Now the Lion Fairy knew beforehand of his expected presence in her dominions , and she ordered a palace of crystal to be built in the middle of the lake of quicksilver ; and in order to make it more difficult of approach she let it float whither it would . Immediately after their return from the chase , where the king had seen them , she conveyed the queen and Muffette into the palace , and put them under the guard of the monsters of the lake , who one and all had fallen in love with the princess . They were horribly jealous , and ready to eat each other up for her sake , so they readily accepted the charge . Some stationed themselves round the floating palace , some sat by the door , while the smallest and lightest perched themselves on the roof . Of course the king was quite ignorant of these arrangements , and boldly entered the palace of the Lion Fairy , who was waiting for him , with her tail lashing furiously , for she still kept her lion 's shape . With a roar that shook the walls she flung herself upon him ; but he was on the watch , and a blow from his sword cut off the paw she had put forth to strike him dead . She fell back , and with his helmet still on and his shield up , he set his foot on her throat . ` Give me back the wife and the child you have stolen from me , ' he said , ` or you shall not live another second ! ' But the fairy answered : ` Look through the window at that lake and see if it is in my power to give them to you . ' And the king looked , and through the crystal walls he beheld his wife and daughter floating on the quicksilver . At that sight the Lion Fairy and all her wickedness was forgotten . Flinging off his helmet , he shouted to them with all his might . The queen knew his voice , and she and Muffette ran to the window and held out their hands . Then the king swore a solemn oath that he would never leave the spot without taking them if it should cost him his life ; and he meant it , though at the moment he did not know what he was undertaking . Three years passed by , and the king was no nearer to obtaining his heart 's desire . He had suffered every hardship that could be imagined -- nettles had been his bed , wild fruits more bitter than gall his food , while his days had been spent in fighting the hideous monsters which kept him from the palace . He had not advanced one single step , nor gained one solitary advantage . Now he was almost in despair , and ready to defy everything and throw himself into the lake . It was at this moment of his blackest misery that , one night , a dragon who had long watched him from the roof crept to his side . ` You thought that love would conquer all obstacles , ' said he ; ` well , you have found it has n't !
But if you will swear to me by your crown and sceptre that you will give me a dinner of the food that I never grow tired XXXXX , whenever I choose to ask for it , I will enable you to reach your wife and daughter . '
With by for from in of on through while without