passed by here a second time; she then ordered him to call you Fortunée, and made him a present of a pot of pinks and a silver ring; but whilst she was here there arrived five-and-twenty soldiers of the King, your father, who sought you for evil purposes; she uttered some words, and changed them all into green cabbages. It is one of them you threw out of the window yesterday evening. I never heard him speak till now, nor could I speak myself: I know not how our voices came back to us." The Princess was greatly surprised at the wonders which the hen related to her. She was full of kind feeling towards her, and said, "I pity you very much, my poor nurse, to think you should become a hen! I would gladly restore you to your own form if I could, but do not despair. It appears to me that all the affairs you have just acquainted me with cannot be allowed to remain as they are at present. I shall go now and look for my pinks, for I love them dearly."
Bedou was gone into the forest, never imagining that Fortunée would think of hunting in his mattrass; she was delighted at his absence, and flattered herself that she would meet with no obstacle, when she suddenly saw an immense number of enormous rats armed for battle. They formed themselves in battalions, having in their rear the famous mattrass and one of the stools on either flank; many great mice formed a corps de reserve, determined to fight like Amazons. Fortunée, struck with surprise, dared not approach. The rats threw themselves on her, and bit her till she was all over blood. "What!" she exclaimed, "my pinks, my dear pinks, must you remain in such bad company?" It suddenly occurred to her that perhaps the perfumed water which was in the golden vase might possess a peculiar virtue. She ran to fetch it, and threw some drops of it on the host of rats and mice. Immediately the rascals ran away, each into his hole, and the Princess quickly laid hands on her beautiful pinks, which were nearly dead for want of water. She at once poured on them all the water she had in her golden vase, and was smelling them with much pleasure, when she heard a sweet voice come from amongst the stalks, which said to her, "Incomparable Fortunée, this is the happy day so long wished for, in which I may declare to you my sentiments. Know that the power of your beauty is so great that it can
