The Godchild of the Fairy in the Tower from The Borzoi Book of French Folk Tales

There once was a woman who found that she as with child. She had a desire to eat cabbage, but she couldnt find any save in the garden of a fairy, whom she didnt dare ask to give her some. She went and took some during the night. The next day the fairy saw that some cabbage heads were lacking. She grew angry and said that id she could catch the people who had stolen her cabbages she would make them pay dearly. The woman didnt go back the next night, and the day after, when the fairy went into her garden to visit her cabbages, she saw that no more heads had disappeared. But as the woman had by then finished eating those she had already stolen, she went back on the third night. The fairy thought nothing more of the cabbages, but in the morning when she was taking he walk she saw that a great many more heads were lacking and she got so angry that she said she wanted to catch the thieves at any cost. She had bells tied to all of the cabbage heads. When the woman went back a third time, at the first head that she cut, the fairy heard the ringing of the bell, then at the second, then at the third. The woman was in the act of cutting th third head when the fairy arrived in a furor. What! Youre the one who is stealing my cabbages every night! Youll pay dearly for them! The woman began to cry and begged her pardon; she said that she was with child, that she had been overcome with a desire to eat cabbage and that she had taken the liberty to go into the fairys garden to cut them. The fairy told her that she would have done better to ask for them. The woman replied that she didnt dare, that she deserved her pardon, and that she wouldnt do it any more. I pardon you, the fairy told her, but on condition that you will make me godmother of the child that you are carrying and you may come and get cabbages as much as you please. The woman quickly promised. When she went home she told her husband what had happened. Soon she gave birth to a daughter. At once the father went to notify the fairy, who came to act as godmother. When everybody was seated at the table, the fairy declared before beginning to eat: I want ot make my godchild a gift. I wish that she may have golden hair and that she may be the most beautiful girl in the world. But she added that as soon as her godchild had grown up she would take her into her household to have her educated; and as soon as the girl was old enough, she came to get her. The father and the mother were very much tormented to see their daughter depart, but there was nothing they could say. She was taken away into the fairy castle and told that she would be very happy is she behaved as she should. The godchild promised that she would be obedient. The fairy showed her the work that she would have to do in the castle, during the absence of her godmother, and gave her a little bitch dog to keep her company. Tomorrow I shall leave, she said. Close all the doors tight. When I return I will call you thus: Godchild, give me your golden hair, and with your hair you will pull me up through the window.

The girl promised to obey and the first days passed as they should. The godmother came back from her trip; from far off she cried: Godchild, give me your golden hair. The daughter came to her window and let down he hair to pull her up. Have you been good? said the fairy. Oh, yes, godmother. See how I have waxed all the floors and cleaned all the furniture. Thats good, godchild. Tomorrow I shall go on a trip once more and I shall be absent for some time. The godmother departed, but this time the trip lasted for two weeks and the daughter became bored. She spent hours at the window watching for the arrival of her godmother, and when a carriage came she thought that it was her godmother, and th passers-by admired the beautiful girl with the golden hair. A prince chanced to pass by and saw her. He was charmed, stopped his horses to see her better, but didnt dare speak to her. Meanwhile the godmother arrived. Godchild, give me your golden hair. At once, godmother. The fairy asked her, as usual, if she had been good, and departed for several days once more. The prince who had seen how she got into the castle, came back the nest day, saw the beauty with the golden hair at her window, talked with her a little. He departed promising to return. She found the rest of the day and the night quite long while she waited for her prince. He came back early, and she pulled him up into her chamber through the window with her golden hair. The godmother didnt stay away on her journey as long as before, and she arrived just as the prince was departing. As soon as she was inside the castle the little bitch dog began to say: Your godchild made love with the prince. What is the dog saying? asked the fairy. Godmother, she says that I have worked well and that I have cleaned the rooms carefully. Good, godchild. Thats all. The next day the fairy departed once more but for only two days. As soon as she had come back the little dog said to her: Godmother, your godchild spoke a long time to the prince. Whats that little dog telling me now? Godmother, she said, she says that I have worked well and that I have set everything in order. Good, godchild. Tomorrow Im leaving again and I dont know when I shall be back. She left and immediately the prince arrived, but the fairy was suspicious. She came back the same day and the prince was still there when she called: Godchild, godchild, give me your golden hair! The godchild was much upset. She had the prince hide behind the bed, and as soon as the fairy had come inside, the little dog told her: Godmother, the prince is behind the bed.: What is that little dog saying?

She says that I waved the floors carefully under the beds. The godmother didnt let on that she had understood. She went immediately into another room, and the prince left at once. The fairy didnt depart again until the next day and the prince came back immediately and took the girl of the golden hair away. When the fairy arrived, in vain she cried: Godchild, give me your golden hair. Nobody came, but the little dog called to her: Godmother, your godchild has departed with the prince. Then the fairy got in her carriage and set out in pursuit of the fugitives. When she perceived the princes carriage she began to shout: Godchild, may you turn into a frog and may your prince have a pigs snout. The wish was no sooner expressed than the beauty with the golden hair turned into a frog, which jumped from the carriage, and the prince grew a pigs snout.