reatest admiration, for she was
as beautiful as the spring; and as soon as the wicked Prince was gone,
she took the form of an old peasant woman and said to her:

'Good day, my pretty one! you have a fine flock of turkeys there.'

The young Turkey-maiden turned her gentle eyes upon the old woman, and
answered:

'Yet they wish me to leave them to become a miserable Queen! what is
your advice upon the matter?'

'My child,' said the Fairy, 'a crown is a very pretty thing, but you
know neither the price nor the weight of it.'

'I know so well that I have refused to wear one,' said the little
maiden, 'though I don't know who was my father, or who was my mother,
and I have not a friend in the world.'

'You have goodness and beauty, which are of more value than ten
kingdoms,' said the wise Fairy. 'But tell me, child, how came you here,
and how is it you have neither father, nor mother, nor friend?'

'A Fairy called Cancaline is the cause of my being here,' answered she,
'for while I lived with her I got nothing but blows and harsh words,
until at last I could bear it no longer, and ran away from her without
knowing where I was going, and as I came through a wood the wicked
Prince met me, and offered to give me charge of the poultry-yard. I
accepted gladly, not knowing that I should have to see him day by day.
And now he wants to marry me, but that I will never consent to.'

Upon hearing this the Fairy became convinced that the little
Turkey-maiden was none other than the Princess Delicia.

'What is your name, my little one?' said she.

'I am called Delicia, if it please you,' she answered.

Then the Fairy threw her arms round the Princess's neck, and nearly
smothered her with kisses, saying:

'Ah, Delicia! I am a very old friend of yours, and I am truly glad to
find you at last; but you might look nicer than you do in that old gown,
which is only fit for a kitchen-maid. Take this pretty dress and let us
see the difference it will make.'

So Delicia took off the ugly cap, and shook out all her fair shining
hair, and bathed her hands and face in clear water from the nearest
spring till her cheeks were like roses, and when she was adorned with
the diamonds and the splendid robe the Fairy had given her, she looked
the most beautiful Princess in the world, and the Fairy with great
delight cried:

'Now you look as you ought to look, Delicia: what do you think about it
yourself?'

And Delicia answered:

'I feel a