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394 forsaken me. Alas! why did you give me your assistance in that gloomy plain, since you now refuse it to me? How happy I should be, had I then died! I should not to-day see all my hopes destroyed; I should not see my dear Moufette on the point of being devoured!"

While she was uttering these complaints, they were still advancing, however slowly they walked, and at last they reached the summit of the fatal mountain. At this spot, the shrieks and lamentations were redoubled so violently, that nothing had ever been heard so distressing. The giant bade them all to take their leave and retire. They did so accordingly; for in those times people were very simple, and never sought a remedy for anything.

The King and Queen having retired, ascended another mountain with all their court, whence they could see what was about to happen to the Princess, and in fact they had not been there a long time before they perceived in the air a Dragon, with a tail nearly half a league in length; he had also six wings. He could scarcely fly, his body was so heavy, entirely covered with large blue scales and long fiery darts; his tail was in fifty curls and a half, each of his claws were as large as a windmill, and his wide open mouth displayed three rows of teeth, as long as the tusks of an elephant.

But while he was slowly approaching, the dear and faithful Frog, mounted on a sparrow-hawk, flew rapidly to the Prince Moufy. She wore her hood of roses, and although he was locked up in his closet, she entered it without a key. "What are you doing here, unfortunate lover?" said she to him; "you are dreaming of Moufette's charms, who is at this moment exposed to a most frightful catastrophe. Here is a rose leaf; by blowing upon it I can transform it into a beautiful horse, as you will see." At the same instant appeared a horse, entirely green. It had twelve feet and three heads. The mouth of one head emitted fire, that of another bomb-shells, and the third, cannon balls. She gave him a sword that was eighteen yards long, and lighter than a feather; she armed him in one single diamond, which he got into as if it were his coat, and although it was as hard as a rock, it was so flexible, that it did not incommode him in the least. "Away!" said she to him, "run, fly to defend her whom you love; the green horse which I give you will carry you to her; when