us thread
into the air, saying, as he did so, 'O fairy, my misfortunes are greater
than your power. I am grateful for your goodwill, but take back your
gift!' The fairy had pity on his youth and want of faith, and took care
that one end of the thread remained in his hand. He suddenly felt a
jerk, and saw that the thread must have caught on something, and this
thought filled him with the daring that is born of despair. 'Better,' he
said to himself, 'trust to a thread than to the mercies of a king;' and,
gliding down, he found himself safe on the other side of the wall. Then
he rolled up the thread and put it carefully into his pocket, breathing
silent thanks to the fairy.

Now Minon-Minette had been kept informed by Aveline of the prince's
adventures, and when she heard of the way in which he had been treated
by the Iron King she became furious, and began to prepare for war. She
made her plans with all the secrecy she could, but when great armies are
collected people are apt to suspect a storm is brewing, and of course it
is very difficult to keep anything hidden from fairy godmothers. Anyway,
Grimace soon heard of it, and as she had never forgiven Minon-Minette
for refusing Prince Fluet, she felt that here was her chance of revenge.

Up to this time Aveline had been able to put a stop to many of Grimace's
spiteful tricks, and to keep guard over Minon-Minette, but she had no
power over anything that happened at a distance; and when the princess
declared her intention of putting herself at the head of her army,
and began to train herself to bear fatigue by hunting daily, the fairy
entreated her to be careful never to cross the borders of her dominions
without Aveline to protect her. The princess at once gave her promise,
and all went well for some days. Unluckily one morning, as Minon-Minette
was cantering slowly on her beautiful white horse, thinking a great deal
about Souci and not at all of the boundaries of her kingdom (of which,
indeed, she was very ignorant), she suddenly found herself in front of
a house made entirely of dead leaves, which somehow brought all sorts of
unpleasant things into her head. She remembered Aveline's warning, and
tried to turn her horse, but it stood as still as if it had been marble.
Then the princess felt that she was slowly, and against her will, being
dragged to the ground. She shrieked, and clung tightly to the saddle,
but it was all in vain; she longed to fly, but something outside he