Page:Fairytales00auln.djvu/225

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THE BEE AND THE ORANGE TREE.
185

got up quietly, went into the cavern where the Prince was, gently took the crown from one of the little Ogres, and put it on her lover's head, who dared not detain her, however desirous he was to do so. The respect he had for her, and the fear of displeasing her, prevented him. The Princess could not have done better than putting the crown upon Aimé's head. Without this precaution, he would have been lost. The barbarous Tourmentine started up out of her sleep, and thinking of the Prince, whom she considered more beautiful than the day, and very tempting food, she was so frightened that Ravagio would eat him by himself, that she thought she would be beforehand with him. She glided, without uttering a word, into the young Ogres' cavern; she gently touched those that had crowns on their head (the Prince was of the number), and one of the little Ogres was gone in three mouthsful. Aimé and his lady-love heard all, and trembled with fear; but Tourmentine, having accomplished her purpose, now only wanted to go to sleep; so they were safe for the remainder of the night. "Heaven aid us!" cried the Princess. "Suggest to me what we can do in such a pressing extremity!" The Prince prayed as fervently; sometimes he felt inclined to attack these two monsters, and fight with them; but what hope had he of obtaining any advantage over them?—they were as tall as giants, and their skin was proof against pistol-shot; so that he came to the more prudent conclusion, that ingenuity could alone extricate them from this frightful position. As soon as it was day, and Tourmentine found the bones of her little Ogre, she filled the air with fearful howls. Ravagio appeared in as much despair. They were a hundred times very nearly throwing themselves upon the Prince and Princess, and devouring them without mercy. They had hidden themselves in a little dark corner, but the cannibals knew full well where they were, and of all the perils they had encountered, this seemed the most imminent. Aimée, racking her brains, all at once remembered that the ivory wand which Tourmentine possessed performed wonders; why, she herself could not tell. "If, notwithstanding her ignorance," said she, "these surprising things occur, why should not my words have as much effect?" Filled with this idea, she ran to the cavern in which Tourmentine slept; she looked for the