The Queen of the Flowery Isles , well aware of this law , was fully determined to present her daughter to the proud queen as soon as her fifteenth birthday was past . The queen herself had heard a rumour of the young princess 's great beauty , and awaited her visit with some anxiety , which soon developed into jealousy , for when the interview took place it was impossible not to be dazzled by such radiant charms , and she was obliged to admit that she had never beheld anyone so exquisitely lovely . Of course she thought in her own mind ` excepting myself ! ' for nothing could have made her believe it possible that anyone could eclipse her . But the outspoken admiration of the entire court soon undeceived her , and made her so angry that she pretended illness and retired to her own rooms , so as to avoid witnessing the princess 's triumph . She also sent word to the Queen of the Flowery Isles that she was sorry not to be well enough to see her again , and advised her to return to her own states with the princess , her daughter . This message was entrusted to one of the great ladies of the court , who was an old friend of the Queen of the Flowery Isles , and who advised her not to wait to take a formal leave but to go home as fast as she could . The Queen was not slow to take the hint , and lost no time in obeying it . Being well aware of the magic powers of the incensed queen , she warned her daughter that she was threatened by some great danger if she left the palace for any reason whatever during the next six months . The princess promised obedience , and no pains were spared to make the time pass pleasantly for her . The six months were nearly at an end , and on the very last day a splendid fête was to take place in a lovely meadow quite near the palace . The princess , who had been able to watch all the preparations from her window , implored her mother to let her go as far as the meadow ; and the queen , thinking all risks must be over , consented , and promised to take her there herself . The whole court was delighted to see their much-loved princess at liberty , and everyone set off in high glee to join in the fête . The princess , overjoyed at being once more in the open air , was walking a little in advance of her party when suddenly the earth opened under her feet and closed again after swallowing her up ! -LSB- Illustration : The Princess is swallowed up by the Earth . -RSB- The queen fainted away with terror , and the younger princess burst into floods of tears and could hardly be dragged away from the fatal spot , whilst the court was overwhelmed with horror at so great a calamity . Orders were given to bore the earth to a great depth , but in vain ; not a trace of the vanished princess was to be found . She sank right through the earth and found herself in a desert place with nothing but rocks and trees and no sign of any human being . The only living creature she saw was a very pretty little dog , who ran up to her and at once began to caress her . She took him in her arms , and after playing with him for a little put him down again , when he started off in front of her , looking round from time to time as though begging her to follow .
She let him lead her XXXXX , and presently reached a little hill , from which she saw a valley full of lovely fruit trees , bearing flowers and fruit together .
Of by during for if into on that to with