`` What shall I do ? '' she cried . `` Must all my happy days come to an end like this ? '' The malicious Dwarf looked at her and began to laugh spitefully . `` At least , '' said he , `` you have the satisfaction of dying unmarried . A lovely Princess like you must surely prefer to die rather than be the wife of a poor little dwarf like myself . '' `` Oh , do n't be angry with me , '' cried the Princess , clasping her hands . `` I 'd rather marry all the dwarfs in the world than die in this horrible way . '' `` Look at me well , Princess , before you give me your word , '' said he . `` I do n't want you to promise me in a hurry . '' `` Oh ! '' cried she , `` the lions are coming . I have looked at you enough . I am so frightened . Save me this minute , or I shall die of terror . '' Indeed , as she spoke she fell down insensible , and when she recovered she found herself in her own little bed at home ; how she got there she could not tell , but she was dressed in the most beautiful lace and ribbons , and on her finger was a little ring , made of a single red hair , which fitted so tightly that , try as she might , she could not get it off . When the Princess saw all these things , and remembered what had happened , she , too , fell into the deepest sadness , which surprised and alarmed the whole Court , and the Queen more than anyone else . A hundred times she asked Bellissima if anything was the matter with her ; but she always said that there was nothing . At last the chief men of the kingdom , anxious to see their Princess married , sent to the Queen to beg her to choose a husband for her as soon as possible . She replied that nothing would please her better , but that her daughter seemed so unwilling to marry , and she recommended them to go and talk to the Princess about it themselves so this they at once did .
Now Bellissima was much less proud since her adventure with the Yellow Dwarf , and she could not think of a better way of getting rid XXXXX the little monster than to marry some powerful king , therefore she replied to their request much more favorably than they had hoped , saying that , though she was very happy as she was , still , to please them , she would consent to marry the King of the Gold Mines .
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