The queen replied that, however cruel the conditions, she must accept
them, since nothing but the fruit could save her life. In short, dear
prince," continued the lady, "my mother instantly got out of bed, was
dressed by her attendants, entered the palace, and satisfied her
longing. Having eaten her fill, she ordered four thousand mules to be
procured and loaded with the fruit, which had the virtue of continuing
all the year round in a state of perfection. Thus provided, she
returned to the king my father, who, with the whole court, received
her with rejoicings, as it was before imagined she would die of
disappointment. All this time the queen said nothing to my father of
the promise she had made to give her daughter to the fairies; so that
when the time was come that she expected my birth, she grew very
melancholy; till at length, being pressed by the king, she declared to
him the truth. Nothing could exceed his affliction when he heard that
his only child, when born, was to be given to the fairies. He bore it,
however, as well as he could, for fear of adding to my mother's grief;
and also believing he should find some means of keeping me in a place
of safety, which the fairies would not be able to approach. As soon,
therefore, as I was born, he had me conveyed to a tower in the palace,
to which there were twenty flights of stairs, and a door to each, of
which my father kept the key, so that none came near me without his
consent.
Pages:
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356