Furibon had fainted with terror; Leander used every means to revive and reassure him, and as soon as he was sufficiently recovered, offered him his own horse to ride home on. Any one but a monster of ingratitude would have been touched to his heart's core by such great and recent services, and acknowledged them nobly both by words and deeds. Not so Furibon. He did not even deign to look on Leander, and availed himself of his horse but to rally the assassins, and order them instantly to dispatch him. They surrounded Leander, and he must infallibly have been slain but for his undaunted courage. He placed his back against a tree in order to avoid being attacked from behind, and, not sparing one of his enemies, laid about him desperately. Furibon, believing he must be killed, hastened to enjoy the sight of his dead body; but a very different spectacle met his eyes. The villains were all stretched on the earth in their last agonies, and Leander advancing, said to him, "My Lord, if it was by your order these men attacked me, I regret that I defended myself." "You are an insolent traitor," answered the prince, in a rage, "and if ever you again appear in my presence, I will have you put to death."
Leander made no reply. He returned home very sorrowful, and passed the night in thinking what he ought to do, for there was no likelihood of his being able to make a stand against the king's son. He resolved to go abroad and see the world: but when he was just ready to start upon his travels, he remembered the adder, and took to it some milk and some fruit. On opening the door he perceived an extraordinary light shining in a corner of the room, and to his great astonishment beheld a lady, whose noble and majestic air left no doubt of the greatness of her birth. Her dress was of amaranth satin, bordered with diamonds and pearls. She advanced towards him with a gracious smile, and said, "Young Prince, seek not for the adder you brought hither, it is no longer here; you behold me in its place, to discharge the debt it owes you: but to speak to you more intelligibly, know that I am the Fairy Gentille, celebrated for the amusing and dexterous feats I know how to perform. Our race live an hundred years without growing old, without maladies, without fears or pains. At the expiration of that period, we become adders for the space of a week. It is only during
