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108 All the Fairies said to her, "Alas, my sister! take off your spell again; what has this infant done to you?" But that ugly Fairy kept grumbling to herself, without making any reply; so that the fifth, who had not yet spoken, tried to mend the matter, and endowed the Princess with a long life of happiness after the period of the evil spell had expired. Carabossa only laughed at this, and sang twenty satirical songs, as she climbed up the chimney again. All the Fairies remained in great consternation, but particularly the poor queen. She did not, however, neglect to give them the presents she had promised; she even added to them some ribands, of which they are very fond. They were magnificently feasted; and at their departure the eldest advised that the Princess should be lodged, till she completed her twentieth year, in some place where she could see no one but her own female attendants, and confined strictly to that spot.

Thereupon the king had a tower built without a window, so that you could only see by candlelight. It was entered by a vault that ran a league underground. Through this subterranean passage everything was carried that was required for the nurses and the governesses. Every twenty paces there were massive gates that were kept closely shut, and sentinels were posted in every direction.

The Princess had been called Printaniere, because she had a complexion of lilies and roses, fresher and more blooming than the spring. Everything she said or did was admirable. She acquired a knowledge of the most difficult sciences with the greatest ease, and grew so tall and handsome that the king and queen never saw her without crying for joy. She sometimes begged they would stay with her, or take her with them, for she found herself dull, without well knowing why; but her parents always put her off with some excuse. Her nurse, who had never quitted her, and who did not lack sense, described to her, occasionally, the appearance of the world, and she comprehended her instantly as well as if she had seen it. The king frequently said to the queen, "My darling, Carabossa will be outwitted; we are more cunning than she is. Our Printaniere will be happy in despite of her predictions;" and the queen laughed till she cried at thinking on the vexation of the wicked Fairy. They had had Printaniere's portrait painted, and copies of it sent all over the world, for the