false," sang the Blue Bird, and told her his whole story,
which comforted her so much that she thought no more of her
misfortunes. They conversed till daybreak, and promised faithfully
every night to meet again thus.

Meantime the princess could not sleep for thinking of her Blue Bird.
"Suppose sportsmen should shoot him, or eagles and kites attack him,
and vultures devour him just as if he were a mere bird and not a great
king? What should I do if I saw his poor feathers scattered on the
ground, and knew that he was no more?" So she grieved all day long.

The beautiful Blue Bird, hid in a hollow tree, spent the hours in
thinking of his princess. "How happy I am to have found her again, and
found her so engaging and so sweet." And as he wished to pay her all
the attentions that a lover delights in, he flew to his own kingdom,
entered his palace by an open window, and sought for some diamond
ear-rings, which he brought back in his beak, and, when night came,
offered them to Florina. So night after night he brought her something
beautiful, and they talked together till day, when he flew back to the
hollow tree, where he sang her praises in a voice so sweet that the
passers-by thought it was not a bird but a spirit. Rumours went about
that the place was haunted, and no one would go near the spot. Thus,
for two years, Florina spent her time, and never once regretted her
captivity. Her Blue Bird visited her every night, and they loved one
another dearly. And though she saw nobody and he lived in the hollow
of a tree, they always found plenty to say to one another.

The malicious queen tried with all her might to get Troutina married,
but in vain. Nobody would have her. "If it were Florina, now," said
the kings, or the kings' ambassadors, "we should be most happy to sign
the contract."

"That girl thwarts us still," said the queen. "She must have some
secret correspondence with foreign suitors. But we will find her out
and punish her."

The mother and daughter finished talking so late that it was midnight
before they reached Florina's apartment. She had dressed herself as
usual, with the utmost care, to please her Blue Bird, who liked to see
her lovely; and she had adorned herself with all the pretty things he
had given her. He perched on the window-sill, and she sat at the
window, and they were singing together a duet, which the queen heard
outside. She burst the door open, and rushed into the chamber.

The first thin