`` Ah ! '' cried the pretended Fairy , `` if you have fallen into her hands , you wo n't get away until you have married her . She has carried off more than one Prince like this , and she will certainly have anything she takes a fancy to . '' While she was thus pretending to be sorry for the King , he suddenly noticed her feet , which were like those of a griffin , and knew in a moment that this must be the Fairy of the Desert , for her feet were the one thing she could not change , however pretty she might make her face . Without seeming to have noticed anything , he said , in a confidential way : `` Not that I have any dislike to the Fairy of the Desert , but I really can not endure the way in which she protects the Yellow Dwarf and keeps me chained here like a criminal . It is true that I love a charming princess , but if the Fairy should set me free my gratitude would oblige me to love her only . '' `` Do you really mean what you say , Prince ? '' said the Fairy , quite deceived . `` Surely , '' replied the Prince ; `` how could I deceive you ? You see it is so much more flattering to my vanity to be loved by a fairy than by a simple princess . But , even if I am dying of love for her , I shall pretend to hate her until I am set free . '' The Fairy of the Desert , quite taken in by these words , resolved at once to transport the Prince to a pleasanter place . So , making him mount her chariot , to which she had harnessed swans instead of the bats which generally drew it , away she flew with him . But imagine the distress of the Prince when , from the giddy height at which they were rushing through the air , he saw his beloved Princess in a castle built of polished steel , the walls of which reflected the sun 's rays so hotly that no one could approach it without being burnt to a cinder ! Bellissima was sitting in a little thicket by a brook , leaning her head upon her hand and weeping bitterly , but just as they passed she looked up and saw the King and the Fairy of the Desert . Now , the Fairy was so clever that she could not only seem beautiful to the King , but even the poor Princess thought her the most lovely being she had ever seen . `` What ! '' she cried ; `` was I not unhappy enough in this lonely castle to which that frightful Yellow Dwarf brought me ? Must I also be made to know that the King of the Gold Mines ceased to love me as soon as he lost sight of me ? But who can my rival be , whose fatal beauty is greater than mine ? ''
While she was saying this , the King , who really loved her as much as ever , was feeling terribly sad at being so rapidly torn away from his beloved XXXXX , but he knew too well how powerful the Fairy was to have any hope of escaping from her except by great patience and cunning .
Bellissima Desert Dwarf King Prince Princess bats chariot gratitude height