that they might
not be overheard, they talked the affair over, and decided that every
fairy for a thousand leagues round should be invited to the christening
of the Princess, and that the time of the ceremony should be kept a
profound secret, in case the Fairy Carabosse should take it into her
head to attend it.

The Queen and her ladies set to work to prepare presents for the fairies
who were invited: for each one a blue velvet cloak, a petticoat of
apricot satin, a pair of high-heeled shoes, some sharp needles, and a
pair of golden scissors. Of all the fairies the Queen knew, only five
were able to come on the day appointed, but they began immediately
to bestow gifts upon the Princess. One promised that she should be
perfectly beautiful, the second that she should understand anything--no
matter what--the first time it was explained to her, the third that she
should sing like a nightingale, the fourth that she should succeed in
everything she undertook, and the fifth was opening her mouth to speak
when a tremendous rumbling was heard in the chimney, and Carabosse, all
covered with soot, came rolling down, crying:

'I say that she shall be the unluckiest of the unlucky until she is
twenty years old.'

Then the Queen and all the fairies began to beg and beseech her to think
better of it, and not be so unkind to the poor little Princess, who had
never done her any harm. But the ugly old Fairy only grunted and made no
answer. So the last Fairy, who had not yet given her gift, tried to mend
matters by promising the Princess a long and happy life after the fatal
time was over. At this Carabosse laughed maliciously, and climbed away
up the chimney, leaving them all in great consternation, and especially
the Queen. However, she entertained the fairies splendidly, and gave
them beautiful ribbons, of which they are very fond, in addition to the
other presents.

When they were going away the oldest Fairy said that they were of
opinion that it would be best to shut the Princess up in some place,
with her waiting-women, so that she might not see anyone else until she
was twenty years old. So the King had a tower built on purpose. It had
no windows, so it was lighted with wax candles, and the only way into
it was by an underground passage, which had iron doors only twenty feet
apart, and guards were posted everywhere.

The Princess had been named Mayblossom, because she was as fresh and
blooming as Spring itself, and she grew