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。Shehadnodoubt(thoughreallyI
cannotthinkwhy)thatthemomenthadcomeinwhichtousethenutwhichhadbeengivenher。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。
