THE
YELLOW
DWARF

Suddenly she was awoke by the roaring of the
lions, who were approaching her. She jumped up
and seized her basket of cakes to appease their
fury; but, alas, it was empty! The poor queen
was in an agony of terror, not knowing what to do.
It was impossible to escape from the furious lions,
and there appeared no other prospect for her than’
acruel death. At this moment she heard a noise
in the tree, which attracted her attention; and on
looking up, she saw an ugly yellow dwarf, about
three feet high, picking oranges.
‘Ah, queen,’ said he, ‘you are in great danger!
These lions have destroyed many; and how will
you escape, seeing you have no cakes ?’
‘Alas,’ said the queen, weeping, ‘I know not; for
I have lost my cakes.’
‘There is but one way,’ replied the dwarf. ‘I know
what has brought you here; and if you will
promise me your daughter in marriage, I will save
you from the lions; if not, they shall devour you.’
The queen, horrified at the thought of sacrificing
her beautiful daughter to such a hideous creature,
made him no answer; but a terrible growl from
the lions, who were just ready to spring upon her,
so terrified her, that she gave her promise, and
then fainted away. When the queen came to her-
self she was in bed in her own palace. All that
had passed seemed as a dream; nevertheless she
was so persuaded of its reality, that her spirits
gave way, and she sank into such a state of
melancholy that she cared for nothing.
Princess All-fair loved her mother very tenderly,
and she grieved to see her in such a state of
dejection. After trying in vain to ascertain the
cause of the queen’s sorrow, that she might
comfort her, the princess determined on paying a
visit to the Fairy of the Desert, to ask her advice
on the subject. All-fair, having provided some
cakes for the lions, started secretly on her danger-
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