FromLesfeesillustres。
InveryancienttimestherelivedaKing，whosepowerlaynotonlyinthevastextentofhisdominions，butalsointhemagicsecretsofwhichhewasmaster。Afterspendingthegreaterpartofhisearlyyouthinpleasure，hemetaPrincessofsuchremarkablebeautythatheatonceaskedherhandinmarriage，and，havingobtainedit，consideredhimselfthehappiestofmen。
Afterayear’stimeasonwasborn，worthyineverywayofsuchdistinguishedparents，andmuchadmiredbythewholeCourt。AssoonastheQueenthoughthimstrongenoughforajourneyshesetoutwithhimsecretlytovisitherFairygodmother。Isaidsecretly，becausetheFairyhadwarnedtheQueenthattheKingwasamagician；andasfromtimeimmemorialtherehadbeenastandingfeudbetweentheFairiesandtheWizards，hemightnothaveapprovedofhiswife’svisit。
TheFairygodmother，whotookthedeepestinterestinalltheQueen’sconcerns，andwhowasmuchpleasedwiththelittlePrince，endowedhimwiththepowerofpleasingeverybodyfromhiscradle，aswellaswithawonderfuleaseinlearningeverythingwhichcouldhelptomakehimaperfectlyaccomplishedPrince。
Accordingly，tothedelightofhisteachers，hemadethemostrapidprogressinhiseducation，constantlysurpassingeveryone’sexpectations。Beforehewasmanyyearsold，however，hehadthegreatsorrowoflosinghismother，whoselastwordsweretoadvisehimnevertoundertakeanythingofimportancewithoutconsultingtheFairyunderwhoseprotectionshehadplacedhim。