With these words he struck three times upon the lid of the box. At once, as though this were a signal, the little people came running out from their hiding places, and, as though each one wished to be the first, they hastened back into the box, pushing and hustling each other in their hurry. The workmen hastily folded the tents, the cook and his scullions gathered up their cooking utensils, the coachmen cracked their whips and shouted to their horses. Back into the box they crowded, the box closed of itself, and the meadow lay green and deserted in the sunlight.
Graciosa would have thanked Percinet, but when she turned to speak to him, he was gone.
“Alas, he is so angry I fear he no longer loves me,” sighed Graciosa, “while I have at last learned both to love and trust him. If he had but asked me again to return with him to the fairy palace, how gladly I would have agreed!”
Sadly the Princess again set out for Grognon’s castle, and in due time arrived there without having had any more adventures, and placed the box in the cabinet in the main hall as the Queen had directed.
When Grognon found that again Graciosa had accomplished her task, and so escaped punishment, her rage was so great that she was like one who has suddenly gone crazy. She sent for the fairy, and as soon as she appeared, the Queen flew at her with teeth and nails.
“Miserable creature!” she shrieked. “You have deceived me. Three times you have promised to put Graciosa in my power. And what has happened? Every time she has accomplished the tasks and met me smiling. Begone, or I will tear you limb from limb.”
Powerful as the fairy was, she was frightened by the fierceness of Grognon. She made haste to take herself out of the way and fled back to her castle, glad to have escaped with her life.
Grognon now made up her mind to take matters again into her own hands. She caused a deep pit to be dug in the garden, too deep for any one who fell into it to have any chance of escaping. Over this a great stone was rolled, so that the mouth of the pit was hidden.
The Queen then sent for Graciosa to come and walk with her in the garden. She also took several attendants with her.
Though Grognon met Graciosa with a smile and seemed to have forgotten all her rage against her, the Princess was very uneasy. She feared the Queen’s plots and felt sure that some new evil was being planned against her, but she did not know from what direction the danger would come.