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542 herself surrounded by elephants. These colossal monsters, delighted at the sight of the beautiful ram, who walked with a much bolder step than his mistress, caressed him as gently with their formidable trunks as a lady could have done with her hand. The Princess was so afraid that the elephants would make a distinction between her and Ruson, that she took him up in her arms, although he had already become rather heavy, and whichever way she turned took care to present him to the monsters, and in this manner made the best of her way towards the palace of the inaccessible old Fairy.

She reached it at length, after much alarm and trouble: the place seemed very untidy; the Fairy who inhabited it was no less so. She could not entirely conceal her astonishment at seeing Constancia, for it was a long time since any living creature had succeeded in arriving there. "What is your will, fair child?" said the Fairy to her. The Princess humbly presented to her the Queen's compliments, accompanied by the request that she would send her the Girdle of Friendship. "She shall not be denied," said the Fairy; "no doubt it is for you she desires it." "I do not know that, Madam," replied Constancia. "Oh, but I know it well enough," said the Fairy; and taking out of her casket a girdle of blue velvet, with long cords attached to it, on which to hang a purse, a knife, and a pair of scissors, she presented her with the handsome ornament. "Take it," said she, "this girdle will render you perfectly charming, provided you put it on as soon as you are in the forest."

After Constancia had thanked, and taken leave of her, she caught up Ruson in her arms again, who was of more consequence to her than ever. The elephants made much of him, and let her pass freely, notwithstanding their voracious propensities. She did not forget to put the girdle round a tree, which began to burn immediately, as if it had been in the fiercest fire in the world. She took the girdle off again, and put it on another tree, and so, from tree to tree, until it ceased to ignite them. At length she reached the palace very much fatigued.

When the Queen saw her, she was so struck with astonishment that she could not hold her peace. "You are a cheat!" she cried; "you have not been to my friend, the Fairy?"