When the unhappy Fiordelisa recovered, and remembered all she had
just heard, she began to cry bitterly, believing that King
Charming was lost to her for ever, and all night long she sat at
her open window sighing and lamenting; but when it was dawn she
crept away into the darkest corner of her little room and sat
there, too unhappy to care about anything. As soon as night came
again she once more leaned out into the darkness and bewailed her
miserable lot.

Now it happened that King Charming, or rather the Blue Bird, had
been flying round the palace in the hope of seeing his beloved
Princess, but had not dared to go too near the windows for fear
of being seen and recognised by Turritella. When night fell he
had not succeeded in discovering where Fiordelisa was imprisoned,
and, weary and sad, he perched upon a branch of a tall fir tree
which grew close to the tower, and began to sing himself to
sleep. But soon the sound of a soft voice lamenting attracted his
attention, and listening intently he heard it say--

'Ah! cruel Queen! what have I ever done to be imprisoned like
this? And was I not unhappy enough before, that you must needs
come and taunt me with the happiness your daughter is enjoying
now she is King Charming's bride?'

The Blue Bird, greatly surprised, waited impatiently for the
dawn, and the moment it was light flew off to see who it could
have been who spoke thus. But he found the window shut, and could
see no one. The next night, however, he was on the watch, and by
the clear moonlight he saw that the sorrowful lady at the window