son Petaldo.

'But all the trouble I have had with that foolish old woman shall not
go for nothing,' cried Gangana. 'Go at once to my stables, and fetch
out the strongest and swiftest griffins you can find in the stalls,
and harness them to the yellow coach. Drive this, with all the speed
you may, to the Isle of Bambini, and carry off the six children of
Petaldo that are still there. I will see to Petaldo and Gillette
myself. When I have got them all safe here I will change the parents
into rabbits and the children into dogs. As for Cadichon, I have not
quite made up my mind what I shall do with him.'

The Fairy of the Fields did not wait to hear more. No time was to be
lost in seeking the help of the fairy queen if Petaldo and his family
were to be saved from this dreadful doom. So, without waiting to
summon her lizard, she flew across the island and past the dragons
till her feet once more touched the ground again. But at that instant
a black cloud rolled over her, loud thunder rent the air, and the
earth rocked beneath her. Then wild lightnings lit up the sky, and by
their flashes she saw the four-and-twenty dragons fighting together,
uttering shrieks and yells, till the whole earth must have heard the
uproar. Trembling with terror, the fairy stood rooted to the spot; and
when day broke, island, torrent, and dragons had vanished, and in
their stead was a barren rock. On the summit of the rock stood a black
ostrich, and on its back were seated Cadichon, and the little niece of
the fairy Gangana, for whose sake she had committed so many evil
deeds. While the Fairy of the Fields was gazing in surprise at this
strange sight, the ostrich spread its wings and flew off in the
direction of the Fortunate Isle, and, followed unseen by the good
fairy, entered the great hall where the queen was sitting on her
throne.

Proud and exultant was Gangana in her new shape, for, by all the laws
of fairydom, if she succeeded in laying Cadichon at the feet of the
queen, and received him back from her, he was in her power for life,
and she might do with him as she would. This the good fairy knew well,
and pressed on with all her strength, for the dreadful events of the
night had almost exhausted her. But, with a mighty effort, she
snatched the children away from the back of the ostrich, and placed
them on the lap of the queen.

With a scream of baffled rage the ostrich turned away, and Gangana
stood in her place, waiting for the doom