At length a servant arrived and led him up into a beautiful room filled with people , who were either playing on musical instruments or talking in a lively manner , which astonished the king , who stood silently listening , and not at all pleased at the want of attention paid him . Matters went on this way for some time . Every day the king fell more and more in love with Minon-Minette , and every day the princess seemed more and more taken up with other people . At last , in despair , the prince sought out the old woman , to try to get some advice from her as to his conduct , or , anyway , to have the pleasure of talking about Minon-Minette . He found her spinning in an underground chamber , but quite ready to tell him all he wanted to know . In answer to his questions he learned that in order to win the hand of the princess it was not enough to be born a prince , for she would marry nobody who had not proved himself faithful , and had , besides , all those talents and accomplishments which help to make people happy . For a moment Souci was very much cast down on hearing this , but then he plucked up . ` Tell me what I must do in order to win the heart of the princess , and no matter how hard it is I will do it . And show me how I can repay you for your kindness , and you shall have anything I can give you . Shall I bring in your bundle of faggots every day ? ' ` It is enough that you should have made the offer , ' replied the old woman ; and she added , holding out a skein of thread , ` Take this ; one day you will be thankful for it , and when it becomes useless your difficulties will be past . ' ` Is it the skein of my life ? ' he asked . ` It is the skein of your love 's ill-luck , ' she said . And he took it and went away . Now the fairy Girouette , who had brought up Souci , had an old friend called Grimace , the protectress of Prince Fluet . Grimace often talked over the young prince 's affairs with Girouette , and , when she decided that he was old enough to govern his own kingdom , consulted Girouette as to a suitable wife . Girouette , who never stopped to think or to make inquiries , drew such a delightful picture of Minon-Minette that Grimace determined to spare no pains to bring about the marriage , and accordingly Fluet was presented at court . But though the young man was pleasant and handsome , the princess thought him rather womanish in some ways , and displayed her opinion so openly as to draw upon herself and Aveline the anger of the fairy , who declared that Minon-Minette should never know happiness till she had found a bridge without an arch and a bird without feathers . So saying , she also went away .
Before the king set out afresh XXXXX his travels Aveline had restored to him his horse and his sword , and though these were but small consolation for the absence of the princess , they were better than nothing , for he felt that somehow they might be the means of leading him back to her .
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