e country round, was on his
way to visit the King. As soon as the Queen heard this, she set all
her jewellers, tailors, weavers, and embroiderers to work upon splendid
dresses and ornaments for Turritella, but she told the King that
Fiordelisa had no need of anything new, and the night before the King
was to arrive, she bribed her waiting woman to steal away all the
Princess's own dresses and jewels, so that when the day came, and
Fiordelisa wished to adorn herself as became her high rank, not even a
ribbon could she find.

However, as she easily guessed who had played her such a trick, she made
no complaint, but sent to the merchants for some rich stuffs. But they
said that the Queen had expressly forbidden them to supply her with any,
and they dared not disobey. So the Princess had nothing left to put
on but the little white frock she had been wearing the day before; and
dressed in that, she went down when the time of the King's arrival came,
and sat in a corner hoping to escape notice. The Queen received her
guest with great ceremony, and presented him to her daughter, who was
gorgeously attired, but so much splendour only made her ugliness more
noticeable, and the King, after one glance at her, looked the other way.
The Queen, however, only thought that he was bashful, and took pains to
keep Turritella in full view. King Charming then asked it there was not
another Princess, called Fiordelisa.

'Yes,' said Turritella, pointing with her finger, 'there she is, trying
to keep out of sight because she is not smart.'

At this Fiordelisa blushed, and looked so shy and so lovely, that the
King was fairly astonished. He rose, and bowing low before her, said--

'Madam, your incomparable beauty needs no adornment.'

'Sire,' answered the Princess, 'I assure you that I am not in the habit
of wearing dresses as crumpled and untidy as this one, so I should have
been better pleased if you had not seen me at all.'

'Impossible!' cried King Charming. 'Wherever such a marvellously
beautiful Princess appears I can look at nothing else.'

Here the Queen broke in, saying sharply--

'I assure you, Sire, that Fiordelisa is vain enough already. Pray make
her no more flattering speeches.'

The King quite understood that she was not pleased, but that did not
matter to him, so he admired Fiordelisa to his heart's content, and
talked to her for three hours without stopping.

The Queen was in despair, and so was Turritella, when they