es, a humming of bees was heard. The
Rose-maidens, fearing their stings, uttered little shrieks, and fled all
together to a distance from the rest of the company. Immediately, to the
horror of all who were looking on, the bees pursued them, and, growing
suddenly to an enormous size, pounced each upon a maiden and carried her
off into the air, and in an instant they were all lost to view. This
amazing occurrence plunged the whole court into the deepest affliction,
and Prince Mirliflor, after giving way to the most violent grief at
first, fell gradually into a state of such deep dejection that it was
feared if nothing could rouse him he would certainly die. Surcantine
came in all haste to see what she could do for her darling, but he
rejected with scorn all the portraits of lovely princesses which she
offered him for his collection. In short, it was evident that he was in
a bad way, and the Fairy was at her wits' end. One day, as he wandered
about absorbed in melancholy reflections, he heard sudden shouts and
exclamations of amazement, and if he had taken the trouble to look up he
could not have helped being as astonished as everyone else, for through
the air a chariot of crystal was slowly approaching which glittered in
the sunshine. Six lovely maidens with shining wings drew it by
rose-coloured ribbons, while a whole flight of others, equally
beautiful, were holding long garlands of roses crossed above it, so as
to form a complete canopy. In it sat the Fairy Paridamie, and by her
side a Princess whose beauty positively dazzled all who saw her. At the
foot of the great staircase they descended, and proceeded to the Queen's
apartments, though everyone had run together to see this marvel, till it
was quite difficult to make a way through the crowd; and exclamations of
wonder rose on all sides at the loveliness of the strange Princess.
'Great Queen,' said Paridamie, 'permit me to restore to you your
daughter Rosanella, whom I stole out of her cradle.'

After the first transports of joy were over the Queen said to Paridamie:

'But my twelve lovely ones, are they lost to me for ever? Shall I never
see them again?'

But Paridamie only said:

'Very soon you will cease to miss them!' in a tone that evidently meant
'Don't ask me any more questions.' And then mounting again into her
chariot she swiftly disappeared.

The news of his beautiful cousin's arrival was soon carried to the
Prince, but he had hardly the heart to go an