orm, but the Fairy Tulip said that it was impossible
to do that. She said that she would do what she could. She told
Giroflee that if she went into the forest, she would come to the hut of
an old woman. She was to speak her fair and ask her to take charge of
both of them. Then when night came, the Princess would change back into
her natural form; but as this could only happen at night in the hut,
they must be very careful.

Now Giroflee thanked the fairy and went, as she had told her, far into
the wood; and there, sure enough, she saw a hut and an old woman sitting
outside on a bench. She went up to her at once.

'My dear mother,' she said, 'will you allow me to have a little room in
your house for myself and my little Hind?'

'Yes, my dear daughter,' she replied, 'I will certainly give you a
room.' And she immediately took them into the hut, and then into the
dearest little room it was possible to find. It contained two little
beds all draped in pure white and beautifully clean.

As the night began to come in, Desiree changed her form and became the
Princess again; and, seeing this, Giroflee kissed her and hugged her
with delight. The old woman knocked at the door, and, without entering,
she handed Giroflee some fresh fruit which they were very pleased to
have to eat; and then they went to bed. But, as soon as day dawned,
Desiree took again the shape and form of a White Hind.

Now Becafigue was in the very same wood, and came to the hut where the
old woman lived. He begged her to give him something for his master to
eat; but the old woman told him that if his master spent the night in
the forest, harm would surely happen to him, because it was full of wild
animals. Why should he not come to her hut? Why should he not accept the
little room she could offer him? He was welcome to it and a good meal
besides.

Then Becafigue went back and told the Prince all that the old woman had
said and persuaded him to accept her offer. They put the Prince into the
room next to the Princess, but neither of them knew anything of this
arrangement.

[Illustration: THE HIND OF THE WOOD

Giroflee thanked the fairy and went ... far into the wood; and there,
sure enough, she saw a hut and an old woman sitting outside.

_See page 56_]

The next morning the Prince called Becafigue, and told him that he was
going into the forest and that he was not to follow him. The Prince had
walked and walked for a long time in the forest, grievin