Page:Story teller (4).pdf/8

 asleep. "When she awoke, she heard the lions whiehwhich [sic] guarded the fairy roaring, upon which, looking for her cake, she found it was gone. This threw her into the utmost agony, not knowing how to save herself from being devoured by them; when, hearing somebody cry, Hem! hem!" she lifted up her eyes, and beheld a little yellow man on a tree, half-a-yard high, picking and eating oranges.

"Ah! queen," said the Yellow Dwarf, (for so he was called on account of his complexion, and the orange tree he lived in), "how will you escape the lions? There is but one way. I know what business brought you here! promise me your daughter in marriage, and I will save you." The queen, though she could not but look upon so frightful a figure with horror, yet was forced to consent; whereupon she instantly found herself in her own palace, and all that had passed seemed only as a dream; nevertheless, she was so thoroughly persuaded of the reality of it, that she became melancholy.

The young princess being unable to learn the cause of her dejection, resolved to go and inquire of the Desert Fairy; and, accordingly, having prepared a cake for the lions, she also set off for her abode. It happened that All-Fair took exactly the same route her mother had done before her; and coming to the fatal tree, which was loaded with oranges, she had a mind to pick some; therefore, setting down her basket, wherein she carried the cake, she plentifully indulged herself. The lions now began to roar, when All-Fair, looking for her cake, was thrown into the utmost trouble on finding it gone. As she was lamenting her deplorable situation, the Yellow Dwarf presented himself to her with these words:—"Lovely princess, dry up your tears, and hear what I am going to say. You need not proceed to the Desert Fairy to know the reason of your mother's indisposition, she is ungenerous enough to repent of having promised you, her adorable daughter, to me in marriage." "How!" interrupted the princess, "my mother promised me to you in marriage! you! such a fright as you!" "Nay, none of your scoffs," returned the Yellow Dwarf, "I wish you not to stir up my anger. If you will promise to marry me, I will be the tenderest and most loving husband in the world; if not, save yourself from the lions if you can." In short, the princess was forced to give her word that she would have him, but with such agony of mind that she fell into a swoon; and when she recovered, she found herself in her own bed, finely adorned with ribbons, and a ring of a single red hair so fastened round her finger that it could not be got off.

This adventure had the same effect upon All-Fair as the former had upon her mother. She grew melancholy,