Who was it led you to the fairies ? Who was it brought you back in safety to your home again ? Yet I -- I -- am overlooked , while these who have done nothing in comparison , are petted and thanked . ' The queen , almost dumb with terror , in vain tried to think of some explanation or apology ; but there was none , and she could only confess her fault and implore forgiveness . The fairies also did their best to soften the wrath of their sister , and knowing that , like many plain people who are not fairies , she was very vain , they entreated her to drop her crab 's disguise , and to become once more the charming person they were accustomed to see . For some time the enraged fairy would listen to nothing ; but at length the flatteries began to take effect . The crab 's shell fell from her , she shrank into her usual size , and lost some of her fierce expression . ` Well , ' she said , ' I will not cause the princess 's death , as I had meant to do , but at the same time she will have to bear the punishment of her mother 's fault , as many other children have done before her . The sentence I pass upon her is , that if she is allowed to see one ray of daylight before her fifteenth birthday she will rue it bitterly , and it may perhaps cost her her life . ' And with these words she vanished by the window through which she came , while the fairies comforted the weeping queen and took counsel how best the princess might be kept safe during her childhood . At the end of half an hour they had made up their minds what to do , and at the command of the fairies , a beautiful palace sprang up , close to that of the king and queen , but different from every palace in the world in having no windows , and only a door right under the earth . However , once within , daylight was hardly missed , so brilliant were the multitudes of tapers that were burning on the walls . Now up to this time the princess 's history has been like the history of many a princess that you have read about ; but , when the period of her imprisonment was nearly over , her fortunes took another turn . For almost fifteen years the fairies had taken care of her , and amused her and taught her , so that when she came into the world she might be no whit behind the daughters of other kings in all that makes a princess charming and accomplished . They all loved her dearly , but the fairy Tulip loved her most of all ; and as the princess 's fifteenth birthday drew near , the fairy began to tremble lest something terrible should happen -- some accident which had not been foreseen . ` Do not let her out of your sight , ' said Tulip to the queen , ` and meanwhile , let her portrait be painted and carried to the neighbouring Courts , as is the custom in order that the kings may see how far her beauty exceeds that of every other princess , and that they may demand her in marriage for their sons . ' And so it was done ; and as the fairy had prophesied , all the young princes fell in love with the picture ; but the last one to whom it was shown could think of nothing else , and refused to let it be removed from his chamber , where he spent whole days gazing at it . The king his father was much surprised at the change which had come over his son , who generally passed all his time in hunting or hawking , and his anxiety was increased by a conversation he overheard between two of his courtiers that they feared the prince must be going out of his mind , so moody had he become . Without losing a moment the king went to visit his son , and no sooner had he entered the room than the young man flung himself at his father 's feet . ` You have betrothed me already to a bride I can never love ! '
cried he ; ` but if you will not consent to break off the match , and ask for the hand of the princess Desiree , I shall die of misery , thankful XXXXX be alive no longer . '
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