Marie-Catherine d'Aulnoy

“ Queen! — Ho! ho! Princess! Do you fancy you can break your promises to my friend the Yellow Dwarf! I am the Fairy of the Desert! But for him and his orange-tree, know you not that my great lions would have devoured you?” “Ah! Princess,” exclaimed the Queen, bursting into tears, “what promise have you made?” “Ah! Mother,” cried Toutebelle, sorrowfully, “what promise have you made?” The King of the Gold Mines,
enraged at this interruption, advanced upon the old woman, sword in hand, and cried, “Quit this palace for ever, or with thy life thou shalt atone for thy malice!” ”

“ The Yellow Dwarf struck his spurs into the sides of his cat, which set up a terrific squalling, and frightened everybody but the King, who pressed the Dwarf so closely that he drew a cutlass, and defying him to single combat, descended into the court-yard, the enraged King following him. Scarcely had they confronted each other, the whole Court being in the balconies to witness the combat, when the sun became as red as blood, and it grew so dark that they could scarcely see themselves. The two turkey-cocks appeared at the side of the Yellow Dwarf, casting out flames from their mouths and eyes. ”

“ A-hem!” and raising her eyes, she saw up in the tree a little man not more than two feet high. He was eating oranges, and said to her, “I know you well, Queen; you have good reason to be afraid of the lions, for they have devoured many before you, and — you have no cake.” “Alas,” cried the poor Queen, “I should die with less pain if my dear daughter were but married!” “How! you have a daughter!” exclaimed the Yellow Dwarf. ”