The Green Fairy Book | Page 3

King took an interest, and in a wonderfully
short time the whole kingdom was astonished by the news that the King

was married again to the sorrowful lady.
Now the King had one daughter, who was just fifteen years old. Her
name was Fiordelisa, and she was the prettiest and most charming
Princess imaginable, always gay and merry. The new Queen, who also
had a daughter, very soon sent for her to come to the Palace. Turritella,
for that was her name, had been brought up by her godmother, the Fairy
Mazilla, but in spite of all the care bestowed upon her, she was neither
beautiful nor gracious. Indeed, when the Queen saw how ill-tempered
and ugly she appeared beside Fiordelisa she was in despair, and did
everything in her power to turn the King against his own daughter, in
the hope that he might take a fancy to Turritella. One day the King said
that it was time Fiordelisa and Turritella were married, so he would
give one of them to the first suitable Prince who visited his Court. The
Queen answered:
‘My daughter certainly ought to be the first to be married; she is older
than yours, and a thousand times more charming!'
The King, who hated disputes, said, ‘Very well, it's no affair of mine,
settle it your own way.'
Very soon after came the news that King Charming, who was the most
handsome and magnificent Prince in all the country round, was on his
way to visit the King. As soon as the Queen heard this, she set all her
jewellers, tailors, weavers, and embroiderers to work upon splendid
dresses and ornaments for Turritella, but she told the King that
Fiordelisa had no need of anything new, and the night before the King
was to arrive, she bribed her waiting woman to steal away all the
Princess's own dresses and jewels, so that when the day came, and
Fiordelisa wished to adorn herself as became her high rank, not even a
ribbon could she find.
However, as she easily guessed who had played her such a trick, she
made no complaint, but sent to the merchants for some rich stuffs. But
they said that the Queen had expressly forbidden them to supply her
with any, and they dared not disobey. So the Princess had nothing left
to put on but the little white frock she had been wearing the day before;

and dressed in that, she went down when the time of the King's arrival
came, and sat in a corner hoping to escape notice. The Queen received
her guest with great ceremony, and presented him to her daughter, who
was gorgeously attired, but so much splendour only made her ugliness
more noticeable, and the King, after one glance at her, looked the other
way. The Queen, however, only thought that he was bashful, and took
pains to keep Turritella in full view. King Charming then asked it there
was not another Princess, called Fiordelisa.
‘Yes,' said Turritella, pointing with her finger, ‘there she is, trying to
keep out of sight because she is not smart.'
At this Fiordelisa blushed, and looked so shy and so lovely, that the
King was fairly astonished. He rose, and bowing low before her, said--
‘Madam, your incomparable beauty needs no adornment.'
‘Sire,' answered the Princess, ‘I assure you that I am not in the habit of
wearing dresses as crumpled and untidy as this one, so I should have
been better pleased if you had not seen me at all.'
‘Impossible!' cried King Charming. ‘Wherever such a marvellously
beautiful Princess appears I can look at nothing else.'
Here the Queen broke in, saying sharply--
‘I assure you, Sire, that Fiordelisa is vain enough already. Pray make
her no more flattering speeches.'
The King quite understood that she was not pleased, but that did not
matter to him, so he admired Fiordelisa to his heart's content, and
talked to her for three hours without stopping.
The Queen was in despair, and so was Turritella, when they saw how
much the King preferred Fiordelisa. They complained bitterly to the
King, and begged and teased him, until he at last consented to have the
Princess shut up somewhere out of sight while King Charming's visit
lasted. So that night, as she went to her room, she was seized by four

masked figures, and carried up into the topmost room of a high tower,
where they left her in the deepest dejection. She easily guessed that she
was to be kept out of sight for fear the King should fall in love with her;
but then, how disappointing that was, for she already liked him very
much, and would have been quite willing to be chosen for his bride! As
King Charming did not know what