That night when he was alone in his room, there appeared a lovely lady. She wore a robe as white as snow, and a wreath of white roses on her head. She addressed him thus:
"I am the Fairy Candide; I wished to see if you were as good as everybody declares you are, and for this reason I changed myself into the little rabbit, and ran to you in my distress, for I know that those who have pity for dumb creatures have still more pity for mankind. I have come to thank you for what you did and to say that I shall always be your friend, and will grant any request you would now like to make."
"Madam," replied the King, "I have one only son whom I love devotedly; he is named Prince Chéri; if you have any good will for me, be a friend to my son."
"Willingly," responded the Fairy, "I will make your son the most handsome prince in the world, or the richest, or the most powerful; choose which you will for him."
"I desire none of these things," replied the King, "but I shall be very much obliged if you will make him the best of all princes, for what good would it do to him to be handsome, rich, or powerful if he were wicked? You know he would be unhappy, for it is only goodness which brings content."
"You are right," answered the Fairy, "but that I cannot do; Prince Chéri must himself strive to become good. All that I can promise is that I will give him good advice, and punish him for his faults, if he will not himself correct them."
And with this the father had to rest content.
Not long afterwards the good King died, and two days later the Fairy appeared to Prince Chéri.
"I promised your father to be your friend," she told him; "here is a little gold ring, take care of it, for it is worth more than diamonds. Every time that you are about to do any wrong action it will prick you. If, in spite of the pricks, you continue your bad actions, you will lose my friendship and I shall become your enemy."