ends, of
which I shall give you a proof. I accept a glass of water, on
condition that your husband and children will also pledge me."

A glance of Mother Thomas's eye directed her family; they each sought
their ordinary drinking cup, which was of wood, and then bent the neck
of the pitcher; but what was their astonishment to perceive the vessel
turn into wrought-silver in their hands, and to taste, instead of
water, a liquor so delicious, that when the woodcutter and his wife
had drunk, they felt themselves ten years younger than before!

They threw themselves at the feet of the beautiful lady, in terror;
for a natural instinct made them feel that great power is always more
or less to be dreaded, even when employed in acts of beneficence. The
lady meanwhile kindly raised them, and having spoken of the courage
and generosity of their sons, who exposed themselves to the fury of
wolves rather than take flight and abandon her, she said that her name
was the Fairy Coquette, and that she would willingly relate her
history.

"Previously, madam," said the woodcutter, "will you have the goodness
to tell me, what is a fairy? During thirty years that I have inhabited
this forest, I have heard of the devil, of the Were wolf, of the
monster of Gevaudan, but never have I heard of fairies."

"We exist, notwithstanding," replied Coquette, "but not in all ages,
nor in all countries. We are supernatural beings, to whom has been
imparted a portion of supernatural power, which we make use of for
good or evil, according to our natural disposition; in that alone
consists our resemblance to men."

The woodcutter, who was very simple, understood little of this
explanation; but, like many others, had a profound respect for what he
could not comprehend. He bowed down to the ground, and only requested
the fairy to inform him, why a supernatural being, so highly gifted,
could have fallen into a pit prepared for wolves.

"It is," replied Coquette, "because I have an enemy still more
powerful than myself, the Enchanter Barabapatapouf, the most wicked
ogre in the world; he has but three teeth, three hairs, one eye, and
is fifteen feet high. With all these charms he happened to fall in
love with me, and merely for mischief I affected to accept him. He
then invited his friends to the nuptials; when, to his great
mortification, I took them to witness that I would never be the wife
of such a monster. Barabapatapouf was deeply incensed, swore to be