and disappointment and said to Rosalie:--

"Rosalie, the hour of your birth has just sounded. You are now fifteen;
you have nothing more to fear from me. You are now beyond my power and
my temptations as are also your odious father and hated prince. As to
myself, I am compelled to keep this ignoble form of a mouse until I can
tempt some young girl beautiful and well born as yourself to fall into
my snares. Adieu, Rosalie! you can now open the casket."

Saying these words, the mouse disappeared.

Rosalie, wisely distrusting these words of her enemy, would not follow
her last counsel, and resolved to guard the casket carefully till the
dawn. Scarcely had she taken this resolution, when an owl, which was
flying above her head, let a stone fall upon the casket, which broke
into a thousand pieces. Rosalie uttered a cry of terror and at the same
moment she saw before her the queen of the fairies, who said:--

"Come Rosalie, you have finally triumphed over the cruel enemy of your
family. I will now restore you to your father but first you must eat and
drink, as you are much exhausted."

The fairy now presented her with a rare fruit, of which a single
mouthful satisfied both hunger and thirst. Then a splendid chariot,
drawn by two dragons, drew up before the fairy. She entered and
commanded Rosalie to do the same. Rosalie, as soon as she recovered from
her surprise, thanked the queen of the fairies with all her heart for
her protection and asked if she was not to see her father and the prince
Gracious.

"Your father awaits you in the palace of the prince."

"But, madam, I thought that the palace of the prince was destroyed and
he himself wounded sadly?"

"That, Rosalie, was only an illusion to fill you with horror and remorse
at the result of your curiosity and to prevent you from falling before
the third temptation. You will soon see the palace of the prince just as
it was before you tore the cloth which covered the precious tree he
destined for you."

As the fairy said this the chariot drew up before the palace steps.
Rosalie's father and the prince were awaiting her with all the court.
Rosalie first threw herself in her father's arms, then in those of the
prince, who seemed to have no remembrance of the fault she had committed
the day before. All was ready for the marriage ceremony which was to be
celebrated immediately. All the good fairies assisted at this festival
which lasted several days.

Rosalie's father