Felicia and the Pot of Pinks · page 21 2101He wore a coat of green velvet fastened with emerald clasps, and had a crown of pinks on his head.102He knelt upon one knee and kissed the Queen’s hand.103“Ah!” she cried, “my pink, my dear son, what a happiness to see you restored to your natural shape by Felicia’s aid!”104And she embraced him joyfully.105Then, turning to Felicia, she said:106“Charming Princess, I know all the hen told you, but you cannot have heard that the zephyrs, to whom was entrusted the task of carrying my son to the tower where the Queen, your mother, so anxiously waited for him, left him instead in a garden of flowers, while they flew off to tell your mother.107Whereupon a fairy with whom I had quarrelled changed him into a pink, and I could do nothing to prevent it.108“You can imagine how angry I was, and how I tried to find some means of undoing the mischief she had done; but there was no help for it.109I could only bring Prince Pink to the place where you were being brought up, hoping that when you grew up he might love you, and by your care be restored to his natural form.110And you see everything has come right, as I hoped it would.111Your giving me the silver ring was the sign that the power of the charm was nearly over, and my enemy’s last chance was to frighten you with her army of rats.112That she did not succeed in doing; so now, my dear Felicia, if you will be married to my son with this silver ring your future happiness is certain.113Do you think him handsome and amiable enough to be willing to marry him?”114“Madam,” replied Felicia, blushing, “you overwhelm me with your kindness.115I know that you are my mother’s sister, and that by your art you turned the soldiers who were sent to kill me into cabbages, and my nurse into a hen, and that you do me only too much honor in proposing that I shall marry your son.116How can I explain to you the cause of my hesitation?117I feel, for the first time in my life, how happy it would make me to be beloved.118Can you indeed give me the Prince’s heart?”119“It is yours already, lovely Princess!” he cried, taking her hand in his; “but for the horrible enchantment which kept me silent I should have told you long ago how dearly I love you.”120This made the Princess very happy, and the Queen, who could not bear to see her dressed like a poor shepherdess, touched her with her wand, saying:121“I wish you to be attired as befits your rank and beauty.”122And immediately the Princess’s cotton dress became a magnificent robe of silver brocade embroidered with carbuncles, and her soft dark hair was encircled by a crown of diamonds, from which floated a clear white veil.123With her bright eyes, and the charming color in her cheeks, she was altogether such a dazzling sight that the Prince could hardly bear it.124“How pretty you are, Felicia!” he cried.125“Don’t keep me in suspense, I entreat you; say that you will marry me.”126“Ah!” said the Queen, smiling, “I think she will not refuse now.”127Just then Bruno, who was going back to his work, came out of the cottage, and thought he must be dreaming when he saw Felicia; but she called him very kindly, and begged the Queen to take pity on him.128“What!” she said, “when he was so unkind to you?”129“Ah! madam,” said the Princess, “I am so happy that I should like everybody else to be happy too.”130The Queen kissed her, and said: “Well, to please you, let me see what I can do for this cross Bruno.”131And with a wave of her wand she turned the poor little cottage into a splendid palace, full of treasures; only the two stools and the straw bed remained just as they were, to remind him of his former poverty.132Then the Queen touched Bruno himself, and made him gentle and polite and grateful, and he thanked her and the Princess a thousand times.133Lastly, the Queen restored the hen and the cabbages to their natural forms, and left them all very contented.134The Prince and Princess were married as soon as possible with great splendor, and lived happily ever after.135(1)136(1) Fortunee.137Par Madame la Comtesse d’Aulnoy.1 2← previousThe Master Cat; Or, Puss in Bootsnext →The White Cat, part 1↑ back to The Blue Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/22/page/2/