f regrets.

[Illustration: THE BLUE BIRD

The Prince took a carriage drawn by three great frogs with great big
wings ... Truitonne came out mysteriously by a little door.

_See page 86_]

'Fortune!' said she, 'you have taken from me the love of my father. I
have received a blow at a tender age; and it is so much pain that I am
tired of living. I demand with all my heart that my fatal destiny may
end.'

The Blue Bird listened, and then he knew that it was his Princess, and
he said: 'Florine, a King who loves you will never love any one but
you.'

'A King who loves me!' said she. 'Is this another snare of my enemies?'

'No, my Princess.' And Florine was very much afraid of this bird who
spoke with as much spirit as a man. But the beauty of his plumage
reassured her.

'Would it be possible to see you, my Princess?' said he. 'Could I taste
a happiness so great without dying of joy? But, alas! this great joy
would be troubled by your captivity, and the wicked fairy Soussio has
done this for seven years.'

'And who are you, charming bird?' said the Princess caressingly.

'You have said my name rightly, and yet you fail to recognise me,'
replied the Prince.

'What! The greatest King in the world! The Prince Charming!' cried the
Princess. 'Is he the little bird I see?'

'Alas! dear Florine, it is too true! And, if one thing consoles me, it
is that I prefer this sorrow rather than renounce the love I have for
you.'

'For me!'

And so this went on. The Blue Bird paid visits to Florine every night,
and they were as happy as it was possible to be. One evening Prince
Charming flew away to his palace, and brought back lovely diamond
bracelets, beautiful pearl necklaces and a sweet little pearl watch, and
gave them all to Florine.

The Queen could not understand how it was that Florine had such lovely
jewels and why she looked so happy, so she questioned her about it.
Florine, who knew that if she said the Blue Bird had given them to her,
they would not believe her, and would try to drive him away, said she
did not know. The Queen said the Evil One must have bought her soul, and
decided to watch.

She did so, and discovered that the Blue Bird came every night. Then
Truitonne and her mother sought the help of the wicked fairy Soussio;
and she, to please her godchild, worked another spell on the poor Blue
Bird, so that he could not come any more to see his Florine.

One day his friend the Good Fairy was passing b