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420 The Hind raised her eyes to heaven, and sighed.

"But," continued Giroflée, "you have already perambulated a part of this vast desert;—Are there no cottages here?—no charcoal-burner?—no wood-cutter?—no hermitage?"

The Hind indicated by the movement of her head that she had not seen any.

"Oh, ye gods!" cried Giroflée, "I shall not be alive in the morning: even should I be fortunate enough to escape the tigers and bears, I am certain that fright will be sufficient to kill me! And do not imagine, either, my dear Princess, that I regret perishing on my own account; it is for your sake. Alas! to leave you here destitute of all consolation,—what can be more distressing?"

The little Hind began to weep, she sobbed almost like a human being.

Her tears affected the fairy Tulip, who loved her tenderly, notwithstanding her disobedience. She had always watched over her preservation, and suddenly appearing, she said to her,—"I will not scold you, the situation in which I see you distresses me too much."

The Hind and Giroflée interrupted her, by throwing themselves at her feet; the former kissed her hands, and caressed her in the prettiest manner possible; the other entreated her to have pity upon the Princess, and restore her to her natural form.

"That does not depend upon me," said Tulip; "she who has done her so much mischief is very powerful: but I can shorten her term of punishment; and to mollify it, as soon as day gives place to night, she shall quit the form of a hind—but, as soon as it is dawn, she must return to it, and roam the plains and forests like the other animals."

It was a great relief to cease from being a hind even during the night; the Princess expressed her joy by leaping and frisking about, which delighted Tulip. "Proceed," said she to them, "by this little path; you will come to a hut, as good a one as you could expect to find in such a country." So saying, she disappeared. Giroflée followed her directions; she entered with the Hind the path before them, and found an old woman seated upon the step of her door finishing an osier basket. Giroflée accosted her. "My good mother,