nd so the spy was sent back to Fiordelisa and ordered to pretend
to sleep as soundly as ever at night. Meanwhile, the queen prepared a nasty
surprise for the Blue Bird: She had her servants cover the fir tree outside
Fiordelisa's window all over with the sharpest blades they could find. The
tree was hung with knives, swords, razors, shears--whatever sharp things
could be found in the palace.That night the maid went to bed earlier than usual and pretended she was sound asleep; she even snored. Immediately Fiordelisa ran to the window and called out:
Blue Bird, blue as the skyThe Blue Bird tried to fly to his princess, but the knives in the tree caught him. They cut his wings and feet and stabbed him in twenty different places so that he fell back in his hiding place, bleeding and moaning.
Fly to me now, there's nobody by!
Fiordelisa called and called, but her prince did not come. All night long she called and waited and listened, but there was no answer.
Inside the tree, the Blue Bird was in despair, for he thought that somehow Fiordelisa had been persuaded to trade his life for her freedom. "Princess, how can you be so lovely yet so faithless?" he groaned to himself. "I may as well die at once." And he turned over on his side and began to die.
Just then he heard a voice call out: "Charming! Prince Charming! Are you here?" The prince at once recognized the voice--it was his godfather, the Enchanter! "I am here in this tree," said the prince weakly. "I am a blue bird."
The Enchanter found him instantly and as soon as he saw how badly hurt the Blue Bird was, he gathered up a handful of magic herbs, mumbled a few spells and healed the Blue Bird of all his wounds.
"How did you know to come looking for me?" said the Blue Bird to his old friend.
"Your frog chariot came back to me without you," answered the Enchanter, "and I was very much worried. I've been all over the world eight times looking for you! Now, tell me how you came to be turned into a Blue Bird."
Charming told the Enchanter the whole story, accusing Fiordelisa of betrayal at the end. He said she was fickle and deceitful, and that her beauty and outward kindness must hide a cold heart. The Enchanter agreed with everything he said, and added that all princesses were alike, except perhaps some were prettier than others. "Forget all about this Fiordelisa, Your Highness," he said. But somehow, in his heart, this advice did not sit well with the prince.