nt of
attention paid him.

Matters went on this way for some time. Every day the king fell more and
more in love with Minon-Minette, and every day the princess seemed more
and more taken up with other people. At last, in despair, the prince
sought out the old woman, to try to get some advice from her as to
his conduct, or, anyway, to have the pleasure of talking about
Minon-Minette.

He found her spinning in an underground chamber, but quite ready to tell
him all he wanted to know. In answer to his questions he learned that
in order to win the hand of the princess it was not enough to be born a
prince, for she would marry nobody who had not proved himself faithful,
and had, besides, all those talents and accomplishments which help to
make people happy.

For a moment Souci was very much cast down on hearing this, but then
he plucked up. 'Tell me what I must do in order to win the heart of the
princess, and no matter how hard it is I will do it. And show me how I
can repay you for your kindness, and you shall have anything I can give
you. Shall I bring in your bundle of faggots every day?'

'It is enough that you should have made the offer,' replied the old
woman; and she added, holding out a skein of thread, 'Take this; one
day you will be thankful for it, and when it becomes useless your
difficulties will be past.'

'Is it the skein of my life?' he asked.

'It is the skein of your love's ill-luck,' she said.

And he took it and went away.

Now the fairy Girouette, who had brought up Souci, had an old friend
called Grimace, the protectress of Prince Fluet. Grimace often talked
over the young prince's affairs with Girouette, and, when she decided
that he was old enough to govern his own kingdom, consulted Girouette
as to a suitable wife. Girouette, who never stopped to think or to make
inquiries, drew such a delightful picture of Minon-Minette that
Grimace determined to spare no pains to bring about the marriage, and
accordingly Fluet was presented at court. But though the young man was
pleasant and handsome, the princess thought him rather womanish in some
ways, and displayed her opinion so openly as to draw upon herself and
Aveline the anger of the fairy, who declared that Minon-Minette should
never know happiness till she had found a bridge without an arch and a
bird without feathers. So saying, she also went away.

Before the king set out afresh on his travels Aveline had restored to
him his horse and his