to find your mother, who was my sister. A fairy, from whose knowledge it was impossible to conceal anything, and with whom I had quarrelled for some time, watched so well for the moment that she had foreseen from the birth of my son, that she changed him on the spot to a pink, and notwithstanding my science, I could not prevent the misfortune. In the grief in which I was plunged, I employed all my art to discover some remedy, and I could find none better than to bring Prince Pink to the place where you were nursed, foreseeing that when you had watered the flowers with the delicious water I had in the golden vase, he would speak; he would love you, and in future nothing would disturb your happiness. I had also the silver ring which it was necessary I should receive from you, being aware that that would be the sign by which I should know that the hour approached when the spell would lose its force, in spite of the rats and mice whom our enemy would place in battle array to prevent your recovering the Pinks. Thus, my dear Fortunée, if my son marries you with this silver ring, your happiness will be permanent. See if this Prince appears sufficiently amiable for you to receive him as a husband." "Madam," replied she blushing, "you overpower me with favours. I know you are my aunt; that, by your power, the guards sent to kill me were metamorphosed into cabbages, and my nurse into a hen; and that in proposing to me an alliance with Prince Pink, it is the greatest honour you can do me, but shall I tell you the cause of my hesitation? I do not know his heart, and I begin to feel for the first time in my life that I could not be happy if he did not love me."
"Banish all uncertainty on that point, sweet Princess," said the Prince. "Long ago you made as much impression on me as you could wish at the present moment, and if the use of my voice had been granted me, what would you not have heard of the passion which consumed me; but I am an unhappy Prince, for whom you can feel only indifference." He then recited these verses:—
While but a simple flower to sight,
You lavish'd on me every care;
With pleasure mark'd my blossoms bright,
With joy inhaled my fragrance rare.
For you I breathed my sweetest sigh,
For you my gayest tints display'd,
