The White Doe
A spell transformed a princess into a white doe. Will true love prevail and help her break the curse?
Once upon a time, there was a king and queen who loved each other very much and would have been perfectly happy if they only had a little son or daughter to play with. They never talk about it and always pretend that there is nothing in this world worth wishing for, But sometimes, when they look at other people’s children, their faces become sad, and the courtiers and attendants all know the reason.
One day, the queen sat alone by a waterfall gushing from the rocks in the large park next to the castle. She felt more miserable than usual and sent the ladies away so that no one could witness her grief. Suddenly, she heard a crunching noise in the pool of water below the waterfall, and when she looked up, she saw a giant crab climbing up the rock beside her.
“Great Queen,” said the crab, “I am here to tell you that your heart’s desire will soon be fulfilled. But first, you must allow me to lead you to the palace of the fairies, which, although very close, has never been seen by mortal eyes because of the thick clouds surrounding it. Then you will know more; that is if you entrust yourself to me.’
The Queen had never heard an animal talk and was dumbfounded with surprise. However, she was so fascinated by the crab’s words that she smiled sweetly and extended her hand; it was taken away, not by the crab, which had been standing there a moment before, but by a little older woman dressed in white and crimson with green ribbons in her grey hair. Grandma. And it was amazing that not a single drop of water fell from her clothes.
The older woman ran gently down the road that the queen had passed hundreds of times before, but it seemed so different that she could hardly believe it was the same. Instead of having to weave through nettles and brambles, roses and jasmine hung above her head, while at her feet, the ground was filled with purple flowers. The orange trees were so tall and dense that even at noon, the sun was never too hot, and at the end of the path, something sparkled so much that the queen had to cover her eyes and peek at it. She was pointing between her fingers.
“What could it be?” she asked, turning to her instructor, who answered:
‘Oh, that is the palace of the fairies, and here are some of them coming to see us.’
As she spoke, the gate opened, and six fairies approached, each holding a flower made from precious stones but so similar to the real thing that just by touching it, you could tell the difference.
“Madam,” they said, “we do not know how to thank you for your trust, but we are pleased to inform you that you will soon have a little daughter.”
The queen was so delighted at this news that she almost fainted with joy, but when she learned to speak, she poured out her gratitude to the fairies for their promised gift.
“And now,” she said, “I should not stay any longer, for my husband will think that I have run away or that some cruel beast has eaten me.”
Soon, as the fairies predicted, a baby girl was born in the palace. Of course, both the king and queen were delighted, and the child was named Desiree, which means ‘desired’ because she had been ‘wanted’ for five years before her birth.
At first, the queen couldn’t think of anything but her new toy, but then she remembered the fairies who sent it to her. Telling the ladies to bring her the bouquet of precious flowers given to her at the palace, she held each flower in her hand and called out its name, and one by one; the fairies appeared before her. However, it often happened that the person to whom she owed the most, the crab fairy, was forgotten, and thus, as in the case of other children you have read about, much mischief happened. Happened.
At this time, however, all was merry in the palace, and everyone inside ran to the windows to see the fairies’ carriages, for no two were exactly alike. One had an ebony chariot drawn by white doves, another was on an ivory chariot carrying ten black crows, while the rest chose rare woods or multicoloured seashells with red and blue macaws. Peacocks, or green, love birds for horses. These chariots were only used on important occasions because when going into battle, flying dragons, fire snakes, lions, or leopards would replace the beautiful birds.
The fairies entered the queen’s room, followed by little elves bearing gifts and looking much prouder than their mistresses. Each of their burdens was spread on the ground, and no one had ever seen such lovely things. Everything a baby could wear or play with was there, and they also had other more precious gifts to give him, which only children with fairies as godmothers could hope to possess.
They were all gathered around the pile of pink cushions on which the baby was sleeping when a shadow seemed to fall between them and the sun while a cold wind blew through the room. Everyone looked up and saw that the crab fairy was already towering in anger.
‘So I have been forgotten!’ she cried, in a voice so loud that the queen trembled at the sound. ‘Who has eased your troubles? Who led you to the fairies? Who brought you home safely again? Yet I—I—are ignored, while those who have done nothing comparable are pampered and thanked.’
The Queen was almost paralyzed with fear, trying vain to think of some explanation or apology, but there was nothing; she could only confess her mistake and ask for forgiveness. The fairies also tried their best to appease their sister’s wrath, and knowing that, like many simple people who were not fairies, she was very arrogant, they begged her to give up her crab costume. And once again, become the charming person they are. She was used to see it.
For a while, the angry fairy will hear nothing, but at length, the flattery began to take effect. The crab shell fell off her body; she shrank back to standard size and lost some of her fierce expression.
‘Well,’ she said, ‘I will not cause the princess’s death as I intended to do, but at the same time, she will have to suffer the punishment of her mother’s fault, as many other children have suffered before. She. The quote I gave her was that if she were allowed to see a glimmer of daylight before her fifteenth birthday, she would regret it bitterly, and it could cost her her life.” She disappeared through the window. She arrives while the fairies comfort the weeping queen and give advice on how best to keep the princess safe during her childhood.
After half an hour, they decided what to do, and, at the command of the fairies, a beautiful palace arose, almost identical to the court of the king and queen but different from all the castles in the world. There are no windows and only one door right underground. Once inside, however, the daylight was barely missed; the countless candles burning on the walls were dazzling.
Up to this point, the princess’s history has been like the history of many of the princesses you have read about, but as her time in captivity neared its end, her fortunes turned in another direction. For nearly fifteen years, the fairies took care of her, entertained her and taught her so that when she was born, she was not inferior to the daughters of other kings in all the things that make a princess attractive and successful. They all loved her, but the fairy Tulip loved her most, and as the princess’s fifteenth birthday approached, the fairy began to fear that something terrible would happen – some unforeseen accident. ‘Do not let her out of your sight,’ said Tulip to the queen, ‘and in the meantime, let her portrait be painted and carried to the neighbouring Courts, as is the custom for you too. The king could see how far her beauty exceeded. Of every other princess, and they can propose to her for their sons.’
And it’s done, and accurate to the fairy’s prophecy, all the young princes loved the picture, but the last person showed it could think of nothing else and refused to let it leave his room, where he spent the whole day looking at it.
The king, his father, was surprised at the change that had happened to his son, who usually spent all his time hunting or peddling, and his anxiety increased when he heard the conversation between two courtiers that they feared the prince must be there. Losing his mind, he became so moody. Without further ado, the king went to visit his son, and as soon as he entered the room, the young man knelt at his father’s feet. ‘You betrothed me to a bride whom I could never love!’ he cried; ‘But if you don’t agree to cancel the match and propose to Princess Desiree, I will die of sorrow, grateful to no longer be alive.’
These words did not please the king, who felt that, in breaking off the arranged marriage, he would almost certainly be inflicting on his subjects a long and bloody war; so, without answering, he turned away, hoping that in a few days, his son would come to his senses. But the prince’s condition worsened so much that the king, in desperation, promised to send an embassy immediately to Desiree’s father.
This news instantly cured the young man of all his illnesses, and he began to plan every detail of the costumes, horses, and carriages necessary to make the carriage of the envoy named Becasigue as splendid as possible. He longed to become part of the embassy himself, even if only in the form of a page, but this the king did not allow, so the prince had to be content to search the kingdom for everything rare and beautiful to send to the princess. Indeed, he arrived, just as the embassy began, with his portrait, secretly painted by the court painter.
The king and queen wished for nothing more than for their daughter to marry into such a prestigious and influential family and to receive the ambassador with every sign of welcome. They even wished him to meet Princess Desiree, but this was prevented by the fairy Tulip, who was afraid something might happen.
“And remember to tell him,” she added, “that the wedding must not take place until she is fifteen years old, or some terrible misfortune will befall the child.”
So when Becasigue, surrounded by his train, made a formal request that the princess Desiree might be given in marriage to his master’s son, the king replied that he would be honoured and willing. I agree, but no one could see the princess until her fifteenth birthday, as the spell cast on her in her cradle by an evil fairy would only cease to have its effect once that had passed. The ambassador was extremely surprised and disappointed, but he knew too much about the fairies to dare disobey them, so he was content to present the prince’s portrait to the queen, who wasted no time in bringing it for the princess. When the girl took it in her hands, it suddenly spoke as it had been taught and uttered a most delicate and charming compliment, which made the princess blush with joy.
‘Why do you want such a husband?’ the queen asked with a smile.
‘As if I knew anything about husbands!’ replied Desiree, who had long guessed the ambassador’s job.
“Well, he will be the prince’s husband in three months,” the queen replied and ordered a gift to be brought to the prince. The princess was delighted with them and admired them greatly, but the queen always noticed it. Stray from the softest silks and the most dazzling jewels to the portrait of a prince.
The ambassador, seeing that there was no longer any hope of being allowed to see the princess, left and returned to his court, but here a new difficulty arose. The prince, although delighted to think that Desiree was his bride, was bitterly disappointed that she was not allowed to return with Becasigue, as he had foolishly expected. Having never been taught to say no to anything or to control his emotions, he fell ill again as before. He didn’t eat anything and didn’t enjoy anything but just lay all day on a pile of cushions, looking at the picture of the princess.
‘If I have to wait three months before I can marry the princess, I will die!’ was all this spoiled boy would say. At last, the king, in despair, resolved to send a new delegation to Desiree’s father to beg him for permission to celebrate the marriage immediately. ‘I would have presented my prayers in person,’ he added in his letter, ‘but old age and infirmity do not permit me to travel. My envoy, however, is ordered to agree to any arrangement you may propose.’
On arriving at the palace, Becasigue pleaded as fervently to the young master’s cause as the king his father might have done and begged that the princess might be consulted on the matter. The queen rushed to the marble tower and told her daughter about the prince’s sad mood. Desiree faints at this news but quickly regains consciousness and begins to devise a plan that will enable her to reach the prince without risking the doom declared by the evil fairy.
‘I see!’ she finally exclaimed happily. ‘Make a carriage that lets no light pass through and bring it into my room. Then I’ll get in there, and we can move quickly through the night and reach the prince’s palace before dawn. When I get there, I could be in some underground room where no light can reach.’
“Oh, how clever you are,” cried the queen, clasping her in her arms. And she hurried to tell the king.
“Our prince will have a wonderful wife!” Becasigue bowed low and said, ‘But I must return quickly to give the news and prepare the underground room for the princess.’ And so he left.
In a few days, the carriage the princess commands will be ready. It was made of green velvet, dotted with giant yellow thistles, and lined with silver brocade embroidered with roses. Of course, it has no windows, but the fairy Tulip, whose advice had been asked, lit it with a soft light that no one knew where it came from.
It was carried straight into the great hall of the tower, and the princess entered it, followed by her faithful maid of honour, Eglantine, and lady-in-waiting Cerisette, who also loved the portrait of the prince and was bitterly jealous of his lover. The fourth seat in the carriage was Cerisette’s mother, whom the queen sent to take care of the three children.
Now, the Fountain Fairy is the godmother of Princess Nera, to whom the prince was betrothed before Desiree’s photo caused him to be unfaithful. She was furious at having disrespected her godson, and from that moment on, she kept a careful eye on the princess. During this journey, she saw her opportunity, and it was she, the invisible one, who sat next to Cerisette and planted evil thoughts in both her and her mother’s heads.
The road to the city where the prince lived ran mainly through a dense forest, and every night, when there was no moon, not a single star could be seen through the trees; the guards accompanying the princess opened the carriage. Let it be broadcast. This lasted many days until they only had to travel 12 hours to reach the palace. Cerisette persuaded her mother to cut a large hole in the side of the car with a sharp knife that she had brought with her to make it. In the forest, the darkness was so thick that no one realized what she had done, but as they left the last trees behind and headed out into the open countryside, the sun rose, and for the first time since As a child, Desiree found herself in the light of day.
She looked up in surprise at the bright light flowing through the hole, then sighed as if coming from her heart. The car door opened as if by magic, and a white deer jumped out and, in an instant, disappeared into the forest. But, very soon, Eglantine, her maid of honour, had time to see where she was going and jumped out of the carriage to pursue her, followed at some distance by the guards.
Cerisette and her mother looked at each other in surprise and joy. They could hardly believe their luck because everything had turned out exactly as they had hoped. The first thing to be done was to cover up the hole that had been made, and when this was done (with the help of the angry fairy, although they did not know it), Cerisette hastily took off her clothes and put them on—of the princess, placing a diamond crown on her head. She found this heavier than expected, but she had never been accustomed to wearing a crown, which made a difference.
At the city gate, the carriage was stopped by a guard of honour sent by the king to escort his son’s bride. Although Cerisette and her mother could not see what was happening outside, they heard the welcoming cheers of the crowds lining the streets.
Finally, the carriage stopped in the vast hall Becasigue had prepared to welcome the princess. The grand chamberlain and the senior butler were waiting for her, and when the false bride entered the brightly lit room, they bowed low and said that they had orders to inform the king as soon as she arrived. The prince, whom strict court protocol prevented from being in the underground corridor, was growing impatient in his apartment.
‘So she has come!’ he cried, throwing down the bow he was pretending to repair. ‘Oh, am I wrong? Isn’t she a miracle of beauty and grace? And is she her equal worldwide?” The ministers looked at each other and did not answer. At last, the guard, the bolder of the two, remarked:
‘Sir, as for her beauty, you can judge that for yourself. No doubt it’s as great as you say, but presently, it seems to have suffered, as was natural, from the fatigue of the journey.”
This was certainly different from what the prince expected to hear. Could the portrait have flattered her? He had known such things before, and a chill ran through him, but with an effort, he kept silent and did not ask any more questions and just said:
‘Is the king aware that the princess is in the palace?’
‘Yes sir, and perhaps he has already joined her.’
“Then I will go too,” said the prince.
Weakened by his long illness, the prince descended the stairs with the assistance of his ministers and entered the room just in time to hear his father’s loud cry of surprise and disgust at the sight of Cerisette.
“There is treachery going on,” he cried while the prince leaned, numb with terror, against the doorpost. But the lady-in-waiting, prepared for something similar, came forward, holding the letters that the king and queen had entrusted her.
“This is Princess Desiree,” she said, pretending not to hear, “and I have the honour to give you these letters from my lord and lady, along with the coffin containing the jewels. Princess’s strength.”
The king did not move or answer her, So the prince leaned on Becasigue’s arm and moved closer to the false princess, hoping his eyes deceived him. But the longer he looked, the more he agreed with his father that there was a betrayal somewhere, for the portrait did not resemble the woman before him in any respect. Cerisette was so tall that the princess’s dress did not reach her ankles and so thin that her bones were exposed. In addition, her nose was crooked, and her teeth were black and ugly.
In turn, the prince stood rooted to the spot. He finally spoke, and those words were for his father, not for the bride who had come here to marry him.
“We have been deceived,” he said, “and it will cost me my life.” And he leaned so hard on the messenger that Becasigue, fearing that he would faint, hastily laid him down on the floor. For a few minutes, no one could take care of anyone but the prince; no sooner had he awakened the waiting lady than she heard it.
‘Oh, my lovely princess, why did we leave home?’ she cried. ‘But the king, your father, will avenge the insults heaped upon you when we told him how you had been treated.’
‘I will tell him myself,’ replied the king angrily; ‘he promised me a magical beauty; he sent me a skeleton! I’m not surprised he hid her for fifteen years from the world’s eyes. Take them both,” he continued, turning to his guards, “and put them in the state prison. There is one more thing I have to learn about this matter.”
His orders were obeyed, and the prince, loudly lamenting his sad fate, was taken back to bed, where he lay with a high fever for many days. At last, he gradually regained his strength, but the sadness was still so great that he could not bear the sight of a strange face and shuddered at the thought of taking his proper part in the royal ceremonies. Unknown to the king or anyone except Becasigue, he planned that, as soon as he could, he would escape and spend the rest of his life alone in some deserted place. It was several weeks before he regained enough strength to carry out his design, But finally, on one fine night, the two friends stole away. The following day, when he woke up, the king found a letter lying beside his bed, saying that his son had gone away, and he didn’t know where he went. He cried bitter tears when he heard the news, for he loved the prince very much, but he felt that perhaps the young man had done wisely, and he trusted that time and Becasigue’s influence would bring the wanderer home.
And while all this was going on, what happened to the white deer? Although she knew when she jumped out of the car that some cruel fate had turned her into an animal, until she saw herself in a stream, she didn’t know what it was.
‘Is it true, Desiree?’ she said, crying. ‘What cruel fairy could treat me like that, and will I never, ever regain my form again? My only consolation is that, in this vast forest full of lions and snakes, my life will be concise.”
Now, the Tulip fairy is as saddened by the princess’s tragic fate as Desiree’s mother would have been if she had known it. Yet she could not help feeling that if the king and queen had followed her advice, the girl would, for now, be safe within the walls of her new home. However, she loved Desiree too much to let her suffer beyond help, and she led Eglantine to where the white doe was standing, mowing the grass that was her dinner.
At the sound of footsteps, the beautiful creature raised her head, and when she saw her faithful companion approaching, she rushed towards her and buried her head on Eglantine’s shoulder. The bridesmaid was surprised, but she was very fond of animals and caressed the white deer tenderly, always speaking softly to her. Suddenly, the beautiful creature raised its head and looked up into Eglantine’s face, tears falling from her eyes. An idea suddenly flashed in her mind. Quick as lightning, the girl knelt, lifted the animal’s legs and kissed them individually. ‘My princess! Oh, my dear princess!’ she cried, and the white doe rubbed his head against her again, for, thinking that the wicked fairy had taken away her power of speech, she had not yet taken away her reason!
All day the two spent together, and when Eglantine felt hungry, she was led by the white doe to a forest where pears and peaches grew in abundance; but as night fell, the bridesmaid was filled with the terror of the wild beasts that had besieged the princess on her first night in the forest.
“Is there any hut or cave we can go into?” she asked. But the doe only shook her head, and they both sat down and cried with fear.
The Tulip Fairy, although angry, was very soft-hearted, moved by their suffering and quickly flew to their aid.
“I cannot completely remove the spell,” she said, “for the Fountain, Fairy is stronger than I, but I can shorten the duration of your punishment and perhaps make it less difficult, for as soon as darkness falls, you will return to your form.’
To think that by and by she would cease to be a white doe—indeed, that she would at once stop to be a white doe in the night—was present joy enough for Desiree, and she danced on the grass in the garden—the most beautiful way.
“Go straight along the path before you,” continued the fairy, smiling as he looked at her; ‘Go straight down the road, and you will soon come to a little hut where you will find shelter.’ And with these words she disappeared, leaving her hearers with greater happiness Never did they think they could return.
An old woman was standing at the hut’s door when Eglantine approached, with her white doe trotting beside her.
“Good evening!” she speaks; “Can you give me a night off for me and my doe?”
‘Certainly I can,’ replied the old woman. And she led them into a room with two small white beds, so clean and comfortable that just looking at them made you sleepy.
As soon as the door closed behind the old woman, the sun sank below the horizon and Desiree became a girl again.
‘Oh, Eglantine! what should I have done if you had not followed me,” she cried. And she threw herself into her friend’s arms with great joy.
Early in the morning, Eglantine was awakened by the sound of someone scratching the door. When she opened her eyes, she saw a white deer struggling to escape. The little creature looked up into her face and nodded as the bridesmaid opened the latch but dashed into the woods and disappeared within seconds.
Meanwhile, the prince and Becasigue were wandering through the forest, until the prince was so tired that he lay down under a tree and told Becasigue that he had better go find food and somewhere for them to go. can sleep. . Becasigue had not gone far when, turning onto the road, he met an old woman feeding pigeons in front of her house.
‘Can you give me some milk and fruit?’ he asked. ‘I myself am very hungry, and moreover, I left behind a friend who is still weak from illness.’
‘Certainly I can,’ replied the old woman. “But come sit in my kitchen while I catch the goat and milk it.”
Becasigue gladly complied with his request, and a few minutes later the old woman returned with a basket full of oranges and grapes.
“If your friend is sick, he shouldn’t spend the night in the woods,” she said. ‘I have room in my hut – small enough, it is true; but it’s better than nothing, and you’re both warmly welcomed.’
Becasigue warmly thanked her, and now that it was almost dark, he set out to meet the prince. During his absence, Eglantine and the white stag entered the hut, and of course had no idea that in the next room was the man whose childish impatience was the cause of all their troubles. Surname.
Although tired, the prince did not sleep well, and as soon as it was daybreak, he got up and ordered Becasigue to stay where he was because, wanting to be alone, he went for a walk into the forest. He strolled, just as his imagination led him, until, suddenly, he came to an open space, in the middle of which a white doe was quietly eating her breakfast. She rushed away when she saw a man, but not before the prince, who had tightened his bow without thinking, had shot away several arrows that the Tulip fairy had been careful not to harm. Miss. However, as she ran fast, she felt her strength waning, for fifteen years of living in the tower had not taught her how to exercise her limbs.
Fortunately, the prince was too weak to follow her far, and a turning path brought her near the hut, where Eglantine was waiting for her. Panting, she entered their room and threw herself on the floor.
When it was dark again, she was Princess Desiree again, and she told Eglantine what had happened to her.
“I fear the Water Fairy and the wicked beasts,” she said, ‘but somehow, I never thought of the dangers I had to run away from men. Now, I don’t know what saved me.”
Eglantine replied: “You must stay quietly here until your punishment ends.” But when dawn came, the girl turned into a doe, her longing for the forest invaded her again, and she rushed away again as before.
As soon as the prince woke up, he hurried to the place where, just the day before, he had seen the white doe feeding, but of course, she was careful to go in the opposite direction. Frustrated, he tried one green path and then another, and finally, tired of walking, he lay down and fell asleep.
At that moment, the white doe rushed out of the nearby bushes and trembled back when she saw her enemy lying there. However, instead of turning away, something told her to go and sneak a look at him. As she looked, a thrill ran through her, for she felt that tired though he was, it was the face of her destined husband. Gently bending over him, she kissed his forehead, and when she touched him, he woke up.
They looked at each other for a moment, and to his surprise, he recognized the white doe that had escaped him the day before. But immediately, the animal realized the danger, so it ran with all its strength into the densest area of the forest. Quick as lightning, the prince caught up with her, but this time, she had no desire to kill or even injure the beautiful creature.
‘Beautiful deer! Beautiful deer! Stop! I won’t hurt you,” he cried, but the wind carried away his words.
Finally, the doe could no longer run, and when the prince reached her, she was lying on the grass, waiting for the fatal blow. But instead, the prince knelt next to her, caressed her, and did not make her afraid because he would take care of her. So he took some water from the stream in his antler hunting cup, then, cutting some branches, twisted them into a palanquin, covered it with moss and gently placed the white doe on it.
They remained like that for a long time, but when Desiree saw the light shining on the trees, that the sun must be about to set, she became distraught because she was afraid that darkness would fall and the prince would see her in him—Miss—human form.
‘No, he must not have met me here for the first time,’ she thought and immediately began planning to get rid of him. Then she opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue as if dying of thirst, and the prince, as she expected, hurried to the stream to get more water for her.
When he turned back, the white deer was gone.
That night, Desiree confesses to Eglantine that her suitor is none other than the prince and that in no way flatters him; the portrait has never done him justice.
“Is it difficult to meet him in this situation,” she cried, “when we love each other so much?” But Eglantine comforts her and reminds her that soon everything will be okay.
The prince was furious at the flight of the white doe for which he had put so much trouble, and returning to the cottage; he vented his adventures and rage to Becasigue, who did not smile.
“She will not escape me again,” cried the prince. ‘If I hunt for her daily for a year, I will finally have her.’ And with that in mind, he went to bed.
When the white doe entered the forest the following day, she had not yet decided whether she would go to see the prince or whether she would avoid him and hide in the bushes of which he knew nothing. She agreed that the final plan was best, and it would have been so if the prince had not gone in the same direction in search of her.
Quite by chance, he saw her white skin glistening through the bushes, and at the same time, she heard the sound of branches breaking under his feet. In a moment, she stood up and left, but the prince did not know how else to catch her, so he aimed an arrow at her leg, causing her to fall to the ground.
The young man felt like a murderer as he hurriedly ran to where the white deer was lying and tried his best to ease the pain she felt, which was, in fact, the final part of her punishment—sent by the Fountain Fairy. First, he brought her some water, then he took some healing herbs, crushed them in his hands and placed them on the wound.
‘Ah! I’m such a bastard to have hurt you,” he cried, resting her head on his knee; ‘and now you will hate me and stay away from me forever!’
The doe lay quietly in place for a while, but as before, she remembered that the hour of her transformation was near. She tried to get up, but the prince did not hear her walk, and thinking that the older woman could bandage the wound better than he, he took her in his arms to carry her back to the hut. However, because she was small, she made herself so heavy that after staggering a few steps under her weight, he set her down and tied her to a tree with some ribbons from his hat. Having done this, he left to find help.
Meanwhile, Eglantine felt very worried because her mistress was absent for so long, so she went to look for her. As soon as the prince disappeared, fluttering ribbons danced before her eyes, and she described her beautiful princess tied to a tree. With all her strength, she worked through the knots, but she couldn’t untie a single one, even though it all seemed so easy. She was still busy with them when a voice behind her rang out:
‘Forgive me, beautiful lady, but you are trying to steal MY doe!’
‘Excuse me, good knight’, Eglantine replied, barely glancing at him, ‘but MY doe is tied up here! And if you want proof of that, you can see if she knows me. Touch my heart, my baby,” she continued, kneeling. And the doe lifted her forepaw and laid her on her side. ‘Now put your arms around my neck and sigh.’ And again, the doe did as commanded.
“You are right,” said the prince; ‘but it grieves me to give her to you, for though I have hurt her, I still love her deeply.’
Eglantine did not answer this, but carefully picking up the doe, she slowly led it towards the hut.
Now, both the prince and Becasigue were utterly unaware that the old lady had any guests besides themselves, and following at a distance, they were surprised to see Eglantine and her charge enter the house. They immediately questioned the older woman, who replied that she knew nothing about the lady and her white doe, who slept next to the room of the prince and his friend, but they were reticent and paid very generously. She then returned to her kitchen.
“Do you know,” Becasigue said when they were alone, “I am sure that the lady we saw is Princess Desiree’s maid of honour, whom I met at the palace. And since her room is next to this one, it will be easy to create a small hole to satisfy whether I am right.”
So, taking a knife out of his pocket, he began sawing woodwork. The girls heard a noise but thought it was a mouse, so they paid no attention, and Becasigue was left alone to pursue his work. Finally, the hole was big enough to look through, and the sight amazed him. He guessed correctly: the tall woman was Eglantine, but the other one – where had he seen her? Ah! Now he knew – it was the woman in the portrait!
Desiree, in a flowing blue silk dress, lay stretched out on the cushion, and as Eglantine bent down to wash her wounded leg, she began to speak:
‘OH! Let me die,” she cried, “rather than continue to live this life. You cannot describe the pain of being an animal all day long and not being able to talk to the man I loved, the man I had to endure my cruel fate. However, even so, I cannot hate him.’
These words, although soft, reached Becasigue’s ears, who could hardly believe his ears. He stood silent for a moment; then, going to the window where the prince was looking, he took the prince by the arm and led him across the room. Just a glance was enough for the prince to know it was Desiree and how another person had brought her name to the palace; he neither knew nor cared at that moment. Tiptoeing out of the room, he knocked on the next door, which was opened by Eglantine, who thought it was the older woman bringing them dinner.
She turned around when she saw the prince, whom she also recognized this time. But he pushed her aside and knelt at the feet of Desiree, to whom he had poured out his soul!
Dawn saw them still talking, and the sun was high before the princess realized she retained her human form. Ah! How happy she was to know her days of punishment were over, and in a cheerful voice, she told the prince the story of her enchantment.
So, in the end, the story ended well, and the fairy Tulip, who turned out to be the older woman in the hut, gave the young couple a wedding feast, the likes of which had not been seen since the world began. Everyone was happy except Cerisette and her mother, who were put on a boat and transported to a small island, where they had to work hard to make a living.
