When the fairies heard of what had been done, they sent first
to demand me; and on my father's refusal, they let loose a monstrous
dragon, which devoured men, women, and children, and which, by the
breath of its nostrils, destroyed everything it came near, so that
even the trees and plants began to die. The grief of the king was
excessive; and, finding that his whole kingdom would in a short time
be reduced to famine, he consented to give me into their hands. I was
accordingly laid in a cradle of mother-o'-pearl, ornamented with gold
and jewels, and carried to their palace, when the dragon immediately
disappeared. The fairies placed me in a tower, elegantly furnished,
but to which there was no door, so that whoever approached was obliged
to come by the windows, which were a great height from the ground:
from these I had the liberty of getting out into a delightful garden,
in which were baths, and every sort of cooling fruit. In this place
was I educated by the fairies, who behaved to me with the greatest
kindness; my clothes were splendid, and I was instructed in every kind
of accomplishment; in short, prince, if I had never seen anyone but
themselves, I should have remained very happy. One day, however, as I
was talking at the window with my parrot, I perceived a young
gentleman who was listening to our conversation. As I had never seen a
man but in pictures, I was not sorry for the opportunity of gratifying
my curiosity.
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