The blue bird

Once upon a time, there was a king who had a daughter who was as beautiful as the day, intelligent and kind, and whose name was Florine. Having lost his wife, after a few years he remarried a woman of dubious honesty, who installed her daughter of the same age in the castle, who was called Truitonne, because her ugliness and stupidity made her look like a trout.

When it came time to marry the princesses, Prince Charming called to court fell madly in love with Florine.

But his stepmother the queen wanted the prince for her daughter Truitonne and she had Florine locked in a tower for the rest of the prince’s visit. The latter, in despair, thought he had found a moment to speak alone with his beloved, but he was deceived by the queen, and gave his engagement ring to Truitonne, who had taken Florine’s place by keeping her face hidden.

The next day, still believing he was dealing with his beau, he abducted Truitonne in a flying chariot, pulled by two winged frogs and swore to marry her.

They arrived at the home of Truitonne’s godmother, the fairy Soussio, who wanted to marry them on the spot. But the prince, realizing that he had been fooled, and had taken Truitonne instead of Florine, categorically refused the marriage. So the fairy changed him into a blue bird for the next seven years.

Truitonne returned to the castle and her mother made the princess believe that the wedding had really taken place by showing the ring that the prince had inadvertently given to Truitonne.

Florine was so sad that she cried day and night, begging the sky through her bedroom window.

One evening, landed on the balcony a charming blue bird, which returned several days in a row, carrying in its beak beautiful jewels that it offered to the princess.

But the queen noticed and set a trap that cut off his legs.

The blue bird was then taken in by an enchanter who got the fairy Soussio to give him back his human form, on the condition that he really married Truitonne. The prince had to resign himself.

Ignoring this, sad, but determined to find her prince, Florine set out on the road and met a fairy who gave her 4 magic eggs to help her in her endeavor.

She arrived at Prince Charming’s castle and disguised herself as a merchant to enter the palace. Thanks to the magic eggs, she got the attention of the rulers.

When the Prince recognized her, he fell to his knees and wept with joy as he hugged her.

The good fairy and the enchanter married them on the spot and Truitonne was changed into a sow.

Tale of Madame d’Aulnoy summarized and modernized. Illustrations taken from Epinal pictures.