The Queen was thanking the Fairies a thousand times for all their favours, when the door opened, and a crab appeared.

“Ungrateful Queen,” said the crab, “you have not deigned to remember me, the Fairy of the Fountain; and to punish your ingratitude, if the Princess sees daylight before she is fifteen years old, she will have cause to repent it, and it may cost her her life.  It was well I took the form of a crab, for your friendship instead of advancing has gone backwards.”  Then in spite of all the Queen and the Fairies could say, the crab went backwards out of the door, leaving them in the saddest consternation, and it was long before they could decide what was best to be done.

Then, with three waves of a wand, the Fairies caused a high tower to spring up; it had neither door nor window, an underground passage was made, through which everything necessary could be carried, and in this tower the little Princess was shut up and there she lived by candlelight, where never a glimpse of the sun could come.

When the Princess Desiree was fourteen years old, the Queen had her portrait painted, and copies of it were carried to all the Courts in the world.  All the Princes admired it greatly, but there was one Prince, named Guerrier, who loved it above everything; he used to stand before the picture and avow his passion, just as if it heard what he said, and at last he told the King, his father.

“You have resolved that I shall marry the Princess Noire, but this I can never do, so great is my love for the Princess Desiree.”

“But where have you seen her?” enquired the King.

The Prince hastened to fetch her portrait, and the King was so greatly struck by Desiree’s beauty that he agreed to follow his son’s wishes and break off his engagement with the Princess Noire, that he might wed the Princess Desiree.  So the King despatched as ambassador a rich young lord named Becafigue.

Becafigue was devoted to Prince Guerrier, and he fitted out a most splendid retinue to visit the Princess Desiree’s Court.  Besides numerous magnificent presents, Becafigue took with him the Prince’s portrait, which had been painted by such a clever artist that it would speak; it could not exactly answer questions, but could make certain remarks.  It was truly a speaking likeness of the young Prince.  Desiree’s father and mother were delighted when they heard that the Prince Guerrier was seeking their daughter’s hand in marriage, for they knew him to be a brave and noble young man.  But as it still wanted three months to the Princess’s fifteenth year, warned by the Fairy Tulip, who had taken Desiree under her special care, they refused to let him see their daughter or to let her yet marry the Prince Guerrier, but they showed her the Prince’s portrait, with which she was greatly pleased, and particularly when it said, “Lovely Desiree, you cannot imagine how ardently I am waiting for you; come soon into our Court to make it beautiful by your presence.”