They had hardly begun to get the Princess ready when a dwarf
arrived, mounted upon an elephant. He came from the five fairies,
and brought for the Princess a crown, a sceptre, and a robe of golden
brocade, with a petticoat marvellously embroidered with butterflies'
wings. They also sent a casket of jewels, so splendid that no one
had ever seen anything like it before, and the Queen was perfectly
dazzled when she opened it. But the Princess scarcely gave a glance
to any of these treasures, for she thought of nothing but Fanfaronade.
The Dwarf was rewarded with a gold piece, and decorated with so
many ribbons that it was hardly possible to see him at all. The
Princess sent to each of the fairies a new spinning-wheel with a
distaff of cedar wood, and the Queen said she must look through
her treasures and find something very charming to send them
also.

When the Princess was arrayed in all the gorgeous things the
Dwarf had brought, she was more beautiful than ever, and as she
walked along the streets the people cried: `How pretty she is!
How pretty she is!'

The procession consisted of the Queen, the Princess, five dozen
other princesses her cousins, and ten dozen who came from the
neighbouring kingdoms; and as they proceeded at a stately pace the
sky began to grow dark, then suddenly the thunder growled, and
rain and hail fell in torrents. The Queen put her royal mantle
over her head, and all the princesses did the same with their trains.
Mayblossom was just about to follow their example when a terrific
croaking, as of an immense army of crows, rooks, ravens, screech-
owls, and all birds of ill-omen was heard, and at the same instant a