mortals can do the same with your children."

"Ah, yes!" said the king, sighing. Still, he felt that the kindness of a
fairy was something gained for his son, and died not long after, content
and at peace.

Prince Cherry mourned deeply, for he dearly loved his father, and would
have gladly given all his kingdoms and treasures to keep him in life a
little longer. Two days after the Good King was no more, Prince Cherry
was sleeping in his chamber, when he saw the same dazzling vision of the
fairy Candide.

"I promised your father," said she, "to be your best friend, and in
pledge of this take what I now give you;" and she placed a small gold
ring upon his finger. "Poor as it looks, it is more precious than
diamonds; for whenever you do ill it will prick your finger. If, after
that warning, you still continue in evil, you will lose my friendship,
and I shall become your direst enemy."'

So saying, she disappeared, leaving Cherry in such amazement that he
would have believed it all a dream, save for the ring on his finger.

He was for a long time so good that the ring never pricked him at all;
and this made him so cheerful and pleasant in his humor that everybody
called him "Happy Prince Cherry." But one unlucky day he was out hunting
and found no sport, which vexed him so much that he showed his ill
temper by his looks and ways. He fancied his ring felt very tight and
uncomfortable, but as it did not prick him he took no heed of this:
until, re-entering his palace, his little pet dog, Bibi, jumped up
upon him and was sharply told to get away. The creature, accustomed to
nothing but caresses, tried to attract his attention by pulling at his
garments, when Prince Cherry turned and gave it a severe kick. At this
moment he felt in his finger a prick like a pin.

"What nonsense!" said he to himself. "The fairy must be making game of
me. Why, what great evil have I done! I, the master of a great empire,
cannot I kick my own dog?"

A voice replied, or else Prince Cherry imagined it, "No, sire; the
master of a great empire has a right to do good, but not evil. I--a
fairy--am as much above you as you are above your dog. I might punish
you, kill you, if I chose; but I prefer leaving you to amend your
ways. You have been guilty of three faults today--bad temper, passion,
cruelty: do better to-morrow."

The prince promised, and kept his word a while; but he had been brought
up by a foolish nurse, who indulged him in every wa