And this time the Princess , who was fainting with hunger , took the nightingale 's advice , and ate what she found all by herself . But Fanfaronade , seeing that she had found something good , and was not going to share it with him , ran after her in such a fury that she hastily drew out the Queen 's carbuncle , which had the property of rendering people invisible if they were in danger , and when she was safely hidden from him she reproached him gently for his unkindness . Meanwhile Admiral Cocked-Hat had despatched Jack-the-Chatterer-of-the-Straw-Boots , Courier in Ordinary to the Prime Minister , to tell the King that the Princess and the Ambassador had landed on Squirrel Island , but that not knowing the country he had not pursued them , for fear of being captured by concealed enemies . Their Majesties were overjoyed at the news , and the King sent for a great book , each leaf of which was eight ells long . It was the work of a very clever Fairy , and contained a description of the whole earth . He very soon found that Squirrel Island was uninhabited . ` Go , ' said he , to Jack-the-Chatterer , ` tell the Admiral from me to land at once . I am surprised at his not having done so sooner . ' As soon as this message reached the fleet , every preparation was made for war , and the noise was so great that it reached the ears of the Princess , who at once flew to protect her lover . As he was not very brave he accepted her aid gladly . ` You stand behind me , ' said she , ` and I will hold the carbuncle which will make us invisible , and with the King 's dagger I can protect you from the enemy . ' So when the soldiers landed they could see nothing , but the Princess touched them one after another with the dagger , and they fell insensible upon the sand , so that at last the Admiral , seeing that there was some enchantment , hastily gave orders for a retreat to be sounded , and got his men back into their boats in great confusion . Fanfaronade , being once more left with the Princess , began to think that if he could get rid of her , and possess himself of the carbuncle and the dagger , he would be able to make his escape . So as they walked back over the cliffs he gave the Princess a great push , hoping she would fall into the sea ; but she stepped aside so quickly that he only succeeded in overbalancing himself , and over he went , and sank to the bottom of the sea like a lump of lead , and was never heard of any more . While the Princess was still looking after him in horror , her attention was attracted by a rushing noise over her head , and looking up she saw two chariots approaching rapidly from opposite directions . One was bright and glittering , and drawn by swans and peacocks , while the Fairy who sat in it was beautiful as a sunbeam ; but the other was drawn by bats and ravens , and contained a frightful little Dwarf , who was dressed in a snake 's skin , and wore a great toad upon her head for a hood . The chariots met with a frightful crash in mid-air , and the Princess looked on in breathless anxiety while a furious battle took place between the lovely Fairy with her golden lance , and the hideous little Dwarf and her rusty pike . But very soon it was evident that the Beauty had the best of it , and the Dwarf turned her bats ' heads and flickered away in great confusion , while the Fairy came down to where the Princess stood , and said , smiling , ` You see Princess , I have completely routed that malicious old Carabosse . Will you believe it ! she actually wanted to claim authority over you for ever , because you came out of the tower four days before the twenty years were ended .
However , I think I have settled her pretensions , and I hope you will be very happy and enjoy the freedom I have won XXXXX you . '
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