ad scratched her
nose and bruised her forehead, but she was obliged to be carried to
her room and have her face bathed in cold water. Still, in spite of
this, she gave strict orders that the king should be brought to her
presence the moment he entered the palace.

A shrill blast outside her door sent a twinge of pain through the
queen's head, which by this time was aching badly; but in her joy at
welcoming her future husband she paid no heed to it. Between two lines
of courtiers, bowing low, the young king advanced quickly; but at the
sight of the queen and her bandages, broke out into such violent fits
of laughter that he was forced to leave the room, and even the palace.

When the queen had recovered from the vexation caused by the king's
rude behaviour, she bade her attendants to hasten after him and fetch
him back, but no promises or entreaties would persuade him to return.
This of course made the queen's temper even worse than it was before,
and a plot was set on foot to deprive her of the crown, which would
certainly have succeeded had not the fairy Gangana, who had only
wished to prevent her marriage, restored her to her proper shape. But,
far from thanking her friend for this service, the sight of her old
face in the mirror filled her with despair; and from that day she
hated Gangana with a deadly hatred.

And where were Petaldo's children all this while? Why, in the island
of Bambini, where they had playfellows to their hearts' content, and
plenty of fairies to take care of them all. But out of all the seven
princes and princesses whom the queen had seen carried off through the
window, there was only Cadichon who was good and obedient; the other
six were so rude and quarrelsome that they could get no one to play
with them, and at last, as a punishment, the fairy changed them all
into marionettes, till they should learn to behave better.

Now, in an unlucky moment, the Fairy of the Fields determined to visit
her friend the queen of the fairies, who lived in a distant island, in
order to consult her as to what was to become of Cadichon.

As she was entering the Hall of Audience, Gangana was leaving it, and
sharp words were exchanged between them. After her enemy had flown off
in a rage, the Fairy of the Fields poured out the whole story of
Gangana's wickedness to the queen, and implored her counsel.

'Be comforted,' answered the fairy queen. 'For a while she must work
her will, and at this moment she is car