the only expedient she could think of would be to gain
possession of the Princess's parrot. This, she added, did not
appear impossible, as it often flew about to some distance in the
neighbourhood.

Having told the Prince all this, the Fairy went out in hopes of seeing
the parrot, and soon returned with the bird in her hand. She promptly
shut it up in a cage, and, touching the Prince with her wand,
transformed him into an exactly similar parrot; after which, she
instructed him how to reach the Princess.

The Prince reached the palace in safety, but was so dazzled at first by
the Princess's beauty, which far surpassed his expectations, that he
was quite dumb for a time. The Princess was surprised and anxious, and
fearing the parrot, who was her greatest comfort, had fallen ill, she
took him in her hand and caressed him. This soon reassured the Prince,
and encouraged him to play his part well, and he began to say a thousand
agreeable things which charmed the Princess.

Presently the King appeared, and the parrot noticed with joy how much
he was disliked. As soon as the King left, the Princess retired to her
dressing-room, the parrot flew after her and overheard her lamentations
at the continued persecutions of the King, who had pressed her to
consent to their marriage. The parrot said so many clever and tender
things to comfort her that she began to doubt whether this could indeed
be her own parrot.

When he saw her well-disposed towards him, he exclaimed: 'Madam, I
have a most important secret to confide to you, and I beg you not to be
alarmed by what I am about to say. I am here on behalf of the Queen your
mother, with the object of delivering your Highness; to prove which,
behold this portrait which she gave me herself.' So saying he drew forth
the miniature from under his wing. The Princess's surprise was great,
but after what she had seen and heard it was impossible not to indulge
in hope, for she had recognised the likeness of herself which her mother
always wore.

The parrot, finding she was not much alarmed, told her who he was, all
that her mother had promised him and the help he had already received
from a Fairy who had assured him that she would give him means to
transport the Princess to her mother's arms.

When he found her listening attentively to him, he implored the Princess
to allow him to resume his natural shape. She did not speak, so he drew
a feather from his wing, and she beheld before her a