Trusting that such a pigmy as the Yellow Dwarf would not dare to
contend with so gallant a person as the King of the Golden Mines, she
fixed upon that prince for her husband. He was exceedingly rich and
powerful, and loved her to distraction. The most superb preparations
were made for the nuptials, and the happy day was fixed when, as they
were proceeding to the ceremony, they saw moving towards them a box,
upon which sat an old woman remarkable for her ugliness.
"Hold, queen and princess!" cried she, knitting her brows; "remember
the promises you have both made to my friend the Yellow Dwarf. I am
the Desert Fairy; and unless All-Fair consent to marry him, I solemnly
swear to burn my crutch."
The queen and princess were struck almost motionless by this
unexpected address of the fairy; but the Prince of the Golden Mines
was exceeding angry, and holding his sword to her throat, he said,
"Fly, wretch! or thy malice shall cost thee thy life."
No sooner had he uttered these words, than the top of the box flying
off, out came the Yellow Dwarf, mounted upon a large Spanish cat.
Placing himself between the king and the fairy, he exclaimed, "Rash
youth! thy rage shall be levelled at me, not at the Desert Fairy. I am
thy rival, and claim thy princess, who is fast bound to me by her own
promise, her mother's, and the single red hair that you see round her
finger.
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