riage on the drawbridge,
immediately came out, saying: "Your majesty is welcome to the castle of
my lord marquis of Carabas." "And is this splendid castle yours also, my
lord marquis of Carabas? I never saw anything more stately than the
building, or more beautiful than the park and pleasure grounds around
it; no doubt the castle is no less magnificent within than without:
pray, my lord marquis, indulge me with a sight of it."

The marquis gave his hand to the young princess as she alighted, and
followed the king who went before; they entered a spacious hall, where
they found a splendid collation which the Ogre had prepared for some
friends he had that day expected to visit him; but who, hearing that the
king with the princess and a great gentleman of the court were within,
had not dared to enter. The king was so much charmed with the amiable
qualities and noble fortune of the marquis of Carabas, and the young
princess too had fallen so violently in love with him, that when the
king had partaken of the collation, and drunk a few glasses of wine, he
said to the marquis: "It will be you own fault, my lord marquis of
Carabas, if you do not soon become my son-in-law." The marquis received
the intelligence with a thousand respectful acknowledgments, accepted
the honour conferred upon him, and married the princess that very day.
The cat became a great lord, and never after ran after rats and mice but
for his amusement.

CHAPTER XVI

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOOD

Once upon a time there was a king and a queen who grieved sorely that
they had no children. When at last the queen gave birth to a daughter
the king was so overjoyed that he gave a great christening feast, the
like of which had never before been known. He asked all the fairies in
the land--there were seven all told--to stand godmothers to the little
princess, hoping that each might give her a gift, and so she should have
all imaginable perfections.

After the christening, all the company returned to the palace, where a
great feast had been spread for the fairy godmothers. Before each was
set a magnificent plate, with a gold knife and a gold fork studded with
diamonds and rubies. Just as they were seating themselves, however,
there entered an old fairy who had not been invited because more than
fifty years ago she had shut herself up in a tower and it was supposed
that she was either dead or enchanted.

The king ordered a cover to be laid for her, but