e! As has been
said, Petru fairly held his breath when he saw himself in the midst of
so much beauty. In the center of this church, or whatever it was,
Petru saw the famous fountain on whose account he had taken so long a
journey, a fountain like any other, with nothing extraordinary about
it. One couldn't help wondering that the Fairy Aurora allowed it to be
in her room. It had staves such as were used in ancient times, but
they had evidently been allowed to remain for some special purpose.

And now I will tell a wonderful thing. Beside the fountain lay the
Fairy Aurora herself--the real Fairy Aurora! The couch was made of
gold and heaven knows what else, but it was a beautiful one, and on it
slept the Fairy Aurora, resting on silken cushions filled with spring
breezes. Of course she was not beautiful. Why should she be? Had not
Holy Friday said that she was a combination of hideous things? Why
should we delay in our words? Perhaps Holy Friday was right! It might
be so. Enough--when Petru looked at her as she slept there on her
couch, he held his breath and no longer played on the magic flute--he
was petrified by this wonder of wonders. No, she was beautiful, far,
far more beautiful than one would expect the Fairy Aurora must be!
I'll say no more.

On the right and left of the couch slept twelve of the prettiest
fairies in the kingdom, who had evidently been overtaken by slumber
while waiting on their queen. Petru was so absorbed in gazing at the
Fairy Aurora that he did not notice them till, no longer hearing the
flute, they stirred in their sleep. Petru, too, trembled, and began to
play again. The whole palace was once more sunk in slumber, and the
prince advanced three paces.

Between the couch and the fountain was a table on which were a tender
white loaf, kneaded with roe's milk, and a goblet of red wine, sweet
as a morning dream. This was the bread of strength and the wine of
youth. Petru looked once at the bread, once at the wine, and once at
the Fairy Aurora, then with three steps more reached the couch, the
table, and the fountain. When he stood beside the couch he fairly lost
his senses--he really could not control himself, and stooping bit the
Fairy Aurora. She opened her eyes, and looked at the prince with a
glance which made him lose his senses still more. He played upon his
flute that she might fall asleep again, placed the golden wreath on
her brow, took a piece of bread from the table, drank a sip of