ce was that of a young man, and its
sweetness of tone and the agreeable things it uttered, led one to
infer that its owner must be equally charming; but this had to be a
mere matter of fancy, for no one was visible.

The beautiful Rainbow informed Fairer-than-a-Fairy that he was young,
the son of a powerful king, and that the Fairy, Lagree, who owed his
parents a grudge, had revenged herself by depriving him of his natural
shape for some years; that she had imprisoned him in the palace, where
he had found his confinement hard to bear for some time, but now, he
owned, he no longer sighed for freedom since he had seen and learned
to love Fairer-than-a-Fairy.

He added many other tender speeches to this declaration, and the
Princess, to whom such remarks were a new experience, could not help
feeling pleased and touched by his attentions.

The Prince could only appear or speak under the form of a Rainbow, and
it was therefore necessary that the sun should shine on water so as to
enable the rays to form themselves.

Fairer-than-a-Fairy lost no moment in which she could meet her lover,
and they enjoyed many long and interesting interviews. One day,
however, their conversation became so absorbing and time passed so
quickly that the Princess forgot to attend to the fire, and it went
out. Lagree, on her return, soon found out the neglect, and seemed
only too pleased to have the opportunity of showing her spite to her
lovely prisoner. She ordered Fairer-than-a-Fairy to start next day at
dawn to ask Locrinos for fire with which to relight the one she had
allowed to go out.

Now this Locrinos was a cruel monster who devoured everyone he came
across, and especially enjoyed a chance of catching and eating any
young girls. Our heroine obeyed with great sweetness, and without
having been able to take leave of her lover she set off to go to
Locrinos as to certain death. As she was crossing a wood a bird sang
to her to pick up a shining pebble which she would find in a fountain
close by, and to use it when needed. She took the bird's advice, and
in due time arrived at the house of Locrinos. Luckily she only found
his wife at home, who was much struck by the Princess's youth and
beauty and sweet gentle manners, and still further impressed by the
present of the shining pebble.

She readily let Fairer-than-a-Fairy have the fire, and in return for
the stone she gave her another, which, she said, might prove useful
some day. Then she