approaching on the waves, a serpent, flashing green in
the sunlight. He came up to the side of the barque and said: 'If you are
good enough to receive help from a poor Green Serpent, tell me, for I am
in a position to save your life.'

'Death is nothing to me compared to the sight of you,' cried the
Princess; 'and, if you really want to do me a favour, never show
yourself before my eyes again.'

The Green Serpent gave a big sigh (for that is the way of serpents in
love), and, without replying at all, he dived to the bottom of the sea.

'What a horrible monster!' said the Princess to herself. 'His body is of
a thousand green colours, and he has eyes like fire. I would rather die
than that _he_ should save my life. What love can he have for me, and by
what right does he speak like a human being?'

Suddenly a voice replied to her thoughts, and it said, 'Listen,
Laideronnette, it is not my fault that I am a Green Serpent; and it will
not be for ever; but, I assure you, I am less ugly in my special way
than you are in yours. All the same, it is not my wish to pain you; I
would comfort you if you would only let me!'

The voice surprised the Princess very much, so sweet was it that she
could not hold back her tears. 'I am not crying because I am afraid to
die,' she answered, 'but I am hurt enough to weep over my ugliness. I
have nothing to live for, why should I cry for fear of dying?'

While she was thus moralising, the little barque that floated with the
wind ran into a rock and broke up into pieces, and, when all else had
sunk, there remained of the wreck only two little pieces of wood. The
poor Princess caught hold of these two little pieces and kept herself
afloat; then, happily, her feet touched a rock and she scrambled up on
to it.

Alas! what was that coming towards her now but the Green Serpent! As if
he knew that she was afraid, he moved away a little, and said: 'You
would be less afraid of me, Laideronnette, if you knew what advantages
can be had through me; it is one of the punishments of my destiny,
however, that I should frighten every one in the world.'

And with this he threw himself back into the sea, and Laideronnette
remained alone on the rock in the middle of the ocean. On whichever side
she looked she saw nothing but what would cause her despair; and
darkness began to fall, and she had no food to eat, and Laideronnette
did not know where to sleep.

'I thought,' said she sadly, 'that I should end