THE YELLOW DWARF. 463

way to divert her, they thought, would be to urge her to marry ;
which the princess, who was now become less obstinate on that
point than formerly, consented to; and thinking that such a
pigmy as the Yellow Dwarf would not dare to contend with so
gallant a person as the King of the Golden Mines, she fixed
upon that prince for her husband, who was exceedingly rich and
powerful, and loved her to distraction. ‘The most superb pre-
parations were made for the nuptials, and the happy day was
fixed; when, as they were proceeding to the ceremony, they
saw moving towards them a box, upon which sat an old woman
remarkable for her ugliness. ‘“ Hold, queen and princess,”
cried she, knitting her brows ; ‘“re-
member the promises you have both
made to my friend the Yellow Dwarf.
Tam the Desert Fairy; and unless ¢>
All-Fair consent to marry him, I
solemuly swear to burn my crutch.”
‘The queen and princess were struck
almost motionless by this unex-
pected address of the fairy; but the
Prince of the Golden Mines was exceeding angry, and holding
his sword to her throat, he said, “ Fly, wretch ! or thy malice
shall cost thee thy life.” No sooner had he uttered these
words, than the top of the box dying off, out came the Yellow
Dwarf, mounted upon a large Spanish cat, who, placing him-
self between the king and the fairy, exclaimed, “ Rash youth !
thy rage shall be levelled at me, not at the Desert Fairy; I
am thy rival, and claim her by promise, and a single hair
round her finger.” ‘This so enraged the king, that he cried
out, “‘Contemptible creature ! wert thou worthy of notice, I
would sacrifice thee for thy presumption.” The Yellow Dwarf,
clapping spurs to his cat, and drawing a cutlass, now defied the