Hardly had the Fairy pronounced these words, when Chéri perceived with horror that his body had been transformed.
He had a lion's head, a bull's horns, the feet of a wolf, and the tail of a viper. At the same moment he found himself in a forest, and there, after roaming about miserably for some time, he fell into a pit dug by hunters. He was captured and led into the capital of his Kingdom.
On the way thither instead of acknowledging that he had brought this evil plight upon himself, he bit at his chains, and cursed the Fairy. As he was nearing the city great rejoicings were seen on every side, and, on the hunters enquiring the reason, they were told that Prince Chéri, whose only pleasure it was to torment his people, had been crushed to death in his chamber by a thunder-bolt, a just punishment for his offences. Four of his wicked companions had tried to partition the Kingdom between them, but the people would have none such to rule, and they had offered the crown to the good and wise Suliman. Chéri panted with rage on hearing this, and in the Palace Square he saw Suliman on a superb throne, and all the people who shouted with joy, and wished him a long life to repair the evil brought about by their former sovereign. "I accept the throne," said Suliman, "but it is to preserve it for Prince Chéri. A fairy has revealed to me that he is not dead, and possibly will return to you as virtuous as in his earliest years. Alas!" cried Suliman, bursting into tears, "his flatterers have ruined him, I know that at heart he is good." These words moved Chéri to sorrow for his crimes, and he felt that he had not been punished as severely as he deserved, and he now resolved to amend his faults.
Therefore he obeyed the man who had charge over him, and who constantly cruelly beat him, and one day when this keeper lay asleep, and a tiger who had broken loose was about to devour him, Chéri fought the fierce beast, and saved the man's life.
Then a voice was heard saying, "a good action shall be
rewarded!" and, to Chéri's joy he was instantaneously transformed into a pretty little dog which the keeper carried to the Queen.
The Queen was delighted with him, but, for fear he should grow bigger, she gave him only small pieces of bread to eat, so that poor Chéri nearly died of hunger.
One day he carried his little piece of bread into the garden to eat it there, but wandering with it in his mouth, still further on, he saw a young girl pale and thin, and almost fainting for want of food.
"I am hungry," thought Chéri, "but if I give my breakfast to this poor thing, perhaps I shall save her life." He placed his bread in the girl's hand, and she ate it hungrily. Just then he heard loud cries, and saw that it was the beautiful Zélie struggling to free herself from four men who were carrying her into a house near by.