feet, and
when the faint tinkling of these caused every one to look up, there was
the Frog, beautiful as the dawn, with her cap of roses shining like the
sun.

The queen ran to her and took her by one of her little paws. At that
instant the wise Frog was transformed into a majestic royal lady of
gracious mien. 'I come,' she cried, 'to crown the faithful Moufette, who
preferred to face death rather than break her word to Prince Moufy.'
With these words she placed two myrtle wreaths upon the lovers' heads;
and at a signal of three taps from her wand the dragon's bones rose up
and formed a triumphal arch to commemorate the auspicious occasion.

Back to the city went all the company, singing wedding songs as gladly
as they had previously with sorrow bewailed the sacrifice of the
princess. On the morrow the marriage took place, and with what
festivities it was solemnised may be left to the imagination.

PRINCESS ROSETTE

Once upon a time there lived a king and queen who had two handsome boys,
and so well looked after were the latter that they grew apace, like the
daylight.

The queen never had a child without summoning the fairies to be present
at the birth, and she always begged them to tell what its future was to
be. When in due course she had a beautiful little daughter--so pretty
that one could not set eyes on her without loving her--all the fairies
came to visit her, and were hospitably entertained. As they were making
ready to go, the queen said to them:

'Do not forget your friendly custom, but tell me what fortune awaits
Rosette.' Such was the name which had been given to the little princess.

The fairies replied that they had left their magic books at home, but
would come and see her some other time.

'Ah,' said the queen, 'that bodes ill. You are anxious not to distress
me by an unhappy prophecy. But tell me all, I implore you, and hide
nothing from me.'

The fairies did their utmost to excuse themselves. But the queen became
more and more eager to learn everything, and at last the chief of them
made a declaration.

'We fear, Madam,' she said, 'that Rosette will bring disaster on her
brothers, and that in some fashion she will be the cause of their death.
This much and no more can we foretell of the pretty child, and we are
grieved that we should have no better news to give you.'

Then the fairies went away, and the queen was left grieving.

So deep was her grief that the king saw it in her f