There was one time a king, named Alfarout, who was dreaded by his

neighbours, and beloved by his subjects. He was wise, good, just, brave, and
active. He was deficient in nothing. A fairy came to visit him, and told him
that great misfortunes would happen to him, if he did not preserve the ring
which she placed upon his finger. When he turned the jewel of the ring
towards his hand, he should become invisible; and when he turned it in the
contrary direction, he should be visible as before. This ring was very
convenient to him. When he distrusted any one of his subjects, he went to
the closet of this man with his jewel turned inwards; he heard and saw all his
family secrets, without being himself perceived. If he feared the intention of
any neighbouring king, he entered into the most secret councils, where he
learned every thing, avoiding, at the same time, any exposure of himself.
Thus he prevented, without difficulty, all that they wished to do against him;
he detected several conspiracies against his life, and foiled his enemies, who
wished to overthrow him. For all this, he was not satisfied with his ring alone;
but he asked of the fairy, the means of removing himself, in a moment, from
one country to another, that he might make a more ready and convenient use
of it.
The fairy replied with a sigh: "You ask too much; I fear lest this last present
may become hurtful to you."
He would listen to nothing, and, consequently, urged her to this favour. "Well,
well," said she, "in spite of myself, you must have what will cause you a little
repentance."
Then she rubbed his shoulders with an odorous liquid; immediately, he
perceived two little wings, which sprang from his back; they did not appear at
all from under his clothes; but when he determined to fly, he had but to touch
them with his hand, they became so long, that he was in a condition to
infinitely surpass the rapid flight of an eagle. As soon as he wished to
discontinue his flight, he had but to retouch his wings, immediately they
folded themselves up in as small a compass as before.
By these means, the king went all about in little time; he knew every thing,
and no one could conceive how he acquired his knowledge; for he shut
himself up, and appeared to remain almost the whole of the day in his closet,
which nobody dared to enter; as soon as he was there, he rendered himself
invisible by his ring, extended his wings by a touch, and ran through
immense tracts of country.
With these aids, he engaged in vast wars, where he won as many battles as
he desired. But as he witnessed continually the secret transactions of men,
he found them so wicked and treacherous, that he durst no longer confide in
them. The more powerful he became, the less was he beloved; and he

perceived that those upon whom he had conferred the greatest benefits,
were far from being the most ardent in their affection towards him.
To console himself, he resolved to travel through the world, to seek out a
perfect woman for his wife, by whom he should be beloved, and with whom
he should be happy. He sought for a long time, and as he saw every thing
without being seen, he became acquainted with the most hidden secrets. He
attended every court; he found every where dissembling women, who wished
to be beloved, but who loved themselves too much to care a great deal for
their husbands. He entered into every private house: one had too light and
inconstant a mind ; another was artful; another haughty; another odd; and
almost all were false, vain, and admirers of their own beauty. He went down
into the lowest ranks of society, and he found at last the daughter of a poor
labourer, beautiful as the day, but simple and ingenuous with all her beauty,
which she counted as nothing, and which was, indeed, her smallest
recommendation, for she had an understanding, and a heart far exceeding all
the graces of her person. All the young men of her neighbourhood were
earnest to see her, and each young man felt satisfied that he would secure
the happiness of his life, could he but marry her.
The king could not see her, without becoming deeply in love with her; he
asked her in marriage of her father, who was transported at the thought of
his daughter's becoming a great queen.
Clariphile (for this was her name) passed from the hut of her father to a
splendid palace, where a numerous court received her. She was not dazzled
in the least. She preserved her simplicity, her modesty, and her purity, and
never forgot her humble origin, although she was loaded with honours.
The king redoubled his affection for her, and believed at last that he had
attained to happiness; but little was wanting, if he was not so already, so
great a confidence did he begin to place in the good disposition of the queen.
He made himself invisible every day to watch her, and, if possible, to surprise
her; but he discovered nothing but what was worthy of admiration; he had
but a slight portion of his former jealousy and distrust remaining; so little as
to give him scarcely the slightest uneasiness in his affection for Clariphile.
The fairy, who had predicted the most wretched consequences from the last
gift, so often warned him, that she became troublesome to him; the king
commanded that she should no longer be permitted to enter the palace, and
told the queen that he forbade her receiving her.
The queen promised with a great deal of reluctance to obey him, for she
loved the good fairy very much. One day, the fairy, wishing to inform the
queen of some future event, came in under the figure of an officer and
declared to the queen who she was. Immediately, the queen embraced her

tenderly.
The king, who was then invisible, perceived it, and was transported by his
jealousy to the utmost degree of fury; he drew his sword and stabbed the
queen, who fell dying into his arms
At this moment, the fairy resumed her true figure; the king recognised her,
and discovered the innocence of the queen. He immediately attempted to kill
himself; the fairy arrested the blow, and endeavoured to console him. The
queen, with her expiring voice, said to him: "Though I perish by your hand,
my heart is entirely yours."
Alfarout deplored the mistake of having wished, contrary to the advice of the
fairy, for a gift which had proved so fatal. He restored her his ring, and
begged her to take away his wings. The rest of his life was spent in bitterness
and self-reproach. His only consolation, was to weep at the tomb of Clariphile.