ThebeautifulRainbowinformedFairer-than-a-Fairythathewasyoung，thesonofapowerfulking，andthattheFairy，Lagree，whoowedhisparentsagrudge，hadrevengedherselfbydeprivinghimofhisnaturalshapeforsomeyears；thatshehadimprisonedhiminthepalace，wherehehadfoundhisconfinementhardtobearforsometime，butnow，heowned，henolongersighedforfreedomsincehehadseenandlearnedtoloveFairer-than-a-Fairy。
　　Headdedmanyothertenderspeechestothisdeclaration，andthePrincess，towhomsuchremarkswereanewexperience，couldnothelpfeelingpleasedandtouchedbyhisattentions。
　　ThePrincecouldonlyappearorspeakundertheformofaRainbow，anditwasthereforenecessarythatthesunshouldshineonwatersoastoenabletheraystoformthemselves。
　　Fairer-than-a-Fairylostnomomentinwhichshecouldmeetherlover，andtheyenjoyedmanylongandinterestinginterviews。
　　Oneday，however，theirconversationbecamesoabsorbingandtimepassedsoquicklythatthePrincessforgottoattendtothefire，anditwentout。Lagree，onherreturn，soonfoundouttheneglect，andseemedonlytoopleasedtohavetheopportunityofshowingherspitetoherlovelyprisoner。SheorderedFairer-than-a-FairytostartnextdayatdawntoaskLocrinosforfirewithwhichtorelighttheoneshehadallowedtogoout。
　　NowthisLocrinoswasacruelmonsterwhodevouredeveryonehecameacross，andespeciallyenjoyedachanceofcatchingandeatinganyyounggirls。Ourheroineobeyedwithgreatsweetness，andwithouthavingbeenabletotakeleaveofherlovershesetofftogotoLocrinosastocertaindeath。Asshewascrossingawoodabirdsangtohertopickupashiningpebblewhichshewouldfindinafountaincloseby，andtouseitwhenneeded。
　　Shetookthebird’sadvice，andinduetimearrivedatthehouseofLocrinos。Luckilysheonlyfoundhiswifeathome，whowasmuchstruckbythePrincess’syouthandbeautyandsweetgentlemanners，andstillfurtherimpressedbythepresentoftheshiningpebble。
　　ShereadilyletFairer-than-a-Fairyhavethefire，andinreturnforthestoneshegaveheranother，which，shesaid，mightproveusefulsomeday。Thenshesentherawaywithoutdoingheranyharm。
　　Lagreewasasmuchsurprisedasdispleasedatthehappyresultofthisexpedition，andFairer-than-aFairywaitedanxiouslyforanopportunityofmeetingPrinceRainbowandtellinghimheradventures。Shefound，however，thathehadalreadybeentoldallaboutthembyaFairywhoprotectedhim，andtowhomhewasrelated。
　　ThedreadoffreshdangerstohisbelovedPrincessmadehimdevisesomemoreconvenientwayofmeetingthanbythegardenfountain，andFairer-than-a-Fairycarriedouthisplandailywithentiresuccess。Everymorningsheplacedalargebasinfullofwateronherwindow-sill，andassoonasthesun’sraysfellonthewatertheRainbowappearedasclearlyasithadeverdoneinthefountain。BythismeanstheywereabletomeetwithoutlosingsightofthefireorofthetwobottlesinwhichtheoldFairykepthereyeandhertoothatnight，andforsometimetheloversenjoyedeveryhourofsunshinetogether。
　　OnedayPrinceRainbowappearedinthedepthsofwoe。Hehadjustheardthathewastobebanishedfromthislovelyspot，buthehadnoideawherehewastogo。Thepooryoungcouplewereindespair，andonlypartedwiththelastrayofsunshine，andinhopesofmeetingnextmorning。Alas！nextdaywasdarkandgloomy，anditwasonlylateintheafternoonthatthesunbrokethroughthecloudsforafewminutes。
　　Fairer-than-a-Fairyeagerlyrantothewindow，butinherhastesheupsetthebasin，andspiltallthewaterwithwhichshehadcarefullyfilleditovernight。Nootherwaterwasathandexceptthatinthetwobottles。Itwastheonlychanceofseeingherloverbeforetheywereseparated，andshedidnothesitatetobreakthebottleandpourtheircontentsintothebasin，whentheRainbowappearedatonce。Theirfarewellswerefulloftenderness；thePrincemadethemostardentandsincereprotestations，andpromisedtoneglectnothingwhichmighthelptodeliverhisdearFairer-than-a-Fairyfromhercaptivity，andimploredhertoconsenttotheirmarriageassoonastheyshouldbothbefree。ThePrincess，onherside，vowedtohavenootherhusband，anddeclaredherselfwillingtobravedeathitselfinordertorejoinhim。
　　Theywerenotallowedmuchtimefortheiradieus；theRainbowvanished，andthePrincess，resolvedtorunallrisks，startedoffatonce，takingnothingwithherbutherdog，hercat，asprigofmyrtle，andthestonewhichthewifeofLocrinosgaveher。
　　WhenLagreebecameawareofherprisoner’sflightshewasfurious，andsetoffatfullspeedinpursuit。Sheovertookherjustasthepoorgirl，overcomebyfatigue，hadlaindowntorestinacavewhichthestonehadformeditselfintotoshelterher。
　　ThelittledogwhowaswatchinghermistresspromptlyflewatLagreeandbithersoseverelythatshestumbledagainstacornerofthecaveandbrokeoffheronlytooth。Beforeshehadrecoveredfromthepainandragethiscausedher，thePrincesshadtimetoescape，andwassomewayonherroad。Feargaveherstrengthforsometime，butatlastshecouldgonofurther，andsankdowntorest。Asshedidso，thesprigofmyrtleshecarriedtouchedtheground，andimmediatelyagreenandshadybowerspranguproundher，inwhichshehopedtosleepinpeace。
　　ButLagreehadnotgivenupherpursuit，andarrivedjustasFairer-than-a-Fairyhadfallenfastasleep。Thistimeshemadesureofcatchinghervictim，butthecatspiedherout，and，springingfromoneoftheboughsofthearboursheflewatLagree’sfaceandtoreoutheronlyeye，thusdeliveringthePrincessforeverfromherpersecutor。
　　Onemighthavethoughtthatallwouldnowbewell，butnosoonerhadLagreebeenputtofightthanourheroinewasoverwhelmedwithhungerandthirst。Shefeltasthoughsheshouldcertainlyexpire，anditwaswithsomedifficultythatshedraggedherselfasfarasaprettylittlegreenandwhitehouse，whichstoodatnogreatdistance。Hereshewasreceivedbyabeautifulladydressedingreenandwhitetomatchthehouse，whichapparentlybelongedtoher，andofwhichsheseemedtheonlyinhabitant。
　　ShegreetedthefaintingPrincessmostkindly，gaveheranexcellentsupper，andafteralongnight’srestinadelightfulbedtoldherthataftermanytroublessheshouldfinallyattainherdesire。
　　AsthegreenandwhiteladytookleaveofthePrincessshegaveheranut，desiringheronlytoopenitinthemosturgentneed。
　　AfteralongandtiringjourneyFairer-than-a-Fairywasoncemorereceivedinahouse，andbyaladyexactlyliketheoneshehadquitted。Hereagainshereceivedapresentwiththesameinjunctions，butinsteadofanutthisladygaveheragoldenpomegranate。ThemournfulPrincesshadtocontinueherwearyway，andaftermanytroublesandhardshipssheagainfoundrestandshelterinathirdhouseexactlysimilartothetwoothers。
　　Thesehousesbelongedtothreesisters，allendowedwithfairygifts，andallsoalikeinmindandpersonthattheywishedtheirhousesandgarmentstobeequallyalike。Theiroccupationconsistedinhelpingthoseinmisfortune，andtheywereasgentleandbenevolentasLagreehadbeencruelandspiteful。
　　ThethirdFairycomfortedthepoortraveller，beggedhernottoloseheart，andassuredherthathertroublesshouldberewarded。
　　Sheaccompaniedheradvicebythegiftofacrystalsmelling-bottle，withstrictordersonlytoopenitincaseofurgentneed。Fairer-than-a-Fairythankedherwarmly，andresumedherwaycheeredbypleasantthoughts。
　　Afteratimeherroadledthroughawood，fullofsoftairsandsweetodours，andbeforeshehadgoneahundredyardsshesawawonderfulsilverCastlesuspendedbystrongsilverchainstofourofthelargesttrees。Itwassoperfectlyhungthatagentlebreezerockeditsufficientlytosendyoupleasantlytosleep。
　　Fairer-than-a-FairyfeltastrongdesiretoenterthisCastle，butbesidesbeinghungalittleabovethegroundthereseemedtobeneitherdoorsnorwindows。ShehadnodoubtthoughreallyI
　　cannotthinkwhythatthemomenthadcomeinwhichtousethenutwhichhadbeengivenher。Sheopenedit，andoutcameadiminutivehallporteratwhosebelthungatinychain，attheendofwhichwasagoldenkeyhalfaslongasthesmallestpinyoueversaw。
　　ThePrincessclimbeduponeofthesilverchains，holdinginherhandthelittleporterwho，inspiteofhisminutesize，openedasecretdoorwithhisgoldenkeyandletherin。SheenteredamagnificentroomwhichappearedtooccupytheentireCastle，andwhichwaslightedbygoldandjewelledstarsintheceiling。Inthemidstofthisroomstoodacouch，drapedwithcurtainsofallthecoloursoftherainbow，andsuspendedbygoldencordssothatitswayedwiththeCastleinamannerwhichrockeditsoccupantdelightfullytosleep。
　　OnthiselegantcouchlayPrinceRainbow，lookingmorebeautifulthanever，andsunkinprofoundslumber，inwhichhehadbeenheldeversincehisdisappearance。
　　Fairy-than-a-Fairy，whonowsawhimforthefirsttimeinhisrealshape，hardlydaredtogazeathim，fearinglesthisappearancemightnotbeinkeepingwiththevoiceandlanguagewhichhadwonherheart。Atthesametimeshecouldnothelpfeelingratherhurtattheapparentindifferencewithwhichshewasreceived。
　　Sherelatedallthedangersanddifficultiesshehadgonethrough，andthoughsherepeatedthestorytwentytimesinaloudclearvoice，thePrincesleptonandtooknoheed。Shethenhadrecoursetothegoldenpomegranate，andonopeningitfoundthatalltheseedswereasmanylittleviolinswhichflewupinthevaultedroofandatoncebeganplayingmelodiously。
　　ThePrincewasnotcompletelyroused，butheopenedhiseyesalittleandlookedallthehandsomer。
　　Impatientatnotbeingrecognised，Fairer-than-a-Fairynowdrewoutherthirdpresent，andonopeningthecrystalscent-bottlealittlesyrenflewout，whosilencedtheviolinsandthensangclosetothePrince’searthestoryofallhisladylovehadsufferedinhersearchforhim。Sheaddedsomegentlereproachestohertale，butbeforeshehadgotfarhewaswideawake，andtransportedwithjoythrewhimselfatthePrincess’sfeet。Atthesamemomentthewallsoftheroomexpandedandopenedout，revealingagoldenthronecoveredwithjewels。AmagnificentCourtnowbegantoassemble，andatthesametimeseveralelegantcarriagesfilledwithladiesinmagnificentdressesdroveup。InthefirstandmostsplendidofthesecarriagessatPrinceRainbow’smother。Shefondlyembracedherson，afterwhichsheinformedhimthathisfatherhadbeendeadforsomeyears，thattheangeroftheFairieswasatlengthappeased，andthathemightreturninpeacetoreignoverhispeople，whowerelongingforhispresence。
　　TheCourtreceivedthenewKingwithjoyfulacclamationswhichwouldhavedelightedhimatanyothertime，butallhisthoughtswerefullofFairer-than-a-Fairy。HewasjustabouttopresenthertohismotherandtheCourt，feelingsurethathercharmswouldwinallhearts，whenthethreegreenandwhitesistersappeared。
　　TheydeclaredthesecretofFairy-than-a-Fairy’sroyalbirth，andtheQueentakingthetwoloversinhercarriagesetoffwiththemforthecapitalofthekingdom。
　　Heretheywerereceivedwithtumultuousjoy。Theweddingwascelebratedwithoutdelay，andsucceedingyearsdiminishedneitherthevirtues，beauty，northemutualaffectionofKingRainbowandhisQueen，Fairer-than-a-Fairy。