So the Admiral sent back to his ship for everything that was
needful, and they feasted merrily under the trees. By the time
they had finished the peacock had come back with a robe for the
Princess, in which the Fairy arrayed her. It was of green and gold
brocade, embroidered with pearls and rubies, and her long golden
hair was tied back with strings of diamonds and emeralds, and
crowned with flowers. The Fairy made her mount beside her in
the golden chariot, and took her on board the Admiral's ship, where
she bade her farewell, sending many messages of friendship to the
Queen, and bidding the Princess tell her that she was the fifth
Fairy who had attended the christening. Then salutes were fired,
the fleet weighed anchor, and very soon they reached the port.
Here the King and Queen were waiting, and they received the
Princess with such joy and kindness that she could not get a word
in edgewise, to say how sorry she was for having run away with
such a very poor spirited Ambassador. But, after all, it must have
been all Carabosse's fault. Just at this lucky moment who should
arrive but King Merlin's son, who had become uneasy at not
receiving any news from his Ambassador, and so had started himself
with a magnificent escort of a thousand horsemen, and thirty
body-guards in gold and scarlet uniforms, to see what could have
happened. As he was a hundred times handsomer and braver
than the Ambassador, the Princess found she could like him very
much. So the wedding was held at once, with so much splendour
and rejoicing that all the previous misfortunes were quite forgotten.[1]


[1] La Princesse Printaniere. Par Mme. d'Aulnoy.