r Prince,' said the Fairy, 'but it
is reserved for another person to do that. I cannot explain more at
present. But is there nothing you wish for yourself?'

'Madam,' cried the Prince, flinging himself down at her feet, 'only look
at my ugliness. I am called Curlicue, and am an object of derision; I
entreat you to make me less ridiculous.'

'Rise, Prince,' said the Fairy, touching him with the Golden Branch.
'Be as accomplished as you are handsome, and take the name of Prince
Peerless, since that is the only title which will suit you now.'

Silent from joy, the Prince kissed her hand to express his thanks, and
when he rose and saw his new reflection in the mirrors which surrounded
him, he understood that Curlicue was indeed gone for ever.

'How I wish,' said the Fairy, 'that I dared to tell you what is in store
for you, and warn you of the traps which lie in your path, but I must
not. Fly from the tower, Prince, and remember that the Fairy Douceline
will be your friend always.'

When she had finished speaking, the Prince, to his great astonishment,
found himself no longer in the tower, but set down in a thick forest at
least a hundred leagues away from it. And there we must leave him for
the present, and see what was happening elsewhere.

When the guards found that the Prince did not ask for his supper as
usual, they went into his room, and not finding him there, were very
much alarmed, and searched the tower from turret to dungeon, but without
success. Knowing that the King would certainly have their heads cut off
for allowing the Prince to escape, they then agreed to say that he was
ill, and after making the smallest among them look as much like Prince
Curlicue as possible, they put him into his bed and sent to inform the
King.

King Grumpy was quite delighted to hear that his son was ill, for he
thought that he would all the sooner be brought to do as he wished, and
marry the Princess. So he sent back to the guards to say that the Prince
was to be treated as severely as before, which was just what they had
hoped he would say. In the meantime the Princess Cabbage-Stalk had
reached the palace, travelling in a litter.

King Grumpy went out to meet her, but when he saw her, with a skin like
a tortoise's, her thick eyebrows meeting above her large nose, and her
mouth from ear to ear, he could not help crying out:

'Well, I must say Curlicue is ugly enough, but I don't think YOU need
have thought twice before con