The old Fairy led her to a pretty room which she said should be hers , at the same time giving her the strictest orders never to let out the fire which was burning brightly in the grate . She then gave two glass bottles into the Princess 's charge , desiring her to take the greatest care of them , and having enforced her orders with the most awful threats in case of disobedience , she vanished , leaving the little girl at liberty to explore the palace and grounds and a good deal relieved at having only two apparently easy tasks set her . Several years passed , during which time the Princess grew accustomed to her lonely life , obeyed the Fairy 's orders , and by degrees forgot all about the court of the King her father . One day , whilst passing near a fountain in the garden , she noticed that the sun 's rays fell on the water in such a manner as to produce a brilliant rainbow . She stood still to admire it , when , to her great surprise , she heard a voice addressing her which seemed to come from the centre of its rays . The voice was that of a young man , and its sweetness of tone and the agreeable things it uttered , led one to infer that its owner must be equally charming ; but this had to be a mere matter of fancy , for no one was visible . The beautiful Rainbow informed Fairer-than-a-Fairy that he was young , the son of a powerful king , and that the Fairy , Lagree , who owed his parents a grudge , had revenged herself by depriving him of his natural shape for some years ; that she had imprisoned him in the palace , where he had found his confinement hard to bear for some time , but now , he owned , he no longer sighed for freedom since he had seen and learned to love Fairer-than-a-Fairy . He added many other tender speeches to this declaration , and the Princess , to whom such remarks were a new experience , could not help feeling pleased and touched by his attentions . The Prince could only appear or speak under the form of a Rainbow , and it was therefore necessary that the sun should shine on water so as to enable the rays to form themselves . Fairer-than-a-Fairy lost no moment in which she could meet her lover , and they enjoyed many long and interesting interviews . One day , however , their conversation became so absorbing and time passed so quickly that the Princess forgot to attend to the fire , and it went out . Lagree , on her return , soon found out the neglect , and seemed only too pleased to have the opportunity of showing her spite to her lovely prisoner . She ordered Fairer-than-a-Fairy to start next day at dawn to ask Locrinos for fire with which to relight the one she had allowed to go out . Now this Locrinos was a cruel monster who devoured everyone he came across , and especially enjoyed a chance of catching and eating any young girls . Our heroine obeyed with great sweetness , and without having been able to take leave of her lover she set off to go to Locrinos as to certain death . As she was crossing a wood a bird sang to her to pick up a shining pebble which she would find in a fountain close by , and to use it when needed . She took the bird 's advice , and in due time arrived at the house of Locrinos . Luckily she only found his wife at home , who was much struck by the Princess 's youth and beauty and sweet gentle manners , and still further impressed by the present of the shining pebble . She readily let Fairer-than-a-Fairy have the fire , and in return for the stone she gave her another , which , she said , might prove useful some day . Then she sent her away without doing her any harm .
Lagree was as much surprised as displeased at the happy result of this expedition , and Fairer-than-a Fairy waited anxiously for an opportunity XXXXX meeting Prince Rainbow and telling him her adventures .
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