six people who had unfortunately fallen into his clutches. "Well," said Tourmentine, "hast thou found and eaten those runaways, those thieves, that fresh meat? Hast thou not saved for me either a hand or a foot of them?" "I believe they must have flown away," replied Ravagio; "I ran like a wolf in all directions without meeting with them. I only saw an old woman in a boat upon a pond, who gave me some tidings of them." "What did she tell thee, then?" impatiently inquired Tourmentine. "That they had gone to the left," replied Ravagio. "By my head, thou hast been deceived," said she: "I suspect it was to them thou didst speak. Go back; and if thou findest them, give them not a moment's grace!" Ravagio greased his seven-leagued boots, and set out again like a madman. Our young lovers were issuing from a wood, in which they had passed the night. When they saw the Ogre they were both greatly alarmed. "My Aimée," said the Prince, "here is our enemy; I feel I have courage enough to fight with him; have you not sufficient to escape, by yourself?" "No," cried she, "I will never forsake you—unkind one; do you thus doubt my love for you? But let us not lose a moment; perhaps the wand may be of great service to us. I wish," cried she, "in the name of the royal fairy, Trufio, that the Prince should be changed into a picture, the camel into a pillar, and myself into a dwarf." The change was made; and the dwarf began to blow a horn. Ravagio, who approached with rapid strides, said, "Tell me,
